GenealogyBlog

This week’s blogging prompt is the State of Connecticut. Blog about an ancestor or your families connection to Connecticut. If you don’t have any connections to Connecticut, find a Connecticut resource useful for genealogy research to highlight and write about. This week’s prompt runs from 2/3/2013 – 2/9/2013. If you choose to follow along, I would appreciate a mention to the Hidden Genealogy Nuggets website.

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Since I live in Connecticut and most of my recent ancestors lived in Connecticut almost all of thier lives, it’s hard for me to choose just one family to blog about.

John Charles Sanders was the first of my Sanders line to move to Connecticut. His parents were Henry L. Sanders and Barbara Anne Warwick. He was their third of five children. He and his siblings were all born in England. He had an older brother Henry an older sister Frances, a younger brother William and a younger sister Margaret Mary. His mother died when he was only about 10 years old. His father remarried to Mary Fall. Henry and Mary had three children, Edward, Alice and Jessie.

Mary Clark Tripp was born on August 21, 1842. She was the first of eleven children of James Henry Tripp and Ann Clark. She was born in Fairhaven, MA.

John married Mary Clark Tripp on September 8, 1861 in New Bedford, MA. They would eventually have eleven children, Henry, Frances, Sarah, Joseph, James, Anne, John, Herbert, Ada, William and Edith. Tragically, their son James Frank Sanders died in 1892. He was only two years old at the time.

1850 UNITED STATES CENSUS : JOSEPH C SANDERS

Their son Joseph had a son, William Herbert Sanders. William Herbert Sanders married Marion Isobel Laurie. William and Marion had two sons, William Alfred Sanders and James Edward Sanders. According to the 1870 Census, John and Mary lived with their family in Tariffvile, Connecticut. John was working as a cigar maker. He valued his personal property at $1,000. Living along with them was their nephew Joseph H. Valdiva. Also living with them at the time was Sarah A. Tripp the sister of Mary. This sister worked in the cigar shop.

John Charles Sanders was a member of the Harmony Lodge (Masonic) in New Britain, CT. According to a letter dated March 3, 1974 they had his signature as John Sandus. With handwriting in cursive and writing fast the “er” could be interpreted as an “s”. John had a small cigar shop p at the rear of 398 South Main St., New Britain, CT and later on Arch Street.

John and his family lived at 493 Myrtle Street from 1888 through 1890. Sometime in 1890 or 1891, John and his family moved to 121 Washington Street. The family moved again sometime between 1891 and 1892. They moved to 398 South Main Street. They family remained living there until at least 1900.

On January 7, 1901, John Charles Sanders died in New Britain, CT. At the time of his death, his wife of 39 years was still living along with ten of his children, numerous grandchildren and even some great grandchildren. Most of John and Mary’s children lived in New Britain throughout most of their lives.

Children of John Charles Sanders and Mary Clark Tripp

1. Henry L. Sanders, b. 11-Dec-1862 in New Bedford, MA, d. 11-Nov-1944 in Everett, MA, m. Hattie Croteau on 5-Apr-1883 in New Britain, CT, b. 6-Sep-1863, d. Oct-1942 in Brookline, MA

2. Frances Emma Sanders, b. 4-Dec-1864 in Fairhaven, MA, d. 19-Feb-1955 in Fall River, MA, m. James B. Parsons on 28-Dec-1881 in Unknown, b. 16-Apr-1864 in New Britain, d. 4-Oct-1933 in New Britain, CT

3. Sarah Abbie Sanders, b. 4-Oct-1866 in Suffield, CT, d. 12-Jul-1942 in New Britain, CT, m. Frederick A. Otto on 18-Nov-1885 in New Britain, CT, b. about 1859 in Germany, d. unknown.

4. Joseph Charles Sanders, b. 2-Apr-1868 in Tariffville, CT, d. 13-May-1946 in New Britain, CT, m. Mary Agnes Fraher on 24-May-1886 in New Britain, CT. b. 12-May-1865, d. 17-May-1933, both are buried at St. Mary’s cemetery in New Britain, CT.

5. James Frank Sanders, b. 12-Mar-1870 in Tariffville, CT, d. 3-Nov-1872 in Tariffville, CT

6. Anne Clark Sanders, b. 19-Feb-1872 in Tariffville, CT, d. unknown, m. John McKnight in 1889 in New Britain, CT, b. May-1868, died about 1908

7. John Leonard Sanders, b. 15-Dec-1875 in Tariffville, CT, d. 26-Jan-1913 in Hartford, CT. m. Emma Louise Samlow, b. 25-Mar-1875 in New Britain, CT, d. 12-Oct-1916 in New Britain, CT. John is buried in Fairview Cemetery in New Britain, CT.

8. Herbert Ephraim Sanders, b. 9-Feb-1876 in Tariffville, CT, d. 27-Aug-1960 in Westfield, MA, m. Gertude E. Stowe, b. 21-Oct-1880 in Frelighsburg, Quebec, Canada, d. 20-Sep-1956 in Jacksonville, FL. Herbert is buried in Southwick, MA in New cemetery, Gertrude is Buried in Restlawn Cemetery, Jacksonville, FL

9. Ada May Sanders, b. 24-Jul-1878 in New Britain, CT, d. 24-May-1955 in New Britain, CT. m. Joseph T. Suprenant on 19-Nov-1896, b. 14-Oct-1863, d. 23-Dec-1951 in New Britain, CT.

