This week’s blogging prompt is the State of Massachusetts. Blog about an ancestor or your families connection to Massachusetts. If you don’t have any connections to Massachusetts, find a Massachusetts resource useful for genealogy research to highlight and write about. This week’s prompt runs from 2/10/2013 – 2/16/2013. If you choose to follow along, I would appreciate a mention to the Hidden Genealogy Nuggets website.
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James Henry Tripp was my third great grandfather. He was born in Fairhaven, Bristol County, Massachusetts on 1-Feb-1816. He was one of at least two children of James Tripp and Mercy Clark. His brother Francis was born thirteen year after he was which makes me believe there may be more siblings.
James Tripp was married to Ann J. Clark in about 1842. Their oldest daughter (my 2nd great grandmother) was born in 21-Aug-1842. The family had five children when the 1850 United States Census was enumerated. They were living in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. They must of had a fairly big farm as the value of the property was $2,000. It was one of the highest valued properties in the community. There are also many other Tripp families living in the area.
By the time of the 1860 United States Census was taken, two more Tripp children were living in the household. They still appear to have one of the larger farms and the farm was valued at $2,500. James seemed too old and have too large of a family to fight in the civil war. I did a search anyway but did not find any trace of him with the civil war records I looked into.
In 1870, Ephrain, the last known child of James and Ann appeared on the United States Census. Only four of their other children are still living with them, Thomas, James, Abby and Herbert. The farm is still valued at $2,500. Other farms around him by this time seemed to have grown bigger and the value of his property is not as large compared to other properties as it once was.
On 16-Oct-1875, James Tripp died of Typhoid Fever in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. He was 59 years, 9 months and 15 days old. His wife Anne died on 6-June-1881 in Westport, Massachusetts.
Children of James Henry Tripp and Anne Clark:
1. Mary Clark Tripp, b. 21-Aug-1842 in Fairhaven, MA, d. 11-Apr-1907 in New Britain, CT, m. John Charles Sanders on 8-Sep-1861 in New Bedford, MA, b. 23-Mar-1834 in England, d. 7-Jan-1907, both are buried in Fairview Cemetery in New Britain, CT.
2. Thomas Tripp, b. about 1846 in Fairhaven, Bristol County, MA, d. Unknown
3. James Henry Jr. Tripp, b. about 1848 in MA, d. unknown
4. Sarah E. Tripp, b. about 1849 in Fairhaven, MA, d. 1-Jul-1914 in Dartmouth, Bristol County, MA
5. Harriet Emma Tripp, b. 1850 in Fairhaven, MA, d. Unknown
6. Abbie G. Tripp, b. about 1851 in Fairhaven, MA, d. Unknown
7. Herbert L. Tripp, b. May-1856 in MA, d. after 1930
8. Ephraim B. Tripp, b. 12-Nov-1861 in Fairhaven, MA, d. unknown in Acushnet, Bristol County, MA
Sources:
1. 1840 United States Census, ancestry.com, Database online. Fairhaven, Bristol, Massachusetts; Roll: 178; Page: 342
2. 1850 United States Census, ancestry.com, Database online. Fairhaven, Bristol, Massachusetts; Roll: M432_308; Page: 190A
3. 1860 United States Census, ancestry.com, Database online. Fairhaven, Bristol, Massachusetts; Roll: M653_489; Page: 369
4. 1870 United States Census, ancestry.com, Database online. Fairhaven, Bristol, Massachusetts; Roll: M593_603; Page: 234A
5. Death Record, Fairhaven, Massachusetts, James Henry Tripp 16-Oct-1875 recorded on 14-Dec-1875
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A few Massachusetts Genealogy Links
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Search Massachusetts Newspapers and NewspaperArchive.com 
Massachusetts Newspaper Archives at Genealogy Bank 
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