Friday, October 09, 2009
Greetings:
This is the first part of my notes and updates about Mary Jemison and family
The second part will address Mary’s brothers John and Thomas, land of the Jemison family, documentation for Thomas Jemison in 1749, 1750 and 1759, also a list of references, sources etc.
From Adams County Historical Society:
“There have been over 35 editions and numerous reprints of Dr. Seaver’s 1824 work published in
Canandaigua, NY by J.D. Bemis. Unfortunately no copy of Seaver’s original notes remain, so we do not have a primary source of Mary’s oral narrative. We do not know if Dr. Seaver changed the order of her account or the words she used, or if he deleted any parts of her story. This is still regarded as the main source for the study of Mary Jemison’s life.
Seaver, J.E. (1824). The life of Mary Jemison: Deh-he-wa-mis, the white woman of the Genesee. Jersey Shore, PA: Zebrowski Historical Services and Publishing Company.
1991 reprint of the fifth “
There is now a 2009 edition.
Notes for Mary Jemison:
