The 1880 Census of Rockford Township, Winnebago Co., IL lists Amy Pelley, mother of William Pelley. This is Abraham's daughter, Amy Bodine. In the Census, she is 67 and born in Canada. Both of her parents are listed as being born in Pennsylvania. In the 1880 Census of Harrison Township, Winnebago County, Illinois, William lists his father as having been born in New Jersey and his mother in Pennsylvania. In a biography on William, he himself says his father was born in New Jersey. These two sources are good evidence that Abraham was born in New Jersey and not anywhere else. See William's page for more on this. Which of these is correct, Amy or William? I would tend to place a lot of confidence in William's biography. It seems he was alive at the time of the biography and gave the information himself. It is sometimes hard to tell who gave the information to the census takers.
It is now known from the estate papers of Jacob Bodine, Sr. that he had at least four sons: Jacob Jr., Abraham, Nicholas, and James. These four are mentioned as heirs; although, Jacob Jr. was deceased at the time Jacob Sr.'s estate was administered (Jacob Jr. had five children mentioned as heirs). Jacob Sr. probably had one other son who died without children before Jacob Sr.'s estate was administered on. This other son was not mentioned in the estate papers. The 1790 and 1800 census information does seem to imply that there were five sons. We also know that a Jacob Bodine did administer on the estate of a William Bodine in 1801 in Derry Township, Northumberland County (this later became Columbia County). It is not known who this William was, but Jacob Bodine must have been either Jacob Sr. or Jacob Jr. So William would have been a close relative. He could very well have been Jacob, Sr.'s son or Jacob Jr.'s brother.
The following ideas are based on the 1790, 1800, and 1810 Censuses for Jacob Bodine in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Between these censuses and the estate papers, we can make some pretty good assumptions at who those sons were.
The 1790 Census of Northumberland County lists four males under 16 (born about 1774-1790). We will assume they were Jacob's four oldest sons: Jacob Jr., William, Abraham, and Nicholas. All four of them would have been born by 1790.
The 1800 Census of Northumberland County lists two males under 10 (born about 1790-1800), and one male 16-26 (born about 1774-1784). According to this 1800 Census, Jacob had two males under ten. This would normally make you think that they were both born since the 1790 Census. As far as we know, Jacob may have had five sons: Jacob Jr., William, Abraham, Nicholas, and James; however, we don't know of any sixth son. I'm guessing that Nicholas would be one of the sons under 10. We know that he was born right about 1790; so depending on when the censuses were taken, he could have been nine years old at the time of the 1800 Census. Or we could imagine that Jacob and Nancy didn't remember his age exactly and just assumed that he was under ten when he actually was ten. Therefore, of the two sons under ten in the 1800 Census, only one was new. That would have been James. The two older sons, Jacob Jr. and William, would have been out of the house by then trying to start their own farms. Abraham was the son who was listed as 16-26. It would be good if Jacob Jr. and William could be found in an 1800 census, but I don't know of anything.
Jacob Jr.: Listed in 1790
(born 1774-1790). Not listed in 1800; so he was born about
1774-1790.
William: Listed in 1790 (born 1774-1790). Not listed in 1800;
so he was born about 1774-1790.
Abraham: Listed in 1790 (born 1774-1790)
and in 1800 (born 1774-1784); so he was born 1774-1784.
Nicholas: Listed
in 1790 (born 1774-1790) and in 1800 (born 1790-1800); so he was born about
1790.
James: Not listed in 1790. Listed as under 10 (born 1790-1800) in
1800; so he was born 1790-1800.
The 1810 Census of Derry Township, Northumberland County lists two males: one 10-16 (born about 1794-1800) and one other 16-26 (born about 1784-1794). This must refer to the two youngest males who were on the 1800 Census: Nicholas and James. The one who is 10-16 would refer to James. He was born about 1793/1794-1800. This means James was probably no older than six or seven at the time of the 1800 Census. The one who was 16-26 in the 1810 Census probably refers to Nicholas since all the others were too old. William was dead by 1810 and Jacob Jr. and Abraham had their own families by then. Jacob is listed in a separate household in 1810, but Abraham is not. Therefore, we have the following:
Jacob Jr.: Listed
in 1790, but not in 1800 or 1810. Born about 1774-1790.
.....Jacob
Bodine, Jr. does seem to be one of the older males. He had his first child in
1803. If this family followed Dutch naming customs, and if Jacob Sr.'s father
was also a Jacob (which we think he might have been), then Jacob Jr. would
have probably been the oldest son. Dutch families usually named their first
son after the paternal grandfather.
