David Henry Orser

Second Husband to Martha Allen


First wife Mary Stitt? or Amy Stitt?

Book with family history https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE198879

p 8-9

David Henry Orser is descended from 1640 immigrants ro Rensselaewyck, near Pittstown. The family genealogy is "Orser, A Genealogy of hte Descendants of Aert Williamszen" complied by Daneil Turner, c. 1975, p37ff (SLC). David and Mary (Stitt) Orser moved to Erie County PA i nthe early 18230's. By 1832, not long before their nephew, Israel T STITT and his wife, Sally (SHERMAN), moved to Erie County, Mary ORSER died and David remarried at Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co, MI. Thus, when James STITT found the farm in Tecumseh, he undoubtedly journeyed to Ypsilanti to visit his brother-in-law and family. There is a story told by town historians for Stittville, NY of a baby, Jackson STITT before 1835 which lends credence to a conjecture that James' wife Mary was visiting Robert A STITT in the spring of 1833 when son Andrew Jackson STITT was born and while her husband was scouting Michigan and visiting his brother-in-law David ORSER.



p. 12-13
Name           Birth      Death     Marriage         Spouse's Name            Birth        Death

Mary Stitt       1788   1832                              David Henry Orser      1784           1843
                  Pittstown NY

Hyrum Orser    ca1815
                          Pittstown NY

Amy A Orser     1817
                            Pittstown NY
p. 15-16

Joseph C WELLING (who inherited the WELLING farm), refers to some of the WELLING family spending a few years in Tecumseh during the 1830's. The story of the ORSER family tells of James STITT's brother-in-law, David Henry ORSER, removing first to Erie Co, PA from Pittstown NY, and then after his wife died he moved to Ypsilanti MI (30 miles north of Tecumseh) about 1832. These stories and other evidence indicate that James and Mary (WELLING) STITT moved with their family and his mother, Amy (HEAD) STITT to Tecumseh as part of a substantial number of the STITT relatives that moved to the area between 1825 and 1835. The gravestones at Tecumseh of early settlers have the surnames of many Pittstown residents of the period . The following record is copied from the biography of William James STITT in the book, "Portrait and Biographical Album of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Publ: Biographica l Publishing Co, 1891:

               William J . STITT.-- .. . He was born in Pittstown, Rensselaer County, NY, August 5, 1818. He is a son of James STITT, whose home and native place was the same as that of our subject and like him he was reared upon a farm, carrying on the business there until 1834, when he came to Michigan and settled in Lenawee County, making the journey hither alone in the first place and with a team, and after prospecting and entering a section of land he returned and brought his family by boat to Monroe. From there he proceeded to Lenawee County with team. The farm which he had secured was somewhat improved. In 1860 our subject's father was killed . He had gone to Detroit to see Stephen A. DOUGLAS and in some way got under the cars and was mangled so badly that he died 2 days later. Compiled by LL STITT STITT 15 He was a Democrat in his political likings and was a man of greatest loyalt y to his State. He was a Colonel of Artillery in the War of 1812 and held himself in readiness to go to battle for his country at any time. He was 68 years of age at the time of his decease. Our subject's mother was, in her maiden days a Miss Mary WDLLING. She was a native of Nova Scotia but moved with her parents to New York when a small girl. She died in Lenawee County, this State, at the age of about 72 years. Her father, William WELLING was a native of Nova Scotia and lived to be 70 years of age, devoting himself during the whole of his career to the calling of farming. Our subject's parents were married in New York State. They had 7 children, 3 daughters and 4 sons, al l of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. Of these 2 daughters and one brother of our subject is now living. Amy is the wife of Benjamin Akin and resides in Rensselaer County NY as does her sister, Caroline. Joseph W. lives on a farm in Franklin Township, Lenawee County, thi s State; the deceased children are Byron, Andrew J., and Hannah Ketcham. Our subject is the second child and eldest son in order of birth . He remained in his native place (Pittstown, NY) unti l 17 years of age when he came to Michigan with his parents, making his home with them unti l 27 years old, unti l that time assisting his father with the work of the farm. From th e obituar y of Joseph W. STITT, James and Mary STITT came t o Michigan in 1833. This and othe r recorded storie s lead th e compiler t o conclude tha t James STITT came t o Michigan in 1833, purchased or took an option on th e farm in Tecumseh, and then returne d t o New York and brought th e family in th e sprin g of 1834. The sal e of thei r NY propert y t o James NORTON for $5,307.93 was recorded 5Marl834. An 1833 squabble with h is neighbors is recorded in th e publi c records. The 1870-71 Rensselae r County Directory list s Patric k CARROLL, farmer 81 , Tomhannock, who then owned t h e old STITT farm. Records for th e Brookside Cemetery in Tecumseh MI verif y th e years of birt h for James and Mary. The record s lis t "Colonel James STITT, d 10/17/1860, ae 68, b 1793 (Bible), m. Mary, d 4/8/1870, ae 77. Lot J47. " The 1850 census list s James as 56 and Mary as 57 years old . The 1860 census list s them as 68 and 67 respectively . The news articl e below has James 69 years old in October 1860; if born in 1792 he would have been in his 69th year. All of thes e ages refe r t o t h e yea r of age, not th e number of anniversarie s sinc e birt h a s is now th e custom. Ray HENRY has thes e date s interchanged and he claims th e date s come from his Great Aunt Caroline .

