Wife of George O Pierce Identified!

This blog post answers Richardson family research question number 7: Who is the wife of George O Pierce (grandson of William Richardson)?


I had previously identified George O Richardson as a grandson of William Richardson (d.1877) based on the probate of William Richardson. The petition for proving William's will included the following living children in January 1894: Chester and Hiram, both of Canadice, Ontario County; John of Mendon, Monroe County; George of Harbor Springs, Emmet County, Michigan; Woolsey of Clyde, Washington County, Arkansas; and Polly J Magee of Springwater, Livingston County.  Four grandchildren were also named: George O Pierce of Springwater, Livingston County; and Miles, Oscar, and Lucy Adams of Litchfield, Hillsdale County, Michigan.

Miles, Oscar, and Lucy Adams were the children of Angelina (Richardson) Adams, who died in October 1874.[1] 

Polly (Richardson) Pierce Magee raised George O Pierce, as he is found in her household in the 1865 New York State Census just two years after his birth.[2] That census gives his relationship to the head of the household, Nelson Pierce, husband of Polly, as "nephew." If he was a son of Polly, he would not be listed as a grandchild in the probate of his grandfather since Polly was still living at the time.[3] However, the identity of his mother is still unproven.

George died 21 February 1898 in Canadice, Ontario County, New York.[4]. He died due to a logging accident on his brother Chester's property.[5]

I didn't know the name of George's wife, but I knew when she died: 1 March 1897. Her obituary gave her name as "Mrs. Geo. Richardson" and stated that she left a daughter and husband.[6]

Using the censuses from 1900-1910, that daughter was identified as Nora (Pierce) Wright, born October 1886, probably in Springwater or Canadice, wife of Frank Wright.[7]

Using the microfiche New York State Vital Records Index (via awesome lookup by a librarian at the Onondaga Public Library), there are two entries:

• Marriages: George O. PIERCE, m. 9 May, 1885, Venice, #5177
• Deaths: Hattie Pierce, d. 1 March, 1897, Canadice, #9088

The marriage record, alas, did not pertain to my George O Pierce. Since I didn't have the bride's name, and I was using a lookup instead of looking at the microfiche myself since I'm not going to get to New York anytime soon, that is not surprising.

The death record for Hattie Pierce was more helpful. First, the index had given me her first name! The death record included her age at death, place of death, cause of death, place of burial, and the names of both of her parents.[8]

Death Record of Hattie Pierce

Hattie's parents were Seneca Swan and Mary [--?--] Swan. She died of pleurisy.

In quick searching today, Seneca Swan died in the 1880s. Mary was Mary Eliza (Nutt) Swan Watkins, widow of Seneca Swan and Loren Watkins.[9]

So now we know that the mother of Nora (Pierce) Wright and wife of George O Pierce was Hattie (Swan) Pierce. She was the daughter of Seneca Swan and Mary Elizabeth (Nutt) Swan Watkins.




[1] Moses Conant Warren, A Genealogy of One Branch of the Morey Family, 1631-1890, Emily Wilder Leavitt, ed., privately printed (1890), pages 8 and 11.

[2] 1865 New York state census, household of Nelson Pierce, 10 June 1865, Springwater - Second Election District, Livingston Co, New York, page 9, lines 32-35, dwelling no. 60, family no.58, digital image, “New York State Census, 1865,” FamilySearch, http://beta.familysearch.org : accessed 9 December 2010.

[3] Polly died between 1910 and 1920, when her husband is enumerated as a widower in her brother George Richardson's household. 1920 US census, household of George Richardson, 3 January 1920, Springwater, Livingston Co, New York, ED 65, page 2A (114), lines 14-21, dwelling no. 36, family no. 36, digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 December 2010, citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1118.

[4] Death record, Canadice, Ontario Co, New York, "George O PIerce," 21 February 1898, volume not identified; copy of relevant entry from Town of Canadice, Ontario Co, New York.

[5] “"Rich" to Riz" Obituaries,” Ontario County NY Genealogy, 29 September 2011, http://ontario.nygenweb.net/WimtoWonobituaries.htm, accessed 29 October 2011.

[6] “"Rich" to Riz" Obituaries,” Ontario County NY Genealogy, 29 September 2011, http://ontario.nygenweb.net/WimtoWonobituaries.htm, accessed 29 October 2011.

[7] 1900 US census, household of William MaGee [sic], 27 June 1900, Springwater, Livingston Co, New York, ED 42, page 9B, lines 65-68, dwelling no. 219, family no. 226, digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 9 December 2010, citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1071.