William: Listed in 1790, but
not in 1800 or 1810. Born about 1774-1790.
.....This is probably
the William Bodine who died in Derry Township, Northumberland County about
1800/1801. I mentioned him at the beginning of this discussion. William's
inventory does not include any furniture, real estate, linens, bedding,
dishes, etc. - just his tools, horse and horse stuff, four beehives, and
clothes. This suggests that he was a young and probably unmarried man, but of
age, i. e., at least 21. (Otherwise, there would be no administration of his
estate. The belongings of minors are presumed to be the belongings of their
parents.) If William were at least 21 when he died about 1800, then he would
have been born before about 1779. No wife is mentioned, so he probably had not
yet married. He was likely a relatively young man when he died, not a whole
lot older than 21.
Abraham: Listed in 1790 & 1800 Censuses, but
not in 1810. Born 1774-1790 & 1774-1784. Born about
1774-1784.
.....We know that Abraham Bodine was born about 1781.
This would fit the census info. His first child may have been born about 1806.
Jacob's first was born in 1803. William was probably 21 years old by 1801.
Therefore, Abraham is probably younger than Jacob Jr. and
William.
Nicholas: Listed in 1790, 1800, & 1810. Born about
1774-1790, 1790-1800, & 1784-1794. Born about 1790.
.....We know
that Nicholas was born about 1790. This fits the census
info.
James: Not listed in 1790. Listed in 1800 & 1810 Censues.
Born 1790-1800 & 1794-1800. Born 1794-1800.
.....James Bodine
administered his father's estate. He had to be born between about 1793/1794
and 1800. He was the youngest son. None of his older brothers were around to
take up the responsibility of administering Jacob Sr.'s will. William and
Jacob were dead. And Abraham and Nicholas were both probably in Canada. Based
on the fact that he probably had sisters born in 1794 and 1795, I would
venture to guess that he was born about 1793. If that is true, James could
have been as old as 25 at the time he was named to administer his father's
estate in 1817.
Joan Best sent the following:
Abraham Bodine. His descendants say he was born in 1781. He is not in any of the PA census as an independent household. He married Zellah Taylor, prob. 1805, daughter Letitia b. 1806, daughter Matilda b. 1807. The descendants say that Zellah was born in 1787. There are two Taylor households in Derry twp. in 1800 with females in the 10-16 age group, William and James who were probably brothers as they were both over 45 in 1800. The only Taylors in Derry in 1810 are George and Mrs. Taylor and Abraham and Zellah and two daughters do not appear in either household, so I don't know where they were in 1810. Abt. 1811 they moved to Elgin Co., Ontario.
Some of the most important evidence for figuring out the members of this family comes from four letters discovered in the attic of Judy Laylon's aunt. Judy's mother rescued them as she was helping clean up the attic. They originally belonged to Martha (Bodine) Beers who lived in Ohio. They were preserved in the family and passed down through the years.
These letters discuss members of a Bodine family who lived in Madison Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania and in Elgin County, Ontario, Canada. (Martha lives in Ohio, though.) Madison Township used to be Derry Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Jerseytown was the closest town.
There are four letters: two from Martha's sister, Rachel Girton; one from Martha's mother, Nancy; and one which probably came from Martha's brother, Nicholas. Joan transcribed these letters and I have made a few changes based on the copies she sent me.
Letter number 1: Madison
Township September 27th 1818
To Mr John Beers and Martha Beers
Dear Brother an Sister I have Taken up My penn once more To inform you that we are all well at pesent Thanks be to God for his Mercy to us hoping thes few lines May find you in the Same all our frends and neabours are in Good helth and James Watson is here and says our Brothers and Sisters is well except Abrahams wife she lies helpless and speachless in Canada the harvest was reasonable good we had great Crops of grass in this Cuntry Buckweat and Corn is Middleing good Apples is plenty But we have no peaches this year.
Dear Brother an Sister I fear that you are not alive or else you have forgotten us as we hav not Received a line from you since 1816 But since it has pleased the Lord to Seperate us so far Apart that we Cannot talk face to face we must Converse By pen and paper therefore write to us every oppertu[nity] and we will do the same I add no More But remain your efectinate brother an sister
Thos an Rachel Girton
Letter number 2: From October 2nd AD 1819
Dear Daughter I send you these few lines to inform you that we are in a Reasanable State of health at this time hoping these lines may find you enjoying the Same State of Health a Blessing wee never Can Be to thankfull For. I received a letter from Cannada from Amy Best and the are all well their the letter was wrote September the Sixth She wrote that the ware a comming for me this winter and Either me or Margeret will go with them I have not Mutch to right But if I Could Se you I Could talk a graet dale with you But I do not expect to se you soon Leah is Maried and lives with me this Summer and She Has got a fine young daughter and Calls hir Nancy ... William Girton and Caty was here last night and they are well. I expect John would like to here from Mathias Applemans family the are well I must Conclude.
