Children of Abel & Sarah Giles Woodin

The 1900 Bureau County, Illinois, US Federal census ED 14, sheet 11, Dwelling 202, Family 219, for Sarah Giles Woodin Raisbeck reads that she had 13 children with 7 living. The following is my account of the seven living children. Please share your research!

Martin Luther Woodin was born 8 August 1873, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. On 22 December 1897 in Seneca, LaSalle County, Illinois, he married Eugenie Luella Couch 1878-1959, my great-aunt. Martin Luther died 7 September 1931 in Marseilles, LaSalle County, Illinois.

Wilma Irene Woodin, "Billie" Thank you for sharing your family

One of their children was Wilma Irene Woodin, 1922-2016. Thank you to Wilma Woodin Morey’s family for all these beautiful photos. Wilma was my 1^st cousin 1x removed.

Walter Abel Woodin was born October 1869 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. According to Wilma’s notes, I read “Left home at an early age. Last known to be in eastern U.S.”  Using computer and digital records, I have possibly found two wives for Walter Abel. At this time, May 2020, I find no children. An estimated death date is between 1940 and 1957 in Maryland. Again, I am unable to find any death notices. See my online trees at Ancestry.com or MyHeritage.com for more details.

Mary Ellen Woodin was born 4 December 1865 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. The family came to American in 1880. Mary Ellen married first Charles William Van Tassell, 1855-1905, on 28 November 1884 in LaSalle County, Illinois. According to Wilma's notes, “Mary Ellen & Charles homesteaded in North Dakota Lived in Sod hut (Soddie) first few years. He died after just a few years.”

Mary Ellen married second to William Hopton, 1868-1956, exact date unknown, the year was 1907 in North Dakota. Wilma writes, “A widower with several children she helped raise.” According to the 1910 Burleigh County, North Dakota, US Federal census, ED 25, sheet 15B, Dwelling 307, family 307, Mary Ellen had no children. According to the 1920 census, the family had moved back to Marseilles, LaSalle County, Illinois. Mary Ellen died in Marseilles on 24 September 1942. William Hopton continued to live in Marseilles near the Woodin family until his death.

Ann Woodin was born April 1862 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. She came to America about 1880? Ann was married to George Edwin Stoney on 3 July 1883 in LaSalle County, Illinois. Hopefully records of this marriage will be found in the LaSalle County court house. When did George travel to America? When did the family and their three children return to England? A son was born in England in 1895. The family is enumerated in the 1901 and 1911 census in England. Ann died in Lincolnshire, England, in 1912. A death certificate for her would be helpful.

Mary Alice Woodin was born 26 October in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. In January 1881, Mary Alice married Ruben James Haynes, 1857-1927, in Bromsgrove. The family of six came to America about 1889 or 1890. The last child was born in LaSalle County, Illinois. Mary Alice died in Marseilles, LaSalle County on 10 March 1926.

Woodin, Hopton & Haynes family lived in Marseilles, LaSalle Co., IL

Jane Woodin was born January 1855 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. Jane married Emanuel James, 1852-1913, in Yorkshire, England on 12 December 1881. Jane died January 1918 in Derby, Derbyshire, England. The exact dates for birth and death need to be verified.

Eliza Woodin was born October 1851 in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. This information is from the 1861, 1871 England census and the Civil Registration Birth Index. This is about as much as I know in records for her. BUT, here is the conflict. I can produce index records from Ancestry that offer a suggestion that her husband was Harry Barley. These are indexes only, not the actual records. Most of the trees offer someone else. If I follow the records for this other name, I have no connection to the middle name given to her. Also, some of the records offer a surname of Wooding or even a father, Joseph Wooding. I am able to find both Abel Woodin and Joseph Wooding in the same early England census records. From my research, I believe these are two separate families. Please offer records, beyond indexes or indexing of records to help verify this family. THANK YOU!!!

Lindsey William Dunham (1820-1899) what and how do I know it?

Name: Lindsey William Dunham, most records provide either Lindsey W or L. W.; his death certificate reads “Lindsey Wm Dunham.” The microfilm record may be found in the Wisconsin Pre-1907 Records Collection at the Wisconsin Historical Society Library, Madison, Wisconsin. Specific information: Oconto County, Volume 1, page 327, microfilm reel 101, index volume 1 and sequence number 90131.

Birth date and place: 26 March 1820, Pomfret, Windsor County, Vermont, see name record.

Father: William F Dunham, my main connecting record is testimony at Lindsey’s divorce case. “. . . the plaintiff is my son. . .”  Wisconsin, Manitowoc County. Court Records. CF16 #2189. "Lindsey W. Dunham plaintiff vs Esther A. Dunham defendant" 26 October 1858 granted 23 April 1861. 23 pages. Archives and Area Research Center #2401, Cofrin Library, UW Green Bay, 2420 Nicout Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311-7001.

Mother: Sarah Metcalf, this information is derived from her marriage to William F on 21 January 1819 in Pomfret, Windsor County, Vermont. "Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8R8-8Z8 : 6 April 2016), William F Dunham and Sarah Metcalf, 21 Jan 1819; citing Marriage, Pomfret, Windsor, Vermont, United States, town clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 28,665. Accessed on Ancestry.com.

