Category: Coni Dubois

Note from Coni – From our records:
1. Julia married George Short sometime between 1861 -1865 (believe this is her ONLY husband)
2. George Short served in the Civil War – became MIA
3. He didn’t return from the war the story is he was MIA for several years after war ended (possibly wounded unable to return)
4. Julia Kinney/Keeney got pregnant with a Allen man (no known marriage between them) possibly names of: Delotes, Ladous, John Allen (We now know name is Zelotes/Zelotus Paddock Allen)  we believe George Short returned while she was pregnant or just had our George Allen
5. She told Allen man that if George ever returned she would honor her 1st marriage/husband (We believe Allen man was living with her in her & George Shorts home)
6. She broke it off with Allen to go back with her 1st husband George Short whom raised my GGrandfather George Allen – I believe his birth name possibly is George Allen Short (we can’t find any birth record in Short or Allen so unsure at this time)
7. I believe George didn’t know who his REAL FATHER WAS OR the identity of his origin or thought throughout his life that George Short was his real father (each record I have states different Fathers – John (1st marriage) Delotes (2nd marriage) and on his DEATH RECORD STATES Ladous which is what his mother Julia Keeney supposedly stated on death record – One thing to note – says informant Julia Keeney but she was deceased at the time – who actually did the record then?
8. We do know at one point George Allen found out that George Short wasn’t his real father & DROPPED THE SHORT NAME and became known as GEORGE ALLEN

Note: Julia & George Short moved to Michigan and had several Short children – George was the only Allen born to Julia (Keeney/Short) and Zelotes Allen – MY GRANDFATHER Alvin Allen son of George Allen once told me – We are not who you think we are!

We have done a complete DNA on my Uncle Russ Allen and info on his DNA can be found at: The ALLEN DNA Patrilineage 2 Project – We are proven to be a Ancient & Unique Allen line – http://www.johnbrobb.com/JBR-ALLEN-R.htm

Info on Zelotes Paddock Allen father to George Allen (Alvin, Rex and then me) –  Not much info on birth & death of Zelotes/Zelotus – Was later married to Nancy French and had several children

Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro PA)  Dated 16 April 1902: The burial of Zelotes Allen, of Lawrence township, took place at French Hill Wednesday.

French Hill cemetery is that of his wife Nancy French family burial – French Hill Cemetery, Middlebury, Tioga PA -This is the French Family burial plot; This cemetery is situated in the northwestern part of the township at what is known as French Hill.

The French Hill Cemetery Association was incorporated September 24, 1894, by A. D. Shaff, S. J. Roe, N. T. French, P. D. Shaff, John Brown and James Shaff.

Info on Julia (Keeney/Kinney) Short Mother to George Allen (Alvin, Rex and then me)

Julia Short Death Certificate
Female Date of Death: Jan 3, 1916 Race: WHITE
Married Age: 74 yrs 1month 8days
Cause of death: Senility/Old Age Birthplace: Pennsylvania Occupation: House Wife
Name of Father: Jesse Kinney Birthplace: Unk
Name of Mother: Sophia MCARTHUR Birthplace: Unk
State of Michigan County: Ogemaw

Note from Coni: Have found where to get copies of obit – just need to get them~
SHORT, MRS. GEO. W.     Died     RCR     January 13, 1916     Page 8     Column 1
SHORT, MRS.                       Died     RCR     January 6, 1916     Page 8     Column 2
http://www.migenweb.net/ogemaw/newspapers1911s.htm

Info on George Short – Step-father to George Allen

Both Julia & George Short were buried at: Hill Township Cemetery & Hill Township Burial Records (1901-1952). – The  cemetery  is located near the Hill Township Town Hall  on Town Hall  Road in Ogemaw County Michigan, T23N-R4E. This cemetery has  no individual  tombstones  remaining. The Hill Township  Burial  Records represent persons who died in Hill Township, some were buried in  the Hill Township Cemetery, but most were buried in  other surrounding cemeteries. – You must look at the Hill Township  Burial  Records  to determine what cemetery the person is buried in. – The burial records were recorded in 2000 by Karen J Brewer, 27424 Bertrand, Chesterfield MI 48051. Copies of these records are available through HSGS.

Short’s Burial’s On Record at HSGS:
Short, Bernice         1913-1913           Hill Burial Rec
Short, Doris June    1936-1936         Hill Burial Rec
Short, George          1839-1922        Hill Burial Rec
Short, Jesse D      Unk-1936 ( 73yr)  Hill Burial Rec
Short, Julia           1842-1916            Hill Burial Rec
(Was moved to Oak Grove Cemetery from Hill Township Cemetery)
Short, Lloyd              1928-1947                Hill Burial Rec
Short, Luther            1914-1915                 Hill Burial Rec
Short, Luther L         1870-1943                 Hill Burial Rec
Short, Mary Jane      1883-1945                 Hill Burial Rec
Short, Ray                1923-1924                 Hill Burial Rec
Webpage: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/mi/iosco/hsgs/cemetery/cem-small-1860-2000s.txt

Find A Grave #:

George Short: 62775877

Julia (Keeney/Kinney) Short: 62775689

SO far this is all the lineage we can 'prove' on our Allen lines

Been doing a complete overhaul my Barkhamsted Lighthouse research/work – I have for the past couple of months been going thru each & everyone of James and Molly’s children and trying to prove as much as I can along with a much needed clean up of sourcing on these lines – I am also going thru each fact and making sure it is up to date and adding what needs to be added – a lot of work but gonna be worth it once all the piece are finally in place~

I have to update ALL my research books – so much is happening and so much has been collected – so much has changed – My main focus at this time is the Barkhamsted Lighthouse People – We have Susan Shepard who is hot on the trail of Samuel Chagum’s story and has been uncovering things right and left – truly can’t wait to see what she has in store for us~

So many people have come forward to help with this research and so many has shared so much – it has been amazing at all that is being collected – but there is only 1 me and each and every document is scanned, edited and then added to my files – takes time but so worth the effort – I am truly seeing the whole story come together! We are close! We are very very close to unraveling the Lighthouse People~ Thank you to all that contribute! Without you – we wouldn’t be this far!

Ken Feder contacted me the other day with exciting news! He is coming out with the 2nd edition to his “Village of Outcast” and he is also including me in this edition – He has been a tremendous help in my research and I will never be able to thank him enough for all he has truly done to help us unravel the ‘story’ of our Barkhamsted Lighthouse Ancestors also~

I am presently on a quest to find some type of obit/write up on James Chagum’s death – being who and what they were – seems to me there HAS to be something abt his death – it was in 1790 in Litchfield Connecticut (possibly Hartford) – it goes into “old newspapers” status and not many online – I have been in contact via email with

Linda Hocking  – Curator of Library & Archives – Litchfield Historical Society

P.O. Box 385 – Litchfield, CT 06759

http://www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org

Email from Linda Hocking to me – Feb 18

Coni,

A few other thoughts that you may have already explored- the office of the state archaeologist; they came from Wethersfield, newspapers in that area may have an obit. I will say the Monitor is sporadic at best, the editor once wrote a note to a local businessman asking for money to buy paper- it was not a profitable operation. It also was aimed at people in the town, so other towns show up occasionally, but it’s not frequent. When you search, use lots of alternate spellings- the OCR wasn’t great plus as you probably know there’s not much in the way of standard spelling at that time. I saw that you already were in contact w/ the Barkhamsted HS and the IAIS in Washington, and looks like you might have been to the state library. It might also be worth checking the Museum of Connecticut History in Hartford.

If there are subsequent generations who may have a connection to Litchfield (town) there may be something in our archives or artifact holdings- you can search those here: http://www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/archon/ and http://collection.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/collection/search/. If any of them attended the law school or female academy, there’s a database of students- http://www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org/ledger/.

Were any of them involved in military service? If so, National Archives might have something, or the state library.  Also, as you may have learned, Connecticut has so many small historical societies, collections in public libraries, churches, etc. I would say try all the town halls and churches you think might have anything, as well as the probate court. You’d be surprised how many prominent people there are no papers for because they get divided among descendants, and then further divided with subsequent generations until there’s nothing but a letter here and a photo there.