With love to you | October the 2d AD
1819
Nancy Bodine
Notes from Joan Best:
Mathias Appleman's wife's
maiden name is Beers (WorldConnect). She is probably a relative of John Beers,
Martha's husband. Amy Best is Nancy's daughter, wife of James Best. They lived
in Elgin Co., Ontario, Canada, as did several other of Nancy's children. Caty
is Catherine Bodine, married to William Girton. She is believed to be one of
the older of Nancy's children. The census figures (1790-1820) indicated that
there was a daughter that did not marry in the Jacob and Nancy Bodine
household. She is still with her mother in the 1820 Census. We believe this
was Margaret. She is mentioned in another letter. Leah Bodine married Abia
Phillips and had a daughter Nancy, and had died before 1830. The Phillips
household is found in the 1820 Columbia County (PA) Census. It was this letter
that made us realize that she was part of this family, as references to her
are in Lycoming County. I am not sure if she is Nancy's daughter or a
granddaughter.
Letter number 3: October the 19th, 1823. Sent from
Thomas and Rachel (Bodine) Girton to Martha (Bodine) Beers, New Landcaster,
Ohio
Address on envelope is:
To
Mr.
John Beers
New
Landcaster
State of Ohio
Madison Township Columbia County October the
19, 1823
Dear Brother and Sister I take this oppertunity to Inform you
that we are all well at presant Thanks be to God for his Mercys to us hopeing
these lines May find you all in the same wen they come to hand William Girton
and family is well Margaret Bodine lives with us us [sic] and is Reasonable
well, we are sorry to here of your ill heth, By Mr. Obediah Welever, for he
says you was very Sick But we are in hopes God will have Mecy on you and raise
you up to the honour and glory of his great name (sp?) Our country here is
very sickly & grate Many has died of the fever, we had a very fine season, Ry,
Corn and Buckneat, and all kinds of grain is plenty, I have sold the Real
Estate of father Bodine By order of the Cort and the last payment is not due
till April first 1826 We have just Received letters from our Brothers and
sisters in Cannaday Dated September the 22: 1823 and they are Reasonable well
except James Best he was very sick Zelah is giting Better and in hopes of
recouvering again
We add No more at presant but Remain your efectionate Brother and Sister untill Death
Thomas Girton
Rachel
Girton
To
Mr.
John an Martha
Beers
Notes from Joan
Best:
James Best is the husband of Amy Bodine, sister to Martha and
Rachel. They lived in Elgin County, Ontario, Canada.
Zelah is the wife of
Abraham Bodine. Her maiden name is given in LDS records as Taylor. They lived
in Elgin County, Ontario, Canada. Abraham was Martha and Rachel's brother.
William Girton is believed to be Thomas' uncle. His wife is Catherine Bodine,
sister to Martha and Rachel. They lived in Columbia County, PA also. Margaret
Bodine is [probably] the spinster sister of Rachel and Martha. The mother,
Nancy, with whom she had lived, has apparently died by this time. Father
Bodine is believed to be Jacob Bodine, based on census records of this family.
He apparently died between 1810 and 1820. Obadiah Welliver lived in Ohio. He
was the brother of Abigail Welliver, who married ________ Bodine. This
reference is found in a Welliver bio.
Letter number 4: The "2" in
1826 is partially obscured (only the top is visible), but 1826 is the only
date which makes sense in the context of the letter. Joan Best pointed out
this information in regard to the date.
July 28th 1826
Brother and
Sisters I embrace this opportunity to inform you that we are all well at
present and thanks be to the all Mity for his kind faviour and hoping these
few lines May find you in the Same State of health I am in the State of
Pennsylvania at this time and it is 25 Days since I left Canada and then tha
were all in a Reasonable State of health but Abrahams wife. and Best is
troubeld withe the asma And Abrahams wife is in a meloncolly State and has ben
this 10 years past She cant Neither see nor talk But at the same time has
children Since Shes bin this way shes had 3 or 4 if I am correct. She has in
all ten children James Watson nine Betsey five Amy 6 or seven I will Now
return on my Story. I am at this time at Thomas Girtons as before Stated from
Canada Williams and Thomas famalys are well and send, there Respects to you
all.
