Gershom Beach

Notes:

The Biblical name Gershom is Hebrew in origin from the Book of Exodus. It's meaning is refugee or stranger or exile (Six Exile names that mean exile for boys are Arvad, Cain, Doran, Gershom, Goliath and Nehemiah). Gershom is pronounced gay-resh-ome'. Gershom has four variant forms: Gersham, Gershon, Gershoom and Gerson.

Gershom married Deliverance Howe on 26 Oct 1721 in Wallingford, New Haven Co, Connecticut. Deliverance was born about 1705 in Wallingford, New Haven Co, Connecticut Colony; died about Dec 1748 in Cheshire, New Haven Co Connecticut Colony. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

These notes from p46 Families of Ancient New Haven, Vol I: (By 1): i Nathan, b 12 July 1714 WV, bp 2 May 1725 CC, d 20 July 1756 WV; m (1) 20 Jan 1733 WV-Esther [da. Daniel & Susanna (Bradley)] Hotchkiss, who d Apr 1734 CC; m (2) Ruth da. Gershom & Deliverance (How) Beach, b 21 Aug 1722 WV. d 21 May 1784 CC; she m (2) Hezekiah Parmelee and (3) 18 Mar 1779 CC-Amos Bristol. FAM. 21.

Ruth married Nathan AndrewsConnecticut Colony. Nathan was born on 12 Jul 1714 in Wallingford, Connecticut Colony; died on 20 Jul 1756 in Wallingford, Connecticut Colony. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joanna married Wait Chatterton on 25 Apr 1744 in Mt Carmel, New Haven Co, Connecticut. Wait was born about 1706 in New Haven County, Connecticut Colony; died on 29 Nov 1793 in Cheshire, New Haven Co Connecticut Colony; was buried about Dec 1793 in Mount Carmel Burying Ground, New Haven Co, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Went to Louisburg in 1745; was at the reduction of Cape Breton, 1758; with Gen Abercrombie at Ticonderoga, and next year with Gen Amherst at Crown Point; in 1760 was at Montreal and Quebec; served in the Revolution; was at Burgoyne's surrender and served to the close of the war. - Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899.
A Pay Role of Capt Samuel Williams & Company of Millitia in Col Ebenezer Allen's Regiment for goiong on jSecond Allarms in October and November in the year 1780: Aaron Beach, No of Days, 7; No Miles, 12; Wages 0.13.04. - US Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Gershom Beach III died 1812 in Salisbury, Addison Co, Vermont NOT Gershom Beach Jr b. 1729

Gershom married Mary Salter on 24 Apr 1751 in Wallingford, New Haven Co, Connecticut. Mary was born about 1733 in Cheshire, New Haven Co, Connecticut; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Wait married Dickerman Susanna on 17 Apr 1783 in Mt Carmel, New Haven Co, Connecticut. Dickerman was born on 1 Feb 1756 in New Haven County, Connecticut Colony; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The following is the real story of the supposed 64-mile trek of Gershom Beach Jr to rally volunteers for the assault on Ft Ticonderoga in May of 1775. It was really Gershom Beach's son Samuel and even then the 60 odd miles covered by foot in 24 hours is a gross exaggeration.
From "Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association...The Ticonderoga Expedition Of 1775" pp 300-320:
Major Samuel Beach of Whiting, Vt., was bom in New Jersey, his parents removing to Virginia and finally to Vermont prior to the Revolution.
He was at Castleton with Allen and was sent to rally the Green Mountain Boys. He started on this mission at day-break, going from Castleton to Rutland, to Pittsford, Brandon, Leicester, Salisbury, Middlebury, Cornwall, Whiting, and Shoreham, a distance of 64 miles.
Smith in his history says this was accomplished "between the rising and the setting of the Sun". Others say that the time occupied was 24 hours. Perhaps the expresssion "between the rising and the setting of the sun" might be considered a figurative one. Smith says, "The following day at early dawn he entered the fort by the side of Allen".
His descendants still treasure the silk stockings worn by him on this march and the staff which he carried, and they likewise preserved a silk vest presented him by Washington, which has the general's profile woven in the silk in over 30 different places.
He served throughout the revolution as a recruiting officer and in later years received a pension.
Two daughters survive him. The monument marking his grave at Whiting village bears this inscription: "Major Samuel Beach, died April 10th, 1829, aged 77 years. An officer in the war of the Revolution and one of the few who under Allen surprised and took Ticonderoga. - Smith's History of Addison County, page 728. Statement E. N. Bissell, East Shoreham, Vt.
From "Rutland Historical Society, Quarterly", Volume 39 No. 4 2009, Faces of the Past: A Calendar, Samuel Beach, 1752-1829:
Though born in New Jersey, Samuel Beach had come to Rutland with his family by 1770. During the Revolution he distinguished himself by participating in a number of pivotal battles and events. His pension records state that he was with Ethan Allen at the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775, was with Montgomery at Quebec, fought in the Battle of Bennington, and was present at Burgoyne's surrender.
Like his father, Gershom, Samuel was a blacksmith by trade. Surveying was another of his talents and he was appointed Rutland County's first surveyor in 1781. He had a farm on the north side of Main Street near Tenney Brook. He sold it in 1784 and moved with his extensive family to Whiting where in 1820 he had a farm of 37 acres.

