Samuel Bragg - Tugboat Captain

Tugboats of New York

 

This is a family that I have been researching that are related to my Duers relatives. I would be very interested in any additional information that anyone might have on this family. --Bart

Hattie Whitcomb was born in 1868, the daughter of George Melvin Whitcomb and Caroline A. Duers; she died in 1905. Hattie married Samuel W. or T. Bragg of Fort Edward, who was born in New York or Canada in 1849 perhaps to Albin and Mary Bragg; he died in 1919.  Samuel was a boatman,  teamster, and tugboat captain. Both Hattie and Samuel are buried in the Union Cemetery in Fort Edward, Washington Co., New York. They had the following children:

     1. Charles S. Bragg, b. abt. 1889 in New York. He only appears in the 1892 New York State census and may be the same child later called Alice Bragg in the 1905 New York State census.

     2. Alice Bragg, b. abt. 1888 in New York. Alice should have been with the family in the 1892 New York State census, but is not. Instead, there is a child by the name of Charles S. Bragg that is about the same age.

     3. Elizabeth Bragg, b. abt. 1893 in New York.

     4. George Albin Bragg, b. 22 January 1895 in Fort Edward, Washington Co., New York; d. of a coronary embolism while at work on 2 August 1953 on Lake Erie 30 miles from shore in what was considered part of Ashtabula, Ashtabula Co., Ohio. His residence was Ballston Spa, Saratoga Co., New York at the time of his death, where George worked as a seaman for the Great Lakes Oil Transportation Co. He was bur. 6 August 1953 in the Ballston Spa Cemetery. George md. abt. 1919, Viola ______, who was b. abt. 1896 in Massachusetts and in 1930 they were living in West New York, Hudson Co., New Jersey where George was a tugboat captain.

     5. Charlotte Bragg, b. abt. 1899 in New York. She may be the Charlotte Bragg living in the St. Michael’s Orphanage in Hopewell, Mercer Co., New Jersey in 1910. This makes some sense since her mother died in 1905 and her father was living in Jersey City, Hudson Co., N.J. in 1910 without any of the children with him. Charlotte md. abt. 1925, Francis Ara Bowen, who was b. abt. 1905 in New York. Francis was a farmer in Essex Co., N.Y. The connection between Charlotte Bowen and Charlotte Bragg was made by a descendant of Charlotte who left a message on the Ancestry.com message boards that said the following: “I have heard stories for years about my great-grandfather, Samuel Bragg. I was told he was a tugboat captain around New York City when his wife died. He then sent my grandmother, Charlotte (Lottie) to the Wakefield family in Essex, NY where they ran the Lighthouse. She had a sister, I think her name was Alice, and a brother. I am not sure where they went, but know that the sister did marry and think she was still in the NYC area. Charlotte was born in 1916 and married Francis Ara Bowen and had 4 children, James (Bud), Francis (Sam), Alice and Ronald.”

References:
1. 1870 US census, Sandy Hill, Kingsbury, Washington Co., N.Y., p. 57 (written) and 448 (stamped), dwelling 463.
2. 1880 US census, Sandy Hill, Kingsbury, Washington Co., N.Y., e.d. 138, p. 24 (written) and 171 (stamped), dwelling 238.
3. 1880 US census, Fort Edward, Washington Co., N.Y., e.d. 137, p. 12, dwelling 115.
4.  1910 US census, Jersey City, Hudson Co., N.J., e.d. 93, sheet 18A, family 316.
5. Charles B. Moore, Cemetery Records of the Town of Fort Edward, Washington County, New York, Historical Data Services, Glens Falls, New York, 1999, p. 118-119.
6. 1892 New York State census, Fort Edward, Washington Co., e.d. 2, p. 6.
7. 1905 New York State census, Fort Edward, Washington Co., e.d. 1, p. 34, Valley Street.
8. 1910 US census, Jersey City, Hudson Co., N.J., e.d. 93, sheet 18A, family 316.
9. Certificate of Death, Ohio Department of Health, State File No. 50477, Registrar’s No. 216 (image available on familysearch.com).
10. 1930 US census, West New York, Hudson Co., N.J., e.d. 422, sheet 4B, family 100.
11. 1910 US census, Hopewell, Mercer Co., N.J., e.d. 37, sheet 15A, line 35.
12. 1930 US census, Ticonderoga, Essex Co., N.Y., e.d. 16-31, sheet 11A, dwelling 237.

Benjamin Duers

BENJAMIN DUERS was born probably in Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts about 1778 the son of David Dewers and Deborah Sherman. By 1816 he was in deep financial trouble and petitioned the Court of Common Pleas in Washington County as an insolvent debtor. His total debt amounted to just over $300, a sizable amount for the time. When the 1820 U.S. census was taken, Benjamin was no longer listed among the heads of households in Washington County. He is likely the Benjamin Dures listed in Junius Twp., Seneca County, New York in this 1820 census. Benjamin died on 12 August 1840 in Alabama, Genesee County, New York and is buried there in the Alabama Center Cemetery. His epitaph reads: What though his uncontrolled dust command our flesh to dust; Yet as the Lord our Savior rose, so all his followers must.