[8] Death record, Canadice, Ontario County, New York, "Hattie Pierce," 1 March 1897, volume not identified, number 105 (stamped); copy of relevant entry from Town of Canadice, 24 April 2017.

[9] Obituary of Mrs. Mary Eliza Watkins, The Cohocoton Valley Times Index, Wednesday, 28 November 1906, Volume XV, Number 28, page 3, column 2; digital image, Old Fulton New York Postcards, http://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html, accessed 24 April 2017.

Richardson Research Question 1: Jonathan Richardson (I) in Livonia, NY

Occasionally, my mom will ask me if I am sure there were three Jonathan Richardson's in Dad's family. Every time, I assure her that yes, there were three men named Jonathan Richardson (father, son, grandson).

However, little evidence exists in Livonia, Ontario County (now Livingston County), New York where the family settled between 1800 and 1810 (probably around 1804/5). The sources consist of two census records and three deeds.

Deed 1:
On 29 November 1814 Jonathan Richardson of Livonia, Ontario Co, New York bought a parcel of land from Robert Bowne of New York City for $329.31.  This land was described as being in the town[1] of Livonia containing 73.018 acres "...lying in the northwest corner of lot number sevente [sic]...."[2]  The witnesses were Wm H Bowne and Edmund P Gallagher.

Deed 2:
On 2 February 1821 Jonathan Richardson Sr sold 73.018 acres of land in the northwest corner of lot 70 of Livonia to Jonathan Richardson Jr for $1.[3] The witnesses were Jonathan 3rd Richardson, Asa Davis, and Warren Wheeler.

• Analysis:
• The wife of Jonathan Richardson Sr did not sign away her right to her dower portion of the land, a further indication that she was probably deceased by 1821 (also she was not in the 1820 census).
• Note that on this deed there are three men named Jonathan Richardson acting on this deed: the original Jonathan; Jonathan Jr, his son; and Jonathan III, his grandson, son of Jonathan Jr.
• Asa Davis is almost certainly the same Asa Davis that married Jonathan Richardson Sr’s first daughter, Sarah.
• Warren Wheeler administered the estate of Daniel Richardson (believed brother of Jonathan Jr and Joseph Sr) when he died in 1820.

Deed 3:
On 14 October 1829, Jonathan Richardson and Rhoda his wife of Livonia, New York sold to Jonathan Richardson Junior of Richmond, Ontario Co, New York a parcel of land containing 73.018 acres in lot 70 of Livonia for $1,500.[4]

• Witnesses to the deed were George Smith and Daniel Richardson
• This Daniel Richardson cannot be the brother of the Jonathan2 and Joseph Sr as he died 10 November 1820 and his widow, Philena Richardson, had remarried by 1830 to John Backus.
• Could be Daniel Richardson (b.1809) son of Jonathan and Rhoda Richardson, as he would be 20 years old. [This is most likely, given that Jonathan and Rhoda are the ones selling the land.]
• Could also be Daniel Richardson (b.1805), son of Joseph and Abigail Richardson; he would be 24 years old in 1829. However, there is no record of this Daniel after the 1820 census.
• Third potential is Daniel J Richardson (b.1806), son of Daniel and Philena Richardson, as he would be 23 years old. By 1827, he was living in Mt. Morris, Livingston Co, NY, with his wife, Thankful G. (Camp) Richardson.

• Analysis:
•  Rhoda signed her right to her dower portion of the land.
• Based on this deed and the previous deed selling this parcel of land, Jonathan I Richardson had died, and Jonathan II Richardson, known as Jonathan Richardson Jr has now become a Jonathan Richardson without a modifier. The Jonathan Jr in this deed is the Jonathan III in the 1821 deed.
• Portions of Richmond, Ontario Co, New York became part of the town of Canadice (in the same county) in 1829.

The 1810 US Federal census has the family of Jonathan (I) Richardson and Jonathan (II) Richardson in the same household:[5]

• Jona Richardson's household consists of:
• 3 males aged under 10 years [b. 1800-1810]
• 1 male aged 10 to 15 years [b. 1795-1800]
• 2 males aged over 45 years [b. bef 1765]
• 2 females aged under 10 years [b. 1800-1810]
• 2 females aged 10-15 years [b. 1795-1800]
• 1 female aged 16-25 years [b. 1785-1794]
• 1 female aged 26-44 years [b. 1766-1784]
• 1 female aged over 45 years [b. bef 1765]
• Unknown if the head of household is Jonathan (I) or Jonathan (II).

