Did you notice? I am struggling this week! The chatter about the election is deafening….. my brain can’t focus….Covid is on the rise…people are dying…. And here I am writing about people who I never knew but it feels like I do and I should. I am filled with bits of them in my own dna. They shared the essences of their cells with me…and I will share with those who come after me… Long after me ! So here I sit trying to put the pieces of a life together.

Every where I looked this week I found very little usable, reliable, verifiable information. Clarissa Blake is my three times Great Grandmother. Some people believe that she was born in Canada. Others think she was born in England. The year was likely 1819. I have no idea who her parents were. I spent time looking for Blakes in the areas that I know that she lived. There were a few but no information that would tie Clarissa to them… So for now she stands alone.

Clarissa Blake married John Dingman on May 6, 1835 in Whitby, Ontario according to Ancestry.com. On Ancestry, the marriage record shows fairly clearly “ Dinsmore” but was transcribed as Dingman. (Densmore, Dinsmore and Dunsmoor are all associated with this family at one time or another. The marriage was witnessed by Margaret Thomson and Daniel Way. So I searched around this week to see if there was a Margaret Blake? Maybe her sister…but found nothing. When John had arrived from Ireland is also a state of confusion. He was thought to have arrived as a 24 year old clerk in 1838…three years after his marriage?? How can that be?

So here is what is known. John and Clarissa had six children; Nancy (1836), John (1839), William Thomas (1842), Mary Perry (1843), James (1849), Caroline (1852).

I find the Densmore family in the 1851 Canadian Census in Whitby, Ontario with 5 children; Nancy, John, William, Mary, Jane. The records lists the last child, Jane as a female, not a misspelled James…even though this is more likely according to most researchers.

We do find death records for some of the children which indicate that their parents were indeed John Densmore of Ireland and Clarissa Blake including my two times Great Grandfather, John Densmore. I find a marriage records for James which identifies that his father as John Dunsmoor and his wife as Clarissa Smith? I find a marriage record for Caroline Rebecca to an Archibald McKechnie which identified her parents as John Dunsmoor and Clarissa.

So even though the information is mixed today I write about Clarissa Blake Densmore, my 3 times Great Grandmother who died one hundred and forty five years ago on October 27, 1875. I wish I knew for sure where she was buried but I don’t. Someday when the border with Canada reopens, I ‘ll go spent time with my cousin, Corlene Taylor in Canada and see if we can clear up some of this information . I’ll update you all then!

Rest in peace, Clarissa!

Love, Jan

Clyde John Boatman was born in Gault, Missouri on July 21, 1894. He was the son of Frank and Allie (Alice Tipton) Boatman. In the 1900 Federal Census, Clyde is found with his parents in Garfield county, Oklahoma. Clyde ( though he is referred to by his middle name in the census, John.) has a sister whose name was Ida, she was born in 1891. By the 1910 Federal Census, Frank and Allie have three children; Pearl Ida, John Clyde, Carl (1905). They live in Hennessey, Oklahoma.

In 1915, Clyde J Boatman married Ada Crites in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. In his World War I draft registration, Clyde states that he lives in Kingfisher, Hennessey, Oklahoma. He states that he is married and that they have one child. He is requesting an exemption. He is fair with light hair and blue eyes.

In the 1920 Federal Census, Clyde and Ada are living in Oklahoma and they have two sons; James (1917) and Glenn (1918). Clyde lists his occupation as common laborer. In the 1928 Enid, Oklahoma directory Clyde and Ada Boatman are found living there.

I have been unable to find Clyde and Ada in California census records but they are in Voter Registration records as early as 1938. They live at the same address in Delhi, California. Ada died on March 31, 1942. In the World War II Draft Registry, Clyde John Boatman list his address as Delhi, California. Clyde J. Boatman married Maude M. Kinder on August 16, 1945 in California.

Beginning in 1948 and every two years there after I find Clyde J. and Maude Boatman in the California voter registration records. They live at 333 N. Marguerite Ave, Alhambra, California.

Sixty one years ago today, Clyde John Boatman died in San Joaquin County, California. He is buried in the Tracy Public Cemetery in Tracy, California.

Rest in peace, Clyde.

Love, Jan

Clyde was the husband of my second cousin three times removed Ada Crites.