Benjamin was married at least twice, 1st before 1810 to an UNKNOWN WOMAN while he was living in Cambridge, Washington County, New York, and 2nd about 1830 in western New York State (perhaps in Seneca or Genesee counties) to SUSAN MCGOWAN born in Ireland in about 1797. Susan remarried after Benjamin’s death to Theodore Hitchcock. She died on 23 March 1871 and is buried in the Alabama Center Cemetery.

In his will, Benjamin mentions his wife Susan, sons Harrison, David (David is probably dead at the time of the will, since the will leaves nothing to him, but something to David’s unnamed daughter), and William. The will also mentions daughters Sarah, Maria W., Mary, Hopewell, Nancy, and Elsy (Elsie).



Benjamin and his unknown first wife had the following children all born in New York (according to his daughter Elsie’s obituary, Benjamin had nine children; if this is correct, then we have identified them all):
i. Sarah Duers, b. prob. abt. 1799 in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y.
ii. Maria W. Duers, b. abt. 1807 in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y.
iii. David Duers, b. prob. bef. 1810 in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y.
iv. Mary Duers, b. abt. 1811 in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y.
v. Hopewell Duers, b. abt. 1812 in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y.
vi. William Harrison Duers, b. abt. 1815 in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y.
vii. Nancy Duers, b. abt. 1819 in Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y.

Benjamin Duers and his second wife Susan McGowan had the following children:
viii. Elsie Duers, b. November 1832 or July 1831 prob. in Alabama, Genesee Co., N.Y.
ix. William Duers, b. abt. 1834 prob. in Alabama, Genesee Co., N.Y.

Sources & Notes:
1.  Washington Co. Court Records, Insolvency for Benjamin Duers, 12 Mar 1816, Book BX1, Folder 214, Roll 636, Blip B-0633, Inventory # 13048.
2. The earliest we can for certain place Benjamin Duers in Genesee Co. is 1834 when he bought 50 acres in the Town of Alabama from Joshua Waddington and Thomas Ludlow Ogden (Genesee Co. Deeds, 35:505).
3. 1820 US census of Junius Twp., Seneca Co., N.Y., p. 409. Listed on this same page with Benjamin is a Philip McGowan (possibly a relative or parent of his 2nd wife Susan McGowan) and a Henry Shearman (possibly a cousin through his mother’s family. His grandfather’s name was Henry Shearman.
4. Will of Benjamin Duers, dated 6 April 1840 and proved 5 April 1841, Genesee Co., N.Y. Wills 4:32; Cemetery records, Genesee County, New York, Alabama Center Cemetery, FHL microfilm 1381729, item 4.
5. Friendship Chronicle, Friendship, Allegany Co., N.Y., 14 April 1880, v. 1, no. 10..This obituary of her daughter Hopewell Duers suggests that this unknown wife died soon after Hopewell was born. If this is true, then Benjamin may have had a third wife, who would be the mother of William Harrison and Nancy.
6. 1810 U.S. Census, Cambridge, Washington Co., N.Y., p. 491. Benjamin’s household in1810 was next to his brother David’s. The household consisted of Benjamin (age 26-45y, he should have been about 32y) with a woman who was over 45 years of age (unknown, probably his first wife who was likely misclassified; she should be in the 26-45y range), 3 females under 10 years (Maria, age 3 years, perhaps Sarah since her birth age is unknown, and possibly Mary if her age in later censuses is off by a year she could have been listed in this census, and 1 male under 10 years (probably his son David). At the 1820 US census of Junius Twp. (see note above), Benjamin’s household consists of 1 male over 45 years of age (Benjamin should have been about 42y), one male age 10-16 years (son David), one male under 10 years (son Harrison age 5y), one female age 26-45 years (likely still his first wife), one female age 10-16 (Maria age 13y), one female under 10 years age (this is the problem category since Benjamin should have 3 daughters under 10 (Mary age 9y, Hopewell age 8y, and Nancy age 1y). A possible solution to this is that Maria may have been working as a servant in another household, Mary may have been classified in the 10-16 year group (as it seems likely she was in 1810), Hopewell could have been the one enumerated, and Nancy’s birth may not have occurred by the date of enumeration.
7. The marriage date is estimated based upon the large gap in ages of his known children, with Nancy born about 1819 and Elsie born in about 1832. It is unlikely that Benjamin and Susan would have been married before about 1830 if Elsie is their first child. Also, Benjamin appears to be living in Junius Twp., Seneca Co., N.Y. by the 1820 US census.
8. 1850 and 1870 U.S. censuses of Alabama, Genesee Co., N. Y. pp. 326 and 362, respectively.
9. Susan’s last name is given as McGown on the death certificate of her daughter Elsie (copy provided to the author by Rev. John Crossen, 3rd-great-grandson of Susan McGown).
10. Susan and Theodore Hitchcock are mentioned in the newspaper notices related to the settlement of Benjamin’s will (Republican Advocate, Batavia, Genesee Co., New York, Tuesday 21 January 1851).
11. Cemetery records, Genesee County, New York, Alabama Center Cemetery, FHL microfilm 1381729, item 4.
12. Will of Benjamin Duers, Genesee Co., N.Y. Wills, book 4, p. 32.
13. Batavia Daily News, Saturday, 16 July 1910, p. 8.
14. Republican Advocate, Batavia, Genesee Co., New York, Tuesday 21 January 1851.