The family makeup is probably as follows:

• Daniel, b. 9 Feb 1809, aged 1 year
• Uriah, b. 31 Jan 1807, 3 years, probably Anna’s twin
• Anna,  b. Feb 1807, 3 years, probably Uriah’s twin
• Unknown boy, b. probably circa 1804/1805
• Laura, b. 5 Nov 1802, 8 years
• Jonathan III, b. 31 Aug 1799, 10 years
• Unknown girl, b. circa 1797
• Clarissa, b. 11 Sep 1795, 14 years
• Rhoda, b. 1793-1794, 16-17 years
• Rhoda (Thompson), wife of Jonathan II, b. 24 July 1773, 37 years
• Jonathan II, b. 26 Nov 1762 or Dec. 3, 1762, aged 47 years
• Jonathan I, b. supposedly abt 1743, if correct, aged about 67 years
• Unknown female, possible wife of Jonathan I, aged 45 years or older at census

The 1820 US Federal census also has a combined household:[6]

• Jonathan Richardson's household consists of:

• 2 males aged under 10 years [b. 1810-1820]
• 2 males aged 10-16 years [b. 1804-1810]
• 2 males aged 16-26 years [b. 1794-1804]
• 2 males aged over 45 years [b. bef 1775]
• 5 females aged under 10 years [b. 1810-1820]
• 2 females aged 16-26 years [b. 1794-1804]
• 1 female aged over 45 years [b. bef 1775]

The 1820 census household:

• Unknown boy, possibly b. c.1819-1820
• Marinda, b. 26 June 1818 or February 1819, 1-2 years
• Unknown girl, possibly b. c. 1816-1817
• Louisa, b. abt 1815, 4-5 years
• Harriet, b. abt 1813, 6-7 years
• Philander, b. 1810-1811, 9 years, probably twin to Philandra
• Philandra, b. 1810-1811, 9 years, probably twin to Philander
• Daniel, b. 9 Feb 1809, 11 years
• Uriah (b. 31 Jan 1807, aged 13 years) 
• Unknown male, b. circa 1804 (based on this census and 1810) 
• Possibly Laura, b. 5 Nov 1802, aged 18 years
• Probably Maranda/Miranda/Mianda/Marinda (Moore), wife of Jonathan III, b. 30 April 1800, 20 years
• Jonathan III, b. 31 Aug 1799, 20 years 
• Rhoda (Thompson), wife of Jonathan II, b. 24 July 1773, 47 years 
• Jonathan II, b. 1762, 57 years
• Jonathan I, b. supposedly abt 1743, 77 years if correct.   

There is no probate for Jonathan I or Jonathan II in Ontario or Livingston counties.

Based on other sources, I believe the family came from Leyden, Massachusetts. However, what these five sources show is that there were three men named Jonathan Richardson in Livonia, NY, between 1810 and 1829.

Jonathan I - b. supposedly c. 1743; died between 1821 and 1829; spouse unknown.
Jonathan II - b.1762; d. 1850; son of Jonathan I; spouse Rhoda Thompson
Jonathan III - b. 1799; d.1880; son of Jonathan II and Rhoda Thompson; spouse Marinda Moore.

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[1] For town, read “township”; “In New York, a town is the major division of each county (excluding the five counties that comprise New York City), very similar to townships in other states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Administrative_divisions_of_New_York#Town)

[2] Bowne, Robert H to Jonathan Richardson, 29 November 1814, Ontario County, New York, Deed Book 22: 468-469, Ontario Co, New York County Clerk, Deed records v. 22-23 1814-1815, Family History Library microfilm 0494835.

[3] Richardson, Jonathan Sr to Jonathan Richardson Jr, 2 February 1821, Ontario County, New York, Deed Book 37: 359-360, Ontario Co, New York County Clerk, Deed records v. 36-37, 1820-1821, Family History Library microfilm 0494842.

[4] Richardson, Jonathan and Rhoda to Jonathan Richardson Jr, 14 October 1829, Livingston County, New York, Deed Book 8:44-45, Livingston Co, New York County Clerk, Deed Records v. 8-9, 1829-1831, Family History Library microfilm 0510038.

[5] 1810 US Census, Ontario County, New York, 6 August 1810, Livonia, page 191 (page 741 crossed out), line 10 (15 from bottom), household of Jona Richardson, digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 June 2010, citing NARA microfilm publication M252, roll 74. Missing is Jonathan and Rhoda (Thompson) Richardson’s eldest child, daughter Sarah (b. 13 Oct 1792), who married Asa Davis c.1806.

[6] 1820 US Census, Ontario County, New York, 7 August 1820, Livonia, page 38 (60), line 15, household of Jonathan Richardson, 7 August 1820, Livonia, Ontario Co, New York, page 38 (60), line 15, digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 June 2009, citing NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 62.

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