The state library is digitizing CT newspapers, but are going for the major metropolitan areas. We are still trying to figure out how to fund ours. It’s going to cost over $16,000 and that’s just to digitize them, and it’s a weekly. That’s not even considering the long term care and preservation of the digital files or Web hosting or a database to access them in. We will find a way eventually! Hopefully I had one idea or two that you haven’t tried already. Now that I’m aware of it, I will keep my eyes open- if anything turns up I will let you know.

Best,

Linda

They have been a tremendous help – I have lots of info and suggestions on where to find a possible write up on James Chagum – will take a ride to local University to access database but doable!

One other note – A LOT is also going on with my Uncle Russ Allen’s DNA – I am in several projects and more are daily contacting – still confused on the whole DNA stuff but little by little getting it figured out – many are helping to understand it~ SO as you see I have been hard at work trying to get everything sorted out but know that I am steadily working at uncovering the story of out Native American Ancestors and all that touched their lives~

Coni

Via email Dick Allen to me – Feb 13

Needing help with 2 daughter’s of James and Molly Chagum of the Lighthouse People

Sally (Possibly Susan) 1758-1783 – Abt: 25 – via Jesse Ives – died middle age – Single

Nothing else is know abt her – any info would be greatly appreciated~

As for Elizabeth – we are needing death and if in fact she died in a ‘poor house’ we have collected most documentation on Elizabeth and it is her ‘birth’ and ‘death’ we are needing the most~ Any help would be appreciated also on this~

Lineage as follows:

 Barkhamsted Lighthouse People

1. James & Mary Chagum
2. William Preston Wilson & Mary Chagum
3. William Preston Wilson II & Harriette West
4. Solomon Marsh Webster & Mary Wilson

Their Children:

Daughters: Lillian, Blanche, Flora M, Hazel Marion Cochran

Son: Benjamin Homer Cochran

FYI: The Barkhamsted Lighthouse People descend from many tribes but that doesn’t mean we can ‘join a tribe’ what people don’t understand – by the time of our “Lighthouse People” it was reservation down, reservation down thing – many tribes had been wiped out to disease & Colonization – our people weren’t on “Rolls” we were the 1st to be “Colonized WE ARE THE Descendants of the 1st Praying Indians” (Brotherton/Brothertown is a totally different group then us – they followed the reservations – we moved to CT & became Lighthouse People) We WERE the Indians of Roger Williams, John Eliot, Joseph Fish, along with the Sampson Occum story – we ‘became white’ when James Chagum (Narragansett/Long Island) married a ‘white women’ Mary/Molly – who are MY 7th G Grandparent’s fled to Barkhamsted CT and created a small community of family/children – We were not in a ‘recognized tribes’ we were noted as being Narragansett but at that time – it was the majority name of many tribes within that area – what we were was a small family of a mix of Native American lineages (Pequot, Mohegan, Narragansett+) white (Mary), Black (Jacklin) – we didn’t have “tribal gatherings after the 18oo’s” many don’t understand or they want me to ‘Join a tribe’ but so many tribes are fighting for their recognition – many are struggling to keep their lands, we had small family gathering because many of our lines were broken apart or moved away – many of the children in my lines dealt with being sent to girls/boys schools or adopted out – many died on poor farms – We were the 1st children to be ‘indentured’ in this country in the 1600’s & now many of the tribal women of today are being beat, abused and missing……. People believe there are ‘benefits’ to be had but all these tribes are struggling – many of the children don’t care to carry on the ‘tradition’ but rather hang out and do drugs and act like thugs – I see the elders struggling to ‘keep the history alive’- I see the traditions slipping away – My research is not abt ‘getting our tribal recognition’ it is abt finding out the ‘true history’ of our ancestors to tell the true story of them – so much has been hidden/covered up – I want to tell their side of the story – I will eventually make a ‘series’ – start at one point and work my way back in history – it truly is a American Story and one of so much history -It needs to be told –  I know everyone believes we ‘should have rights’ but we haven’t fought the battle of these tribes – they have – we can’t expect to waltz right in and scream HEY that’s mine – I am but a simple white women genealogist who started to do her lines 20+ yrs and ended up discovering a beautiful story – a Native American Story – a True American Story that needs to be told – that is what I am doing – I am NOT out for “recognition” there truly isn’t any we could claim NO rights to any tribe – MANY of the tribes are not recognized and even more are extinct – we can’t meet any criteria on any tribal rolls  – Our story is being recognized with the work I am doing – I will continue to do my research til I uncover the last stone – I need everyone to understand I have to work with ALL the tribes to get to the root of the Native American Ancestors – to join one would mean loyalty to just that one – I am all tribes so therefore I need to be able to work with all of them – I have to stand neutral – the Native Culture and it’s history is being lost in our elders daily that leave this world – if we don’t preserve it now it will be lost~ Know one thing in your heart – Native American Blood runs thur our veins and be proud to know no one or nothing can say otherwise~