Milton Cook Research

This post is to help me keep track of the research I have been doing to try to figure out what happened to Milton Cook. Husband to Olive Amanda Smith, Father to Chauncey Harvey  Cook.

      Story:
                Very little is known about how Milton and Olive Amanda Smith met and came to be married. One source has said they haven't been able to verify that they were married. Here is what I have been able to verify. Olive Amanda Smith was born to Martha Allen and Hawley Decker Smith on 16 September 1826  in Fabius, New York. Her father Hawley Decker Smith passed away sometime between  1825-1826. I haven't found a death certificate or grave site yet to verify.
                Martha Allen took her 2 children To Washtenaw, Michigan where she married David Henry Orser in 1832. David wanted Olive to marry his son Hiram Orser from a previous marriage. Martha and David didn't approve of Milton. Milton and David were in the same trade, construction, and were competitors. I'm not sure if Olive met Milton in Michigan or in Illinois but they met. Martha Allen and David Henry Orser moved their blended family to Hancock County Illinois sometime before 1843. The 1840 Census has 1 David H Orser living in New York. I do not believe this to be the husband of Martha Allen because it states that there was 1 male under 5, 2 males 20-30, and 1 female 20-30 and their blended family was much bigger and older than this.
               In about late 1842 Martha Allen and David Henry Orser  went to visit friends in New York. They left Olive home and she and Milton snuck off and "got married in a neighboring town." We don't have town where they lived or where they got married so finding the neighboring town has been difficult. A book about Utah Pioneers at the Daughters of Utah Pioneer museum said it has never been confirmed that they even were married. Olive then returned to live with her parents and didn't tell them that she was married for a few months. "A few months later" she discovered she was pregnant and then told them she had married. They were upset and sent her away to Nauvoo to live with an aunt.
               Milton tried to look for her but wasn't able to find her. Once he finally did she had joined "the hated Mormons" and was working in the Nauvoo hotel. I'm not sure if she had had the baby at this point or not. Milton and his sisters tried to convince Olive to leave and come live with him but she had already joined the Mormon church and refused to leave. He left and was never seen again. Their son, Chauncey Harvey Cook was born 26 November 1843.
               In a few places it is said that he died in Springville Utah in 1883. I have not found this to be creditable. I believe it stems from someone claiming that his father is Peter Fullmer and mother Susanah Zerfass. This is incorrect. John Solomon Fullmer is the second husband of Olive Amanda Smith is the son of Peter Fullmer and Susanah Zerfass. They were married in Nauvoo in 1846 after she had been his first wife. Susannah Zerfass's maid. The Fullmer Family cemetery is in Springville Utah. There is no picture of the grave and as far as I could find there is now mention of a Milton Cook being buried there in 1883

Now the search begins!

If you have any information about Milton Cook that you would like to share let me know.

I have decided that as I find a Milton in Census records, or through marriage certificates and I will rule them out. Below are listed what I have found and where I am in that process.

