Sunday, June 1, 2014

#52Ancestors (22) Benjamin Joslin: An 1836 Death by Poisoning?

This week's 52 Ancestors subject is a maternal great-great-great-great-grandfather, Benjamin JOSLIN. The JOSLIN (or also JOSLYN or JOSLEN) name has a long history in New England. Before that, it likely came from France as JOSSELYN or JOCELIN or other variants.

Here is what I do know:

Benjamin was born 1 December 1783 in Tyringham, Berkshire, Massachusetts. His parents were Zebediah JOSLIN and Hannah HALE. He married Betsey WYMAN, possibly in Vermont, about 1815.


By the late 1810's, the JOSLIN's lived in Genesee County in western New York. They had three children: Wyman, Sarah (Sally), and Daniel. Benjamin died in 1836 and is buried in Frink's Corners cemetery in what is now Wyoming County, New York.

Much of the information I have about Benjamin comes from an unpublished, but lengthy lineage of Israel JOSLIN (1693-1761) of Connecticut. I was contacted many years ago by the family and supplied them my own records. I now have a copy of the private publication but it is simply a family tree compilation, without sources. That, for now, is the path I am using to research this family.

New England history has been my own semi-built brick wall. I've had much better luck searching international records. When it comes to finding pre-1850 information in the United States, I have research paralysis!

Thankfully, the compiler has provided many tantalizing hints to Benjamin's life that I can pursue:

  • served in the War of 1812 in the Battle of Queenstown
  • was a fairly early settler in western New York
  • was robbed and poisoned in a Buffalo, New York hotel in 1836

Poisoned?!

Oh yes, there is plenty to keep me hunting on the life and death of Benjamin JOSLIN!

For now, here is his brief lineage:

1-Benjamin JOSLIN
  born: 1 Dec 1783, Tyringham, Berkshire, Massachusetts
  died: Nov 1836, Buffalo, Erie, New York
  parents: Zebediah JOSLIN and Hannah HALE
 +Betsey WYMAN
  born: 27 Feb 1789, Shrewsbury, Rutland, Vermont
  marr: Abt 1815, Huntington, Chittenden, Vermont
  died: 7 Aug 1878, Bennington, Wyoming, New York
  parents: Israel WYMAN and Molly UNKNOWN

       2-Wyman JOSLIN
         born: Abt 1817, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York
        died: Abt 1839, Genesee County, New York

+Jane MARSH
       
       2-Sarah 'Sally' JOSLIN
         born: 19 Nov 1819, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York
         died: 9 Mar 1895, Locke Twp, Ingham, Michigan

        +Wright SPENCER
         born: 22 Jan 1811, Shaftsbury, Bennington, Vermont
         marr: 7 Jan 1841, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York
         died: 15 Feb 1899, Locke Twp, Ingham, Michigan
         parents: Asa SPENCER and Sarah CALKINS
              3-Elizabeth Nancy SPENCER
              3-Benjamin J. SPENCER                
              3-Asa Wyman SPENCER                
              3-Edward J. SPENCER                
              3-Cordelia L. SPENCER                
              3-Washington Irving SPENCER                
              3-Byron P. SPENCER                
              3-Addie Elmosa SPENCER
                
       2-Daniel Norton JOSLIN
         born: Abt 1823, Sheldon Town, Genesee, New York
         died: 23 Jan 1884, Bennington, Wyoming, New York

        +Cordelia L. KNOX
         born: 1828, New York
         marr: Abt 1850, Sheldon Town, Wyoming, New York
         died: 21 Aug 1851, Sheldon Town, Wyoming, New York
         parents: Henry KNOX and Lettie UNKNOWN

        +Emily Rowley PIERCE
         born: 1835, Bennington, Wyoming, New York
         marr: Abt 1855
         died: 8 Oct 1879, Bennington, Wyoming, New York
         parents: Isaac PIERCE Jr and Laura M. ROWLEY
              3-Bert JOSLIN
                
        +Mary A. JAMES
         marr: 26 Apr 1882, Bennington, Wyoming, New York
         


Have a connection or suggestion? Let me know!

(c) 2014 Sally Knudsen