Duers/Dewers Family

I am currently working on a genealogy and family history of the David Dewers Family. If you have any information or pictures of this family, I'd love to hear from you.

On the 9th of December 1770 DAVID DEWERS was married in Dartmouth, Bristol County, Massachusetts to DEBORAH SHERMAN. The event is notable because this is the first known historical record of this Dewers family. It is also notable because this marriage to Deborah is essentially all we know about David. No mention is made of him before this marriage in Dartmouth even though the vital records indicate that he was a resident there. No mention is made of him after the marriage in Dartmouth, or elsewhere, at least as far as we have been able to ascertain. No deeds, tax records, or other records have been found to indicate how long or how permanent a resident of Dartmouth he was, nor to indicate anything about him after the family moved to New York.

The Dewers/Duers family name is not a common name and very little published information is available on the family. A search of the US Social Security Death Index for the name Duers gives 27 entries. Of these, 18 had social security numbers issued in New York, 4 in New Jersey, and two in Pennsylvania. The name Dewers appears only 12 times in this same death index, but the numbers were issued in a wider variety of states, including Pennsylvania (2), Indiana (3), Maryland (2), and California (2). Even in this modern age of readily available information, it is still difficult to find anything written about the Dewers/Duers family. One of the problems in tracing the family name is that it is variously spelled as Dewers, Duers, Duerz, Deuers, Deurs, Duerst, Dewees, Dewars, and perhaps in other ways in historical records. Dewers is the commonly used form in Pennsylvania and in Massachusetts, while Duers is usually the form used by the family in New York, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. The one common factor among all the variants, which is nearly universal, is that the name is spelled with an “s” (Duers or Dewers); individuals and families who spell the name Duer, Dewar, or Dewer are in almost all cases not part of this family.

David Dewers’ wife, Deborah, was the daughter of Henry Sherman and Ruth (Akin) Sherman. Her ancestry, unlike David’s, is well-known and can be traced back through several generations to the Sherman’s of Yaxley, England. Deborah was born about 1752 probably in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts. Her ancestors include John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley (4th great-grandparents) who were passengers on the Mayflower.

It appears that between 1774 and 1776, Deborah’s father Henry Sherman, along with most of his children, moved from Dartmouth, Massachusetts to Washington County, New York. David and Deborah (Sherman) Dewers must have moved later, since their son David was born in Massachusetts. At the present time, no records have been found for the elder David Dewers in Washington County, New York, but he must have been in New York with the family for a few years because his two youngest sons John and William were born in New York in about 1779 and 1784, respectively, according to later census records.

Sources:

1. The first two generations for the Dewers family have previously been published by the author in the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, v. 137, p. 93-102 and 201-210.

2.

Vital Records of Dartmouth, Massachusetts (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society., 1930) vol. 2, p. 164, 424, and 427.

3.Roy V. Sherman, Some Descendants of Philip Sherman, the First Secretary of Rhode Island (privately published, 1968), p. 494.

4.1850 US Census of Kingsbury, Washington, New York, p. 233, and of Rose, Oakland, Michigan, p. 380A. Henry Sherman (also known as Shairman) is listed in the Mar 2nd and Oct 23rd 1779 Saratoga (New York) District Tax lists. His tax valuation assesment was small ($10) consistent with having just moved recently to the county. Henry was also a member of the 13th regiment of the Albany County Militia according to New York in the Revolution as Colony and State (Albany, 1904), 1:124. He was one of the original members of the Masonic Lodge established in 1787 at Fort Edward and Kingsbury (Crisfield Johnson, History of Washington County [Philadelphia: Everts & Ensign, 1878], p. 317). He was apparently still in Massachusetts when his father, Jabez Sherman, willed him property there (Jabez Sherman’s will is dated 15 Jun 1774, two weeks before his death and is found in the probate records of Bristol County, Massachusetts in Salt Lake City on Family History Library microilm 579,724). Our Henry probably was the Henry Sherman mentioned as being chosen to be a “pathmaster” at a district meeting in Cambridge, Washington County in May 1776 (Johnson, History of Washington County, 255). If this is the case, his daughter Deborah and her husband David Dewers must have moved some time later to New York, because in 1776 they were still in Dartmouth, Mass. where their son David was born in November of 1776.