I ohere side [I guess this means "other side." This is the end of the first sheet. Joan thinks the two sheets of paper she has were back to back in the original.]
Second sheet:
I am Married and have ben four years last
winter and we have two Children living boys and one dead and we call the
oldest James, Alexandra youngest an Franklin [or this might say "the oldest
James Alexandra youngest Franklin"]. we suspect that you wold enquire who I
married as she is a stranger of you all hir name is or was Charlott Sovereene
I am living in Canada yet and expect to remain my days in that place as I have
got seteld there it is agrate while since I have had any Sight of you Martha
Desiar I seen when I was here before but I wood be verry happy to see you both
once more but if we will we may talk to each other by pen and paper if the
distance was not grat I wood come and see you but you must for give My
indulgance As I have come a long jurney and My family will be Expecting me
home I expect to leve this on the first of August for Canada and there to
spend the Remainder of my days As I am not as
Notes from Joan
Best:
The letter appears to end in mid-sentence. I don't know if there was
an additional page. Ruth Dengler, who also received a copy of the letter
stated, "There were two more pages to this letter but Judy said too faint to
scan." Ruth has transcribed this letter also, with some variations and a
different interpretation of the meaning of parts of it.]
I believe the names and numbers on the first page of the letter refer to Nicholas's siblings who lived in Canada, not the names and ages of Abraham's children. The numbers do conform to the known number of children in each family. [Note from Dave: I think this is clear as well. The numbers do refer to the number of children each of Nicholas's named siblings had at the time the letter was written.]
End of information about four letters.
Posted by Nancy Thompson on June 25, 1999:
Abraham Bodine b.1780(?) Northumberland, PA. Married about 1805 to Zelah/Zellah Taylor. They moved to Southwold Twp London District Ontario Canada about 1810. Son William was born there in 1820. Anyone working on this line who could give me some leads? Thanks for any help you can supply.
Nancy Thompson
Subject: Bodine I wrote once before about
Amy Bodine who married James Best and homesteaded in Ontario. I now have more
infromation: Amy Bodine was born October 15, 1786. Amy and James were
part of a group that moved to Elgin Co. Ontario in 1811 from Jerseytown,
Columbia Co., PA. In the same group was Abraham Bodine and wife Zellah
Taylor. In the reseach I have done in Columbia Co. I find that there are
Bodines in the area in the late 1700s. There is a reference to a Bodine
Revolutionary war hero whose family settled in the area. The Bests moved from
Hunterdon Co. to Jerseytown. James and Amy were married on September 20,
1809, probably in Jerseytown area. The dates are in the James and Amy Best
family Bible. The locations are family tales and later bios. Any information
you might have on Bodine in Jerseytown, Columbia Co. area please let me
know. And here is another message from Joan
found at the Bodine Forum on the FamilyHistory site:
Message #117
Thursday, February 01, 2001 Posted by: Joan Best Abraham Bordine b. 1780 (NJ or
PA), married 1. Zellah Taylor, in PA 2. Margaret Morse in Ontario
Bodines,
Watsons and Bests all traveled together with others from the Jerseytown area,
Columbia Co. PA in 1811. I have found these names and others in the group in
Greenwood Twp., Columbia Co. 1810 census...they moved to take up land, 200
acres of good land a short distance from Lake Erie, unfortunately just before
the War of 1812. Most of their descendants moved back to the US...
Joan
Best
At least 2 of Abram's children left Canada, William and Amy.
According to Portrait & Biography of Winnebago & Boone County, Illinois
(1892), John Pelley, who had made his home in Canada, met and married Amy
Bodine, a native of the Dominion(?). Her parents were Abram & Zillah
Bodine.
According to 1860 Federal Census, Winnebago County, IL by Ernest
Harding Jackson, John Pelley (aged 52, a farmer, born in England) and his wife
Emma (Bodine) (aged 46, born in Canada) had the following children: Living next door to John and Emma Pelley were the following:
Orren is the son of John and Amy Pelley. According to History
of Winnebago County, IL (1877), John and Amy (Bodine) Pelley had five
children: More information about Abraham Bodine comes from a pedigree
chart compiled by Mrs. Charles (Catherine) Horman on May 18, 1971. Her address
was 1043 Hazelhurst, Ferndale, Michigan. She took her information from the
records of Mahlon and William Bodine, sons of Abraham.