Quarterly article – 1874 renaming town – Unknown Author – (need this info to source)
Barkhamsted seems like a nice name for our town. It is unique: no other town in the United States is called Barkhamsted. So it was a bit of a surprise to learn that back 139 years ago, Barkhamsted residents tried to rename the town. This option was considered at a town meeting on April 18, 1874. Of course a number of questions immediately come to mind. What new name were they considering? Why did they want to change the name? What happened at the meeting? Unfortunately, details of this name changing effort are sparse. At this point, we don’t know what alternative names they were considering, and we are not exactly sure why they wanted to change the name, but apparently it had something to do with the Barkhamsted Lighthouse.
This whole issue came to our attention from a simple diary entry written on April 18, 1874 by Albert Slade: N West [wind], clear & a very nice pleasant Morning. I am feeling some better today. Elisha gone over to Canton to carry the Tobaco to Mr. Church. Town Meeting today to see about changing the name of the town. Albert Slade was a farmer who lived on Center Hill in Barkhamsted on what is now Park Road. Years after he died, his land became part of Peoples Forest and his old brick farmhouse was torn down in the 1980s. The Historical Society has his diary covering the year 1874. It records the weather, his ailments, and the daily routine of a country farmer growing tobacco, corn, pigs and cows, logging and cutting firewood, shingling roofs and butchering animals for meat. He records visitors to his home (virtually every day) and trips to the store in Barkhamsted Hollow for supplies. You can read the diary at a website set up by Slade descendant Jackie Slade Leach at: http://www.threeharbors.com/barkhamsteddiary/sladediary1874main.html

