I love finding legal notices regarding probate because they
often identify family members and relationships previously unknown. Mary’s popped up in a newspaper search when
I was looking for David Conkling, who was named as a beneficiary.
I wasn’t immediately sure who Mary was, but guessed she was
from Rensselaerville based on the names listed.
There was a Mary Rider in that village in the 1870 census … but not the
right one. Along with federal census and cemetery records, I’ve come to rely on
the “time gap” information provided by the 1855, 1865 and 1875 NY census
records now available online.
Those named were:
Stephen VR
Watson of Buffalo, NY
David W
Conkling of Kendall, NY
Augusta A
Bates of Westfield, Mass
Mary S
Boardman of Buffalo, NY
Charlotte W
Washburn of Rensselaerville, NY
Hattie
Parks of Hamlin, NY
Mary
Hardenbrooke of Kendall, NY
Charlotte
Watson of Kendall, NY
Clayton
Randall of Hamlin, NY
Robert D
Watson, residence unknown
I determined that the deceased was Mary Watson Rider, widow
of Job and daughter of Rufus Watson and Mercy Stanton. She was born in
Rensselaerville as were her siblings: Almira (later Conkling), Robert Dunbar,
Stephen VanRensselaer, and William. Mary and Job had 5 children, all of whom predeceased
her without offspring. After more research, I was able to identify everyone on
the list and their relationship to Mary who was born in 1803. Knowing that Robert Dunbar Watson was her
brother made the “residence unknown” seem odd.
Stephen VR Watson 1817-1800
her brother
Children of her sister Almira and husband David Conkling:
David W Conkling 1835-1904, wife
Louise Randall
Augusta A
Bates 1832-1912 wife of Henry
Mary S Boardman 1839-1904 wife of
Charles
Charlotte WASHBON 1849-1926 wife of
Robert
Children of her brother William and wife Charlotte Boardman
Harriet
“Hattie” Parks 1849-1886 wife of William H
Mary HARDENBROOK
1857-1941 wife of Jacob W
Charlotte
Watson 1859-1882
Their daughter Ella 1851-1879 was NOT listed but her young
son, Clayton Randall, was. Ella, wife of
Stephen Randall, died the year after
Mary’s death. Perhaps she was deceased by the time the probate process began with
her son Clayton (b 1875) becoming heir as her offspring.
As a note: Charlotte, the youngest of William’s children,
was living in Hamlin, NY in 1875 with her sister Hattie Parks, following the
death of their mother. The 1880 census finds Charlotte living with her sister
Mary Frances Hardenbook in Kendall, NY where she would marry her recently
widowed brother-in-law Stephen Randall later that year and become the
stepmother of his son (and her nephew) Clayton.
THE MYSTERY OF ROBERT DUNBAR WATSON
And then is the issue of Robert Dunbar Watson, the oldest of
Mary’s 3 brothers who reached adulthood.
Born in 1815, Robert was a lawyer who studied at Union College and began
his legal career in Albany. In 1848 he married his 2nd cousin Laura
Watson of Rhode Island, daughter of Elisha Jr and Ann Cole. Her sister Julia
(1821-1845) married Robert’s brother Stephen VR Watson.
Laura and Robert had two sons before 1853 and lived in NYC.
I have not found them in the 1855 census but know that Laura and the boys were
living in Rhode Island without Robert by 1860. I initially thought that he died
and she moved back home to live with and near her mother and oldest sister
Abby.
However, I recently happened upon some alumnae notices from
Union College and Robert’s fraternity Delta Upsilon, stating that he had
mysteriously disappeared. No newspaper notices have yet been found, no entry in
findagrave (assuming he had been found at some point).
Very strange! And
hence, why Mary’s will in the 1870s listed him with “residence unknown”.
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