Parentage of Jacob Hagaman (1816-1874) discovered

After years of searching for the parents of Jacob Hagaman I have recently been successful! Jacob Hagaman was my great-great-great Grandfather and one of the hardy souls who ventured west to settle in Michigan from the State of New York around 1855. Years ago I discovered the graves of Jacob and his wife Elizabeth in the Somerset Center Cemetery just behind the Somerset Center United Methodist Church. But trying to trace their ancestry has not been so easy.

Searching the census has been successful recently. I knew that my great-great Granfather, George Henry Hagaman was born in Litchfield, Michigan in 1857 and therefore confirmed with the 1860 Census that the family was living in Michigan. However, some of his older sibilings were listed as being born in New York--specifically 10 year old Mary. Searching for them in New York had not been very successful--for whatever reason I couldn't find a match even with attempting the various spellings of the name until finally this year I discovered them listed at HAGARMAN in Macedon, Wayne County, New York. Then to my surprise was a listing for the dwelling next to Jacob and Elizabeth for a John and Esther HAGARMAN. Looking at their ages, I concluded that indeed they could be his parents so I went further down the trail of looking for more info on the couple.

After searching the Wayne County (NY) Historian's page, I discovered that John and Esther were buried in the Walworth Cemetery in Wayne County and that Esther had executed a Last Will and Testament before her death in 1868. I requested a copy of this will and the wonderful folks at the Historian's Office sent me a photocopy within a few days. Here is the text of her will:

Last Will and Testament of Esther Hagaman


I, Esther Hagaman of Walworth, Wayne County and State of New York aged seventy years and upwards and being of sound mind and memory do make publish and declare this my last will and testament in manner following—that is to say—

First—I give and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Jane Hagaman three hundred dollars. – To my other daughters Julia Monfort, Anna Maria Pratt, and Mary Duncan each the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars.

Second—I give and devise to my Grand Daughter Mary Hagaman daughter of my son Jacob of Litchfield Michigan, one feather bed.

Third—I give and bequeath all the rest residue and remainder of my personal estate goods and chattels of whatever kind or nature to all my children sons and daughters in equal proportions share and share alike.

Lastly, I hereby appoint my son Henry Hagaman of Sing Sing N. York executor of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time made.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of December 1860—

Esther Hagaman

The above instrument of one sheet of paper was at the date thereof signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Esther Hagaman as and for her last will and testament-in the presence of each other have subscribed our names thereto as witnesses—
Daniel Hoyt Walworth Wayne Co NY
J. R. Jones Jr. Walworth Wayne Co NY

Source:
Office of the County Historian, Wayne County, New York
Will Book L-1, page 389

So there is the proof I have been looking for..... "Mary Hagaman the daughter of my son Jacob of Litchfield Michigan. " I find it very interesting that not all of Esther's children are listed in her will and particularly that the daughters are the primary benefactors of the estate. Are there more male sibilings other than Jacob and Henry? We'll have to stand by on that one.

Thank you to the wonderful people at the Wayne County (NY) Historian's Office for posting the various indexes and tools on their website (http://www.co.wayne.ny.us/departments/historian/historian.htm). This was a huge help to me.

Jacob Hagaman (1816-1874) and Elizabeth (Bernhart) Hagaman's (1818-1890) children were:

1) Anna Maria Hagaman Hinkley (1846-1916)

2) Mary Hagaman Dailey (1851-aft. 1920)

3) Julia Hagaman Dailey (1853-1883)

4) George Henry Hagaman (1857-1939)

Known children of John Hagaman (c1780-1858) and Esther Hagaman (1784-1868) are:

-Jacob Hagaman, migrated to Michigan

-Henry Hagaman, lived in Sing Sing, New York

-Rebecca Jane Hagaman, lived in Walworth, Wayne County, New York (never married)

-Julia Hagaman Monfort, lived in Palmyra, Wayne County, New York

-Anna Maria Hagaman Pratt, lived near Arcadia, Wayne County, New York

-Mary Hagaman Duncan, (nothing known about her)

-Jane Hagaman, who died as an infant.

I would be delighted to hear from descendants of any of the Hagamans to compare finds.

Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and the founding of Grinnell, Iowa

Yesterday while I was browsing through a few newspaper folders at the archives where I work, I discovered an 1854 issue of the Pittsburgh Christian Advocate, the official newspaper of the Methodist Episcopal denomination that covered western Pennsylvania, western Virginia (now West Virginia) and Eastern Ohio. Being very familiar with Methodist history in W. Pa., my interest was piqued to browse the issue because there certainly would be something in the paper that would be cool to read. I got to the bottom of page 2 and there it was--a notice of Josiah B. Grinnell's adventure in the west and the formation of Grinnell, Iowa. Many of members of the Grinnell clan will remember that it was Horace Greeley that said, "Go west young man" to Josiah B. Grinnell. Interesting that a notice about the activity of a Congregationalist minister would be covered in this western Methodist newspaper!