Martha Allen

Daughter of Josiah Allen (1765-1810) and Olive Negus (1785-1846)

Wife of  Hawley Smith (1800-1825) Marriage date unknown
              David Henry Orser (1784-1843) Married 28 January 1832
              Phineas Howe Richards (1788-1874) married 26 November 1847
              Emer Harris (1781-1869) married 10 September 1855

Mother to
          Spouse - Hawley Decker Smith
                                    Alonzo Havington Smith (1823-1904)
                                  *Olive Amanda Smith (1826-1885)
          Spouse - David Henry Orser (1784 – 1843) married 28 January 1832 Washtenaw County, New York
                              Heber Evert Orser (1832 – 1888); accompanied Martha to Utah in 1853
                             Albert Orser (1834 – ); died in infancy
                             Martha Orser (1835 – ); died in infancy 
                             Lucy Orser (1836 – 1843); died in infancy
                            Charlotte Celia Orser (1837 – 1872); accompanied Martha to Utah in 1853
                            Hiram Orser (1841 – ); died in infancy

Enos Curtis Family History - Complied by Ella Curtis

Enos Curtis 1783

Son of Edmond Curtis and Mary Avery

Husband to Ruth Franklin and Tamma Durfee

Children

            Ruth Franklin's

                Lydia Curtis

               Maria Curtis

               Martha Curtis

               Edmond Curtis

               Jeremiah Curtis

              Seth Curtis

              Simmons Philander Curtis

              John White Curtis

              David Avery Curtis

              Ezra Houghton Curtis

              Ruth Curtis

              Ursula Curtis

              Sabrina Curtis

              Celestia Curtis

     

      Tamma Dufee's

              Clarissa Curtis Cook - Married Chauncey Harvey Cook

              Belinda Curtis

              Adelia Curtis

              Amelia Curtis

John White Curtis and Matilda Miner

John White Curtis
Sone of Enos Curtis and Ruth Franklin Curtis
Husband of Matilda Miner Curtis (a step sister daughter of Tamma Durfee and Albert Miner) and Almira Curtis (daughter of Jared Starr and Eunice Burdick)
Father to
Almira Curtis
          Elial Strong Curtis
          Orson Hyde Curtis
          Almira Curtis


Matilda Miner Curtis
          Ellen Curtis
          John Franklin Curtis
          Diantha Miner Curtis
          Rozella Curtis
          Courtland Curtis
          Cerepta Curtis
          Frances Eva Curtis
          Tamma Arminta Curtis
          Enos Curtis
          Alfred Curtis
          Almira Curtis
         Asael Curtis
         Wallace Curtis
          Polly Curtis

Personal History Written by Tamma Durfee Miner Curtis

Tamma Durfee 1813

Daughter of Edmond Durfee and Lanna Pickle

Wife of Albert Miner and Enos Curtis Possibly wife of John White Curtis

Mother to

Edmond Durfee

             Polly Miner

             Orson Miner

             Moroni Miner

             Sylvia Miner

             Mormon Miner

             Matilda Miner

             Alma Lindsey Miner

             Don Carlos Smith Miner

             Melissa Miner

           

Enos Curtis

            Clarissa Curtis

            Belinda Curtis

            Amelia Curtis (twin)

            Adelia Curtis (twin)

John White Curtis

           Mariette Curtis 

This is not a duplicate post, this is a personal history written by Tamma Durfee to her children so they would know a portion of what she went through in her life.  I have also attached a link to her Autobiography that was written for the LDS Church Relief Society and filed in the Jubilee Box in 1880. Some of it was written a little different from the copy I have so I have posted both. Here is the link where I found it. http://tmsociety.org/wp-content/durfeetamma.pdf which also includes her obituary

Tamma Dufee Miner Curtis

Tamma Dufee 1813

Daughter of Edmond Durfee and Lanna Pickle
Wife of Albert Miner, Enos Curtis, John White Curtis
Mother to

Edmond Durfee
             Polly Miner
             Orson Miner
             Moroni Miner
             Sylvia Miner
             Mormon Miner
             Matilda Miner
             Alma Lindsey Miner
             Don Carlos Smith Miner
             Melissa Miner
           
Enos Curtis
            Clarissa Curtis
            Belinda Curtis
            Amelia Curtis (twin)
            Adelia Curtis (twin)

John White Curtis (son of Enos Curtis)

           Mariette Curtis