13 March 2016

Lucy Powers Hyde Maiden Name Is ...

The maiden names of our female ancestors are often elusive, especially the further back in time one researches. It would be great if we could find a marriage record for every couple in our family, but that isn't always the case.  If a marriage record isn't available then one has to use other records to help find a maiden name.  Some of the records include census, probate, newspaper, and church records.  


Source: "War of 1812 Service Records," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 12 January 2012), Entry for Powers, William; National Archives and Records Administration. Index to the Compiled Military Service Records for the Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812. Washington.D.C.

My elusive maiden name was for my fourth great grandmother, Lucy Powers Hyde.  I first found Lucy's name in the War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index for William Powers.  She was listed as William's widow, former Lucy Hyde.  I was wondering if former meant this was her maiden name, or had Lucy remarried after William's death.

Further research of Lucy Hyde led to the following records:
  • Mrs. Lucy Hyde was admitted to membership of First Presbyterian Church, Ypsilanti, Michigan on 2 January 1834.
  • Lucy Hyde was named in Ypsilanti's First Presbyterian church session records as the mother-in-law of Samuel S. Glover on April 27, 1835. 
  • Lucy Hyde is living with Charles W. Glover and Mary Ann Powers, her daughter, in the 1850 Census, in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw, Michigan. 
  • Lucy Hyde is living with Charles W. Glover and Mary Ann Powers, her daughter, in the 1860 Census, in Ypsilanti, Washtenaw, Michigan.
Since Lucy was going by Hyde as early as 1834, I concluded that Lucy Powers remarried a male Hyde between Williams death in 1813 and her mention in church session records in 1834.  Again, no marriage record has been found.

I continued my research of Lucy by researching William Powers death.  I found William's probate records in Abstracts of Wills, Adminstrators and Guardianships in NY State, 1787-1835 at American Ancestors.org.  The abstract provided the information I needed to find the actual records, dated 2 May 1817, available at American Ancestors. These records included making Lucy the administrator of William's will and naming Lucy Powers guardian for her children: Eliza Ann, Mary Ann, Remus Vernum, William, Samuel S, Vinera Egleston and Mary Ann Powers. (Note: Mary Ann was listed twice in the abstract and in the actual court transcript)

Another record showed that Asa Pixley was appointed guardian for Remus Vernum Powers of Framington, Ontario, New York, dated 18 March 1820.  This was the first time I saw the Pixley surname.  Who was Asa Pixley?  Was he family?  Was he in Lucy's family?  

Each record I found led to more questions on my part.  None of the records answered my research question by itself: What is the maiden name of Lucy, the mother of Vinera Egleston Powers and wife of William Powers?

I found Pixley as Lucy's maiden name in a Bible record at Ypsilanti Historical Society, Ypsilanti, Michigan.  The Bible was a Glover Family Bible, owned by Mrs. Hal W. Glover, Annie Overton Crary Glover. Hal W. Glover was the great grandson of Lucy, through her daughter Mary Ann Powers, who married Charles Williamson Glover.  The Bible record stated that "Mary Ann Powers married Charles Williamson Glover".  Her parents were recorded as "William Powers and Lucy (Pixley) Powers of St. Albans, Vermont."  Did I find Lucy's maiden name?  Maybe?

I do not feel that my research is complete, especially when primary sources are scarce, unless I conduct a broad search.  At this point, I don't feel I have conducted a broad enough search. Everything I have found is one piece of a very large puzzle, but a few more pieces are needed to come to the conclusion that Pixley is her maiden name.

Further research found a Lucinda Pixley birth record in Vermont Births, Marriages and Deaths to 2008 at American Ancestors.  It gave a birth date of 9 August 1783, in Westminster, Windham, Vermont.  Parents were Paul Pixley and Sylvia.  The birth year of 1783 coincides with census records that gives Lucy's age.

Am I ready to write a conclusion of my research question: What is the maiden name of Lucy, the mother of Vinera Powers and wife of William Powers?  Does the preponderance of the evidence lead to Pixley as Lucy's married name?  Not yet, but I feel I am getting closer.

What are my next steps?  
  • Find marriage record for William Powers and Lucy, who married in Vermont, possibly. 
  • Research Westminster, Vermont and St. Albans, Vermont records for family information for William Powers.
  • Use Fold 3.com to research William Powers, War of 1812 records.
  • Research children of William Powers and Lucy, including William R., Eliza Ann, Remus Virnum, and Samuel S. Powers.
  • Research Asa Pixley.
What would you do next?  Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions of where to look for Lucy's maiden name.




















 

2 comments:

  1. She was born Lucinda Pixley, in Vermont. But you probably already know that by now!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I did finally confirm that Pixley is her maiden name. I need to update my blog.

    ReplyDelete