Notes:

From the Cooley Genealogy: "[Benjamin Cooley] m. Feb. 1773, Ruth Beach, b Jan 11, 1756, Morristown, N.J., d. Sept 1, 1825; when married, she was visiting her brother, Co. Beach, in Rutland Vt. She probably belonged to the Beach family of Milford and New Haven, Conn. who went with the New Haven Colony to New Jersey in 1666"
Vermont Vital Records microfilm verifies: (1) Ruth Beach's birth place as Morristown New Jersey, (2) Ruth's birth year, 1756 and (3) Ruth Beach was a resident of Rutland, Charlotte Co, New York at the time of her marriage. However, the exact date of her birth has not been sourced. Note that her husband Benjamin was town clerk at the time.
Morris County was created on March 15, 1739, from portions of Hunterdon County. The county was named for the Governor of the Province of New Jersey, Colonel Lewis Morris. In later years Sussex County (on June 8, 1753) and, after the revolution, Warren County (on November 20, 1824, from portions of Sussex County) were carved out of what had been the original area of Morris County under English rule. The county was the site of the winter camp of the Continental Army after the Battles of Trenton and Princeton during the winter of 1777, as well as another winter camp at Jockey Hollow during an extremely cold winter of 1779-80 which occurred during the Little Ice Age.

Ruth married Benjamin5 Cooley on 18 Feb 1773 in Pittsford, Charlotte Co, New York. Benjamin5 (son of Benjamin4 Cooley and Mary Needham) was born on 30 Apr 1747 in Narragansett Township #4, Hampshire Co, Massachusetts; died on 27 Feb 1810 in Pittsford, Rutland Co, Vermont; was buried about Mar 1810 in Congregational Church Cemetery, Pittsford, Rutland Co, Vermont. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Morris County was created on March 15, 1739, from portions of Hunterdon County. The county was named for the Governor of the Province of New Jersey, Colonel Lewis Morris. In later years Sussex County (on June 8, 1753) and, after the revolution, Warren County (on November 20, 1824, from portions of Sussex County) were carved out of what had been the original area of Morris County under English rule. The county was the site of the winter camp of the Continental Army after the Battles of Trenton and Princeton during the winter of 1777, as well as another winter camp at Jockey Hollow during an extremely cold winter of 1779\endash 80 which occurred during the Little Ice Age.