10. William Jennings Sanders, b. 19-Nov-1880 in New Britain, CT, d. 13-May-1956 in Cheshire, CT, m. Josephine C. Hahn on 27-Nov-1901 in New Britain, CT, b. 17-Dec-1882 in Germany, d. 20-Aug-1956. Both are buried in Old Pine Grove Cemetery in Waterbury, CT

11. Edith Elma Sanders, b. 18-Aug-1884 in New Britain, CT, d. 4-Jun-1973 in New Britain, CT, m. Adolph John Wagner, b. 18-Mar-1878 in Kensington, CT, d. 24-Aug-1950 in New Britain, CT. Edith is buried in Fairview Cemetery in New Britain, CT.

Sources:
1. 1850 US Census, Dracut, Middlesex, Massachusetts; Roll: M432_322; Page: 288A;
2. 1870 US Census, Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, post office Tariffville, roll 104, page 245, image 111.
3. 1880 US Census, New Britain, Hartford, Connecticut; Roll: T9_98; Page: 459.2000; Enumeration District: 21; Image: 0359.
4. 1900 US Census, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut : series T623, roll 139, page 12
5. 1910 US Census, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut : various for children of Joseph C. Saunders
6. 1920 US Census, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut : various for children of Joseph C. Saunders
7. 1930 US Census, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut : various for children of Joseph C. Saunders
8. 1940 US Census, New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut : various for children of Joseph C. Saunders
9. Personal knowledge of William Alfred Sanders, William Herbert Sanders oldest son
10. History of the Sanders Family by Edward Sanders of Geneva, New York
11. Death Certificate of Joseph Charles Sanders
12. Marriage Certificate of Joseph Charles Sanders

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A few Connecticut Genealogy Links
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• Connecticut Society of Genealogists
• Connecticut Historical Society
• History and Genealogy Unit at the Connecticut State Library
• State Archives at the Connecticut State Library
• Connecticut Genealogy Links at Hidden Genealogy Nuggets
• Free Ancestry Search at Hidden Genealogy Nuggets contains more the 20,000 Connecticut records
• Connecticut Genealogy Category at Hidden Genealogy Nuggets contains transcriptions of school records from Connecticut

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Search Connecticut Newspapers and NewspaperArchive.com

Connecticut Newspaper Archives at Genealogy Bank
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TWITCHELL ROWLAND HOMESTEAD MUSEUM TO HOST TOM THUMB PRESENTATION
(At this point we do not expect to have to cancel ecause of snow. However, if there is significant snow, please check our website at http://www.oxford-historical-society.org, in case we need to cancel.)

“Barnum, Tom Thumb and the Tornado” will be the topics of an illustrated talk by Marion O’Keefe on Sunday, February 3, at 3 p.m. at the Twitchell Rowland Homestead Museum. Located at 60 Towner Lane, off Route 67, in Oxford, the Museum will open at 2 p.m.. This program is sponsored by the Oxford Historical Society.

Admission is free for Oxford Historical Society members and children under the age of 12. Cost for the talk for all others is $3. Refreshments will be served.

Mrs. O’Keefe is Director Emeritus and former curator of the Derby Historical Society. She is currently a Board of Directors member and curator of the Seymour Historical Society. Her lecture and photographs will focus on circus great P. T. Barnum, and how word of a tiny boy, later renamed “Tom Thumb”, brought him to Bridgeport, an event that would change both their lives. Mrs. O’Keefe will also discuss the devastating effects of the tornado which struck the P. T. Barnum Museum in Bridgeport in June of 2010 and the ongoing work to restore the structure.

Born Charles Stratton in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1838, Tom Thumb had a number of local connections to the Sharpe and Bassett families. His grandmother, Amy Shepherd, was from Southford. From the age of 6 months, he failed to grow normally, and was only 3 feet 4 inches high as an adult. Discovered by P. T. Barnum at the age of 5, he became an international celebrity as a singer, dancer and stage performer. He was introduced at court to Queen Victoria and later was received by President Abraham Lincoln. With Barnum’s management, he became a wealthy man, and his wedding in 1863 to another small person, Lavinia Warren, made headlines. While he and his wife escaped the Newhall House Hotel fire in Milwaukee in January of 1883, Tom Thumb died of a stroke 6 months later, aged 45. He and Lavinia are buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport.

A pink satin covered pillow used by Tom Thumb is on display at the Homestead Museum.

The Georgia Archives Matters Blog is one I stumbled upon when I was writing my Genealogy by the States blog about Georgia. As some of you may know the Georgia Archives late last year was facing some bad consequences due to the budget there. This blog will keep you informed about the happenings at the Georgia Archives.

Here are a few recent posts.

• New Threats To Georgia’s Historical Records
• Georgia Archives Focus Moves To Legislature
• Archives To Stay Open, Move To University System
• Veterans and Archives, My Letter to Governor Deal

If you have ancestors from Georgia, you’ll want to be sure to check out this blog.

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