First marriage: Esther Ann Baldwin and Lindsey were married about 1 April 1847. This estimate comes from Lindsey’s divorce testimony. It is written that he stated the year as 1857, but one son had been born and the divorce was already in process. This is probably a misunderstanding. The divorce testimony states they were married by Pastor Lewis. Research by a hired certified APG person has identified a Pastor Lewis as the pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist church of Verona, Oneida County, New York about 1844-1848. After a trip to the church archives in Janesville, Wisconsin, at this time, no records are available verifying this marriage date. Several land deeds from New York for purchase of land by Lindsey and his wife, Esther, from Norman Baldwin are dated 1844 and 1847.

First marriage ended in divorce: In 1856, Lindsey published a notice for non-payment of others debts in the Manitowoc Herald newspaper. See Roots Digger tree on Ancestry for digital image with source. For divorce filings see the source for relationship of father above.

Second marriage: Esther James’ marriage to Lindsey date unknown at this time. The 1870 US census reads that Rebecca James “lives with daughter.” Rebecca and Esther are enumerated in the household with Lindsey Dunham.  Year 1870, Howard, Brown County, Wisconsin. Roll M593_1703. Page 274A. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. 

Child: Jay Forrester Dunham was born 1 December 1852. In 1852, Jay’s biological mother would be Esther Baldwin and NOT Esther James.

There is no evidence that Lindsey William Dunham had any other biological children.

Death: 20 February 1899 see the death certificate source above with Name. Look at the Find a Grave Site, there are other Dunham family members buried in the Mill Centre cemetery, Howard, Brown County, Wisconsin.

My connection to Lindsey, at this time I have DNA matches to his siblings. Lindsey and Jane A, my maternal second great grandmother, worked together in 1844 in Rome, Oneida County, New York. Help me! I want to find this family connection!

As of this writing, I have recently found a DNA match for Metcalf, possibly Lindsey’s mother's line. 

Currently I do not know the parents of William F. Dunham.

Please send any comments or questions to sbgenealogy@gmail.com. Thank you.

Mrs. Esther Dunham, wife of Lindsey Dunham - who is she?

Mrs. Esther Dunham, wife of Lindsey William Dunham (1820-1899), who is she or who are they? The census records reveal a female named Esther living with the family from 1850 to 1900. As with all research, more questions than answers.

Lindsey William Dunham was born in Vermont and died in Wisconsin. He lived an interesting and exciting life during his 78 year span. Many interesting tales could be written about Lindsey such as his working with Jane A Dunham in Rome, New York, possibly as a tailor. But, this article is about who are the two Esther's?

In 1844, Norman Baldwin and his wife Louisa and Moses Baldwin sold land in Rome, Oneida County, New York to Esther Ann Dunham and her husband, Lindsey. At that time, all the people involved lived in Verona, New York. In 1850, Norman, Esther and Lindsey live in the same house in Manitowoc Rapids, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  The Manitowoc Herald newspaper provides a notice for non payment of others debts by Lindsey. The paper is dated 1856. The notice states that father-in-law, Norman Baldwin and Esther A, his wife, have left the home. Lindsey files for divorce in 1858. I am unable to find Esther Baldwin in the 1860 census. According to the divorce court records, she went to Iowa with her father. In the 1870 census, Esther Baldwin is living in Honey Creek, Iowa County, Iowa with Moses Baldwin, her brother. Norman, her father, was buried in Koszta, Iowa County, Iowa, in 1859. The Find-A-Grave memorial offers information on the rest of Norman's family. This information includes Esther Ann Baldwin's death in 1878. At this time, I am unable to verify her death or burial.

Who is Esther James? The census offers either New York or Vermont in 1834 as possible birth locations. In 1850, she was living with Samuel and Rebecca James in Port Washington, Washington County, Wisconsin. In 1860, Esther is living with Lindsey and Jay Dunham in Howard, Brown County, Wisconsin. The 1870 census lists Esther Dunham with Lindsey, Jay and Rebecca James. A note on the census page states that Rebecca is living with her daughter. The 1880 census offers only Lindsey and Esther with a wide age difference. In the 1900 census, Esther is living with Jay, listed as his mother. This is where the confusion starts. She is widowed and married 49 years, the calculations would state she was married in 1851. Also, stated that Esther had three children with one living. To me, this sounds like she was previously married. To whom? When? Where? I am not able to find another records on her.

Compare the two Esther's in Lindsey Dunham's life:
Esther Baldwin was born about 1826 in New York to Norman and Louisa Baldwin
Esther James was born in 1834 in either New York or Vermont to Samuel and Rebecca James

Esther Baldwin married Lindsey about 1844 in Verona, New York. Hopefully will find church records to verify this marriage.
Esther James lived in home in 1860. Married about 1860? Unable to find records. Was she previously married?

Esther Baldwin died 1878.
Esther James died 1901.

For more of my research, view my tree, Roots_Digger family tree, on Ancestry.com.