Aaron married Rachel Welch about 1783 in Whiting, Addison Co, New Hampshire Grants. Rachel was born on 4 Aug 1769 in Coventry, Kent Co, Rhode Island; died on 13 Mar 1849 in Cambria Twp, Niagara Co, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

There are serious discrepancies at Ancestry.com concrning Phillip Beach and wife. There is disagreement as to the birth year of Phillip. One site says Phillip is a half-brother to Ruth Beach. No AWT family tree mentions Louisa wife of Phillip Beach. There are several trees that say his wife was Lois Cushnman but NONE have proper sourcing (the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 is NOT a proper source*) .
*Ancestry: Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. Original data: This unique collection of records was extracted from a variety of sources including family group sheets and electronic databases. Originally, the information was derived from an array of materials including pedigree charts, family history articles, querie.
Note: Most of this trash was obtained from the LDS Ancestral File and IGI where the LDS would accept any submission by members, no sources required. Now they've disingenuously tried to legitimize these old files by giving them high-sounding names such as this one and calling it a "database on-line".
The gravestone photographs were taken by DBC at Molyneaux Cemetery on Ridge Road, Cambria, Niagara County, New York on 3 Aug 2010

Family/Spouse: Louisa Cushman. Louisa (daughter of Isaac Cushman) was born on 14 Sep 1773 in Rutland, Charlotte Co, Province of New York; died on 28 Mar 1842 in Cambria Twp, Niagara Co, New York; was buried about Mar 1842 in Molyneaux Cemetery, Cambria, Niagara Co, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Benjamin IV went un-married Cooley Family Genealogy pp 491-2
Charlotte County, New York was created from the northwestern part of Albany County in 1772. New York's Charlotte County also claimed to include much of western Vermont on the east side of Lake Champlain, ceded by New York to Vermont in 1777. (from FamilySearch.com
In a quitclaim of Noah Cooley to his brother Azariah Cooley dated Jan 1st 1824 which real estate (Albany County, Province of New York) was part of his mother Ruth Cooley's dower he also states "...where all my right that I may hereafter have in and unto this real estate in which may belong to my brother Benjamin Cooley(6)...released [and] quitclaimed..."

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Because of conflictng death information, I have downgraded Samuel's death years to abt 1843-1846,
From the Cooley Genealogy p. 547: "(Samuel Cooley)...removed to New York State where he lived for a time, and in 1832 removed to Michigan; m. 5 Oct 1797, Pittsford, Polly Dike". From the Macomb county history, p747 "...Samuel and Polly Dike Cooley. The former was bom November 14, 1775, in Pittsford, Vt and died in Bruce, Mich., February 2, 1843; the latter was born in Chittenden, Rutland Co., Vt, August 4, 1781, and died September 10, 1838, in Bruce". Also on p747 from the Macomb history: [Samuel Cooley Sr] came to Michigan in 1832. and first settled in Washington, Macomb County; left Washington in 1840 and settled in Bruce, on 167

(Research):Gravestone vs Macomb County History birth-death dates
Samuel Cooley Sr died 2 Feb 1846 aged 72y2m18d = bd 15 Nov 1773
Poly Dike died 10 Sep 1838 aged 57y1m 6d = bd 4 Aug 1781

Macomb County history in son William Cooley's writeup
Samuel b. 14 Nov 1775 d. 2 Feb 1843 = 67y2m19d
Polly b. 2 Aug 1781 d. 10 Sep 1838 = 57y1m8d
Cooley Genealogy Samuel s Benjamin III and Ruth Beach b. Nov 17, 1775
DAR Miss Lotta Irene Miller 112943 has Samuel Cooley (1775-1843) and Polly Dike (1781-1838)
The greatest discrepancy so far is the 1846 on the gravestone of Samuel.
The sources for most of the trees that have Samuel Cooley d 1843 and Polly Dike are all illigitimate such as (1) Ancestry Family Trees; (2) Family Data Collection - Births, (3) Family Data Collection - Individual Records; (4) Millennium File. They all list 1843 as the death year while the only ligitimate source, a gravestone engraving, has the death year as 1846.
Charlotte County, New York was created on 24 Mar 1772 from the northwestern part of Albany County, Province of New York, that, at the time, claimed much of the land east of Lake Champlain and west of the Green Mountains. It was ceded 15 Jan 1777 to the Republic of Vermont. Note that Rutland became a county in 1781.