The first time I read his April 18 diary entry I thought, wait a minute…did he say a town meeting to change the name of the town? Wow! What was that all about? To find out, I checked the records at town hall to see if I could locate an entry for the meeting in April 1874. Sure enough, there was a meeting “call” posted on April 8 and also an entry for the meeting itself on April 18. The notice for the meeting said “the undersigned legal voters of said town respectfully request that many of the voters desire to have the name of the town changed. We therefore pray your Honorable body to call a town meeting as soon as practical to see if the town will instruct their selectmen or some other persons who may be chosen for such purpose to petition the General Assembly next to be holden at New Haven to change the name of said town from Barkhamsted to such name as may be agreed on by the town in said meeting assembled.” The entry said the petition was signed by Hiram C. Brown and others. Hiram C. Brown was the owner of what is now the Riverton Inn. The actual petition is not on file, and the others signing are not listed in the meeting notice. Apparently things moved pretty fast, because a special town meeting was scheduled for a Saturday just ten days later, on Saturday, April 18, 1874 at 2:00 p.m., to consider the name change. When the big day arrived, I can just picture Albert Slade hitching up the horse to his wagon and heading down the road to the Town Hall. He didn’t have far to go, since in 1874 the town hall was located not in Pleasant Valley but in Barkhamsted Center right next to the Congregational Church. Both buildings are still there, although what was then the town hall building is now a residence. I should have caught a ride with Albert, and taken a seat in the town hall and witnessed what may have been a spirited debate. But no…to find out what happened we are stuck with the dry entry in the current town records. With great anticipation, I read the recorded entry for the meeting, but it was short in length and woefully short on information:
“At a meeting of the legal voters of the Town of Barkhamsted held pursuant to the foregoing notice, April 18, 1874. E.J. Youngs was appointed Moderator and Sheldon Merrill was chosen Clerk. On motion, voted not to change the name of the Town. On motion, voted to dissolve this Meeting. Attest Wm. E. Howd, Town Clerk.” So no information on what new names were being considered or why “many of the voters” wanted to change the name of the town. The sparse entry gave no hint of the atmosphere of the meeting. Was the discussion heated, with shouting and tempers flaring on both sides? Did someone propose a new name for the town that was a vast improvement, and of such a quality as to make this whole effort worthwhile? These answers were not to be found in the town record. But wait, there just might be another source of information. Maybe there is a newspaper account that sheds some light on this. Sure enough, the old Winsted Herald comes through. The April 24, 1874 copy of the Herald had an entry from the Riverton correspondent on the town meeting: A Town meeting of the voters of Barkhamsted was held last week to see if the town would vote to petition the Legislature to change the name of the town to some name not specified in the call for the meeting. The movers in the project say that the present name is hard and long to write, and furthermore, that a certain undeserved obloquy* is attached to the old name, which greatly hinders selling even the tobacco raised in the town. This last argument is the clincher. For if the name of the town is as vile and filthy as the weed, then they should be divorced. Probably the traditional old “Lighthouse” is a source and cause of much of the sneering thrown at the good name of the town. But before we change the name we ought to consult the wishes of a certain able and wide awake representative elect of Winsted, who we are informed, was the last appointed “Lighthouse Keeper” by the Legislature. But “what’s in a name”. The true glory of a town is not lodged in the orthography of its name. If we make good roads, take care of the town poor, have good schools, and don’t sell rum or any other liquid that will make men drunken, we need not be troubled about our name. So there it is. Any proposed new name for Barkhamsted is lost to history. But the motivation seems to have been tied to the former Lighthouse community. The original Lighthouse couple, James and Molly Chaugham, and their next generation were respected members of the town. But later generations had their issues it is said. According to William Wallace Lee, a former neighbor of the Lighthouse people, “some of the Chaugham posterity have become civilized enough to try the old game of wrestling with a whiskey bottle, and with the same result- to get thrown…“. Apparently even in 1874, many years after the Lighthouse community no longer existed, the Lighthouse legend was still growing and the references were not all good. Today we look upon the Lighthouse community as a positive aspect of the town’s history, including the “village of outcasts” who lived there. I’m glad they didn’t change the name of Barkhamsted in 1874. * I must admit, I had to look up the word “obloquy”…it means “the condition of one who is discredited, bad repute”.

Barkhamsted Name Change – Slade Diary April 18, 1874

SATURDAY 18 N West clear & a very nice pleasant Morning I am feeling some better to day Elisha gone over to Canton to carry the Tobaco to Mr Church Town Meeting to day to see about changing the name of the town

Taken from: http://www.threeharbors.com/barkhamsteddiary/sladediary1874main.html

9/26/1791 Tax Notice: Connecticut Courant – Notice is hereby given to Abraham Barber, jun. Reuben Barber, Solomon Choggum, James Choggum’s heirs, Freeman Jacklin, Isaac Messenger, James Pike, Michael Baldwn’s heirs, Simeon Case, Noah Case, jun. John Crofs heirs, Ebenezer Crane, Isaac Dewy and Sarah Noble, Elias Dunning, Thomas Barber, Russell Baldwn, Job Elfworth’s heirs, Lemuel Frisbie’s heirs, Elias Hopkins’ heirs, Hezekiah Griswold, Elihu Hall, John Hoskins’ heirs, Adna Gillet, Samuel Grant’s heirs, Gideon King, Joseph Kingsbury, John King, Moses Loomis’ heirs, Samuel Moor’s heirs, Samuel Mather’ heirs, Simeon Messenger, John Roberts’ heirs, Mary Moor’s heirs, Ebenezer Moor’s heirs, Daniel & Isaac Marsh, Jeff Payne, Reuben Rose, Stephen and Aaron Sanford, Thomas Sadd, Ann Smith, Marhta wife of John Terry, Isaac and Daiel Sheldon’s heirs – Resident and non-resident proprietors of the Society of Barkhamsted, that so much of their real estate, lying in said society, will be sold at Public Vendue, at the public sign post in said society on the 29th day of November next, to the highest bidder, as will pay and satisfy a Tax granted on said land, of three pence lawfull money upon the acre, by the Hon. Genral Assembly of the State of Connecticut, at ther session in May 1790; together with incident charges of sale, by ISRAEL JONES, jun. Collector of said Tax. Sept 8, 1791