Here is a message I
found at the Bodine Genealogy Forum page:
Re: Abraham Bodine/Zellah Taylor
PA Thomas Girton
was married to Rachel Bodine born abt 1795. Catherine Bodine born about 1780
as married to William Girton. Are they sisters, is Abraham their brother, who
are the parents. Here is a message that
was posted at the Genealogy Forum's Bodine message board by Joan Best:
Re:
Abraham Bodine/Zellah Taylor PA I have been reviewing your various replies on the Bodine Family
Genealogy Forum, particularly your long history of the Bodine family and
migration and found it helpful in application to my family. My g-g
grandfather, Michael Best,was born abt. 1812 in Southwold, Elgin Co., Ontario.
His father was James Best and mother Amy BODINE.
James's father was
Michael Best, mother, Anna unknown. James was christened, on August 9, 1789 in
the Dutch Reformed Church, Lebanon, Hunterdon, New Jersey. Since the Bodine's
seem to have all passed through this area, it makes sense that James and Amy
married in Hunterdon, New Jersey area before moving to Canada in C. 1812 where
they took up a 200 acre homestead. Abraham Bodine/ Zellah Taylor were
neighbors in the same township. Also nearby were Rachel BODINE, b. abt 1795,
married to Thomas Girton, and Catherine BODINE, b. abt. 1780, married to
William Girton.
The Fingal Cemetery, Southwold Township, Elgin County,
Ontario has the following: A large red pillar with urn on top. Each side has
Best family members. on the east side it says:
In memory of James Best
died October 6, 1846, aged 57 years also his wife Amy died November 10th 1855
aged 69 years...
Thank you again for your assistance.
Here is a little
information to think about, but it is probably not too important. There was a
query at the Berkeley County, West Virginia Ancestry.com message boards which
said this:
Do you have knowledge of Hezikiah Kitchen who at the age of 25
mar Nanny (Nancy) Bodine, dau of Richard and Mary A. Lee Bodine, Jan 13, 1880
in Berkeley Co, W.Va.? Parents of Hezikiah was BM & Mary. Could this be your
Behuel Middleton Kitchen? Do you know what happened to Nancy and
Hezikiah?
The answer to this query was this:
This is almost certainly
the same family. The best info I can give you is from the Berkeley County
Historical Society publication The Berkeley Journal., 1996 page 30 in an
article by Don Wood. I quote "Bethuel Middleton Kitchen, born 21 March 1812,
died 15 December 1895,...left as his heirs his widow Mary, son Joseph G.
Kitchen, son Gilbert Kitchen, daughter Melvena Grantham, daughter Catherine
Robinson, Fannie Freeze, who was the only child of his daughter Beth J.
Nelson, Hesekiah Kitchen, only child of B.M. Kitchen, son Hesekiah, deceased,
John B. Kitchen, Wesley E. Kitchen, Fannie May Groves and S. H. Kitchen, who
were children of Henry Kitchen, deceased."
This is about as clear as mud.
Bethuel Middleton Kitchen was a very prominent man in Berkeley county and I
would bet there is a fine obit in the county paper on his death. He served in
the WV legislature and a term in Congress.
This line is researhed back
about 3 more generations. B. M. Kitchen's mother was Catherine Gulick and her
line is documented way back to New Amsterdam and Holland.
End of query
thread.
The messages above from the Berkeley County Message Board would
kind of match some information I have about a Richard Bardine in Berkeley
County who was associated with the Abraham Marlatt family. If that is true,
then this Abraham Bodine could be related (distantly) to the Bodines from
Fountain County, Indiana - who themselves are related to the Marlatts.
There is some good information on this family in at article called "Is This
Your Line?" by Eva Murrell Harmison on Abraham Bodine of Pennsylvania and
Ontario. It is in the Detroit Society For Genealogical Research Magazine, vol.
20-23, spring 1960. The author may have been Mrs. Charles E. Horman. That is
not clear.
Date: Tue, 26 Dec
2000
From: "joan best"
Thanks
Joan Best
Subject: NJ to PA to Elgin & Middlesex
Cos. Ontario 1811
Message: Dave:
I have some
more information on the Ontario Bodines...
John,
aged 13, born in IL
Franklin, aged 10, born in IL
Mary, aged 16, born
in IL.
Orren Pelley, farmer, aged 26, born in Canada
Ellen (Hall), mar.
10/4/55, aged 25, born IR
Fremont, aged 3, born in IL
Armur, aged 1,
born in IL
Orren, born 1832
Sarah, born 1839, married J. Ryan
John
T., born 1846
William F., born 1850
Mary Emma, born 1852, married
Albert Wheat
Posted by: Larry Phalin
Date: September 17, 2000
Larry Phalin phalintl@aol.com
Posted by: Joan Best
Date: November
29, 2000