Samuel married Polly Dike on 5 Oct 1797 in Pittsford, Rutland Co, Vermont. Polly (daughter of Jonathan Dike and Esther Barnard) was born on 4 Aug 1781 in Chittenden, Charlotte Co, New York; died on 10 Sep 1838 in Bruce, Macomb Co, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cooley Genealogy p492: Moved to Ferrisburg, Vt.

Ruth married Jeramiah Needham about 1791 in Probably Pittsford, Vermont. Jeramiah and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Azariah married Lydia Huntley on 14 Aug 1803 in Salisbury, Addison Co, Vermont. Lydia and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _TODO: Open

Notes:

Grandma Carrie Louella Miller-Cooley's anecdote: "They" lived 13 miles from Niagara Falls but never saw them. (This would be Robert Reed's grandfather's family, Noah Cooley and Jane Sutherland who lived on Holland Land Purchase property in Niagara County New York about 13 miles direct line distance east from the Falls). Another anecdote (Dale Cooley): They could sometimes see a rainbow caused by water spray from the Falls.
Noah Cooley, son of Col Benjamin, married Jane daughter of Peter Sutherland, January 24, 1804, and located on the west side of Otter Creek, upon land now owned by Ransom Burdett. The house he occupied, built by him, stood on the east side of the old road leading from the residence of Tilly Walker to that of Peter Rice--now R. Burdett's. The cellar of the house can still be seen in the pasture about thirty rods west of the railroad. Mr. Cooley resided there a few years, and then removed to 'Western Country' where he died, Jan 11, 1856. Mrs. Cooley died July 4, 1854. [These death dates are apocryphal. They come from p320 in Caverly's The History of Pittsford but cannot be verified because the original letter to Caverly has been lost].

Fourth Child discrepancy A large discrepancy cropped up in 2010 concerning Noah and Jane's children. Sally Merryman produced a document written by Jennie Lincoln a cousin of James Watson Cooley. The reason I latched onto that document so quickly was the way it was written including the time of day the children were born. Noah's father, Col. Benjamin Cooley as Town Clerk of Pittsford entered the births of his children into the official records of Pittsford use this same method and language. For instance, "Andrew Sutherland Cooley was born July 11th 1804 Wednesday about one o'clock in the morning". The discrepancy concerns the fourth child. Caverly in the History of Pittsford names a James G Cooley born about 1810* whereas the document written by Jennie Lincoln** has no James G. but Jane Eliza Cooley-Coomer as the fourth child, b. 11 Oct 1811, d. 10 Oct 1871. The latter is well documented and a centaph has been built by Coomer descendants in the Oak Grove Cemetery, Morenci, Seneca Twp, Lenawee Co, Michigan. Consequently, I felt "James G" was an error for many years until I visited Pittsford Vermont in 2016. I went through many land records in the Town Office and found several references to a James G Cooley in the year range 1840-1860. Those references showed James G. involved in land transactions with Lydia Huntley, wife of Azariah Cooley, elder brother of Noah Cooley. This knowledge and the fact that Lydia aged 76 is found in the household of James Cooley in Leicester, Addison County, Vermont in the 1860 US Census leads to the conclusion that James G Cooley was the son of Azariah Cooley and Lydia Huntley.
* Here is the list of Noah and Jane's children from the History of Pittsford page 697: COOLEY, NOAH s of Col. Benjamin, m 1802, Jane Sutherland, b August 24, 1787. Children-- 1, Andrew s. b 1804; 2, Samuel b 1806; 3, Caleb C. b 1808; 4, James G. b 1810; 5, Milton b 1815; 6, Mary b 1823, d 1851; 7, Benjamlin F. b 1825. The father d January 11, 1852; the mother d July 4, 1854.
**Here is Jennie Lincoln's list of Noah and Jane's children (courtesy of Sally Merryman): Benjamin and Ruth's son Noah, B 2 Jul 1782 Pittsford, VT, d. 11 Jan 1852 New York State or MI, M. 24 Jan 1804 Jane Sutherland B. 24 Aug 1787 prob Greenwich, CT, D. 4 Jul 1854.