Mercy Chatterton was born on November 22, 1662 in New Haven, Connecticut. It is believed that Mercy was the daughter of William and Mary(Clark) Chatterton but since this is an indirect line to me, I have not thoroughly researched this line. I do see data that reflects that William and Mary may have had five daughters; Mercy (1662), Hannah (1663), Mary (1666), Sarah (1667), Susanna (1670).

She married on January 16, 1683 to John Francis after the death of his first wife, Sarah Dix. Sargent John, as he was known, and Mercy had fourteen children; John (1683), Abigail (1684) , James (1685), Siberance (1687), Mary (1689), Thomas (1690), Robert (1692-1695), Robert (1697), Joseph (1698), Daniel (1700), Hannah (1702), Sarah (1704), Prudence (1707), Mercy (1709).

John, Mercy and their family were among the early settlers of Whethersfield, Connecticut.

Two hundred and seventy five years ago today, Mercy Chatterton Francis died on October 13, 1745 in Whethersfield, Connecticut. She is buried in the Whethersfield Village Cemetery.

Rest in peace, Mercy.

Love, Jan

Mercy was the second wife of John Francis. John Francis was the husband of my 7th Great Aunt, Sara Dix .

Azubah Best was born on April 29, 1850, the daughter of Casper and Mary (Crane) Best in Bayham, Middlesex, Ontario. Casper and Mary had seven children; Mary A (1833), Jane (1835), Dorothy (1837), Henry (1840), Caroline (1846), Edward (1846), Azubah (1850).

In the 1851 Canadian Census, Azubah is listed as two years old. Casper and Mary live in Bayham, Elgin County , Ontario with their six children; Henry, F. Edward, Mary, Dorothy, Caroline, Zubith (Azubah).

In the 1861 Canadian Census, I find Azubah and Edward on a page which states that they are in Bayham but it appears the rest of the family are likely on the page before but none of the family members appear there. I think there is a missing page.

By the time of the 1871 Canadian Census, Azubah is twenty one and living with her father, Casper and three of her siblings, Mary Ann, Henry and Caroline. Casper is a farmer. His wife, Mary died in 1864.

Azubah married James Gilbert Rickwood on July 1, 1874 in in Bayham, Elgin, Ontario. James and Azubah had three daughters; Rachel (1876-1876), Bertha (1878-1879), Viola (1880). James was a blacksmith.

One hundred and thirty nine years ago, Azubah died of Tuberculosis on October 6, 1881 in Bayham, Ontario. She is buried in the Best Cemetery in Bayham, Ontario.

Rest in peace, Azubah!

Love, Jan

Azubah Best Richwood is my first cousin five times removed.

Cora Hamacher was born on March 6, 1872, the daughter of Henry and Sarah Hamacher, born in St. Clair County, Michigan. Henry and Sarah had six children; Elizabeth (1867), Dora (1869), Lydia (1871), Cora (1872), Harriet (1875), Emma (1879). Henry was a farmer and they lived in Cumming, Michigan

Cora married Norman Densmore on April 17,1900 in Bay City, Michigan. Norman states that he is a farmer.

In 1910 Federal Census, Norman and Cora are living in Klacking, Michigan. They have five children; Charles (1901), Norman Jr (1903), John C (1906), Sarah (1908), Lilah (1908). Norman Jr died of Typhoid Fever in July of 1912 at the age of eight years old.

By the time of the 1920 Federal Census, Norman and Cora have moved and are living in Beaverton, Michigan. They have Charley, John C, Sarah, Lila, Thelma (1911), Alfred (1915) listed in this census.

In the 1930 Federal Census, Norman and Cora have moved again. They live in Sheriden, Clare County, Michigan. They have three children who remain at home, they are, Sarah, Lila, and Alfred. By the time of the 1940 Federal Census, Norman and Cora are found living in Sheridan, Michigan. All of their children are grown and gone.

Sixty years ago on September 29, 1960, Cora Hamacher Densmore died at the age of eighty eight years old in West Branch, Michigan. She is buried in Campbell Hills Cemetery in Ogemaw County, Michigan.

Rest in peace, Cora.

Love, Jan

Cora married my second Great Grand Uncle, Norman Densmore.