Their children were:1. Andrew Sutherland B. 11 Jul 1804 d. 30 Oct 1890. I believe their children were: Peter, Clara married Fred Cook, Eliza, Thomas, Lewis, Robert, and Hersey. This is where Dan Cooley's (danbcooley) family comes in.
2. Samuel Thurman, B. 30 Mar 1806 Pittsford, VT, d. 4 Jan 1892 Jonesville, MI, M. 3 Feb 1831, Oakland Co., MI Harriet Electa Woodruff. Their children were: A. Byron, b. 1837 M. Sarah Collins. The only other thing I have besides the names of their children that I posted on your was on his son George. I have two pictures only. One was of Byron, George and his wife (name unknown)and their twin daughters (names unknown). The other picture is of the twin daughters only. B. Rebecca, b. 3 Mar 1839 married George Coffin. Their children were Fred and Jean. C. William, b. 1841 married Melissa Hyde. He was in Co. D", 11th Mich. Vol. Cav.
Their children:
1) Byron
2) Ralph d. 6 Feb 1961 3) Celia married Norton (first name unknown). Their children:
a. Ruth b. Grace married Charles Machin. Their child: Norene, Born 1906 Died 1922
D. Woodruff, b. 1843? d. 1848? E. James Watson, b. 12 Mar 1843 Pittsford, MI, D. 20 Jul 1924 Grand Rapids, MI, M. 30 Jun 1870 Pittsford, MI Armilla Howell. Their child: 1) Justin Winthrop, b. 5 Nov 1877 Ottawa Lake, MI, M. 3 Oct 1899 Pittsford, MI, Hazel Gwendolyn Sturdevant. Their children: a) Clifford Winthrop, bB. 2 Sep 1900 d. 27 Apr 1901
b) Madeline Evelyn, b. 11 Jun 1902 d. 15 Apr 1969
c) Thurman Woodruff, b. 30 Aug 1904 d. 5 Oct 1936
d) Marjorie, b. 17 Oct 1907 d. 25 Apr 1989 e) Katherine Armilla, b. 28 May 1909 d. 18 May 1988 f) James Louis, b. 22 Feb 1912 d. 21 May 1960. He played high school football with the late President Gerald R Ford.
g) Richard Harold, b. 2 Oct 1916 d. 14 Nov 1992 h) Audrey Janet, b. 21 Aug 1919. She is my mother-in-law.

3. Caleb Carroll, b. 25 Mar 18084. Jane Eliza, b. 11 Oct 1811, M. Arnold Coomber (brother to Ben Coomber)
5. Milton Potter, b. 6 Apr 1818
6. Noah Beach, b. 14 Nov 1819 D. 7 Sep 18207. Mary Isabel, b. 21 Feb 1823, M. Ben Coomber (brother to Arnold Coomber)
8. Frank

Noah Cooley's death date discrepancy From pp46-47 of John William Sutherland and Allied Families by Millie A. Owings "Noah Cooley was born 2 July 1782...and died 11 Jan 1852 in Lockport, New York This presents a fairly large discrepancy between the History of Pittsford year of 1856 (which the Cooley Genealogy uses) and the John William Sutherland Genealogy (1852); the day and month agree but there is a four-year difference. Also, Owings states a death place of Lockport NY whereas the Cooley Genealogy ducks the death place by saying "Western Country".
Although there is a death date discrepancy, the larger problem is that neither Noah Cooley's nor Jane Sutherland's death dates and places have any documentation whatever. Whether Lockport New York or Michigan or 1852 or 1856, it makes little difference since their death information remains an undocumented mystery.

_TODO:
Lets expand our view to include Cambria - after all, Andrew Sutherland and wife Naomi Cooley were there, buried there. Then review Holland Purchase locality - forget the 13 miles - it suffices to say they lived close to the Falls

Noah married Jane Sutherland on 24 Jan 1804 in Pittsford, Rutland Co, Vermont. Jane (daughter of Peter Sutherland and Carol Bush) was born on 24 Aug 1787 in Nine Partners, Dutchess Co, New York; died before 1850. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cooley Genealogy p492: m. Col. Wait Wright of Rutland

Mary married Col. Wait WrightProbably Pittsford, Vermont. Col. was born in Probably Pittsford, Republic of Vermont; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• AFN: 1DGR-CC
• Name: Annie

Notes:

Letter to Niagara County Historian from Anna Sutherland, Metamora, Mich. Oct 29, 1964: "This Mrs Andrew Sutherland [Naomi Cooley] was my great grandmother. My father was Lewis Cass Sutherland, son of Dr. Benjamin C. Sutherland. I remember my father telling that his father visited at Lockport NY and brought his mother back with him but do not know how long she lived with them.* Now, his father [Benj C Sutherland] died in 1867 so I do not know if she continued to live with them or eve if she did live them all the time previous to his death. She might have lived part time with her son Byron as I remember my father [Lewis Cass Sutherland] telling about this Uncle Byron somewhere near them. Now as to the cemetery, I think it would be the Armada (Macomb County) cemetery but I do not know anyother name. My father's [Lewis Cass Sutherland] old home, about 10 miles from Romeo. This was in Ray Townmship of Macomb County; he was bogn on January 25, 1859. My father lived untio March 24, 1946".
*According to the US Census, Naomi was living with her son Benjamin Cooley Sutherland in 1850.
Note to clarify: Naomi was buried in Procter Cemetery Michigan, not Proctor Cemetery, Vermont.

Naomi married Andrew Sutherland on 6 Jan 1807 in Pittsford, Rutland Co, Vermont. Andrew (son of Peter Sutherland and Carol Bush) was born on 3 Sep 1776 in Sutherland Falls, Charlotte Co, New York; died on 27 Feb 1836 in Cambria, Niagara Co, New York; was buried in Glenwood Cem, Lockport, Niagara Co, New York.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

4 Mar 1791, Vermont became the 14th state of the United States of America

Eunice married Noah BeachProbably Vermont. Noah was born on 17 Oct 1788 in Whiting, Addison Co, Vermont; died on 23 May 1866 in Bridgeport, Saginaw Co, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Dorothy married Isaac MillerProbably Pittsford, Vermont. Isaac was born in Sudbury, Rutland Co, Vermont; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Hubbardton is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Thomas Hubbard, a landholder. The population was 752 at the 2000 census. The town was the site of the Battle of Hubbardton where British forces attacked Americans during the Saratoga Campaign of 1777.

Battle of Hubbardtown One of the most successful rear guard actions in American history, the Battle of Hubbardton was the only Revolutionary War battle fought entirely in Vermont. During the early morning hours of July 7, 1777, British General John Burgoyne's army met the resistance and bravery of Americans for the first time in the Battle of Hubbardton. A massive British invasion from Canada chased the Continental Army from Mount Independence south to Hubbardton. The British strategy was to continue to New York and divide New England from the rest of the colonies. The advancing British were seasoned Regulars. The Green Mountain Boys stayed behind to slow down the Redcoats so that the main force could retreat. On a grassy hill, the scrappy New Englanders made their stand. While the British held the field and technically won the battle, their losses were so heavy that they gave up chasing the Americans to tend to their casualties. The Battle of Hubbardton marked the beginning of the end for Burgoyne and his great plan. On August 16 he suffered a stunning blow at the Battle of Bennington. Soon after Burgoyne wrote about the people of Vermont as "the most active and most rebellious race on the continent" and that they were hanging "like a gathering storm" on his left. On October 17, 1777, after the battles of Saratoga, he surrendered with his entire Army.

Cooley married Nancy Durant in 1831 in Probably Vermont. Nancy was born about 1807 in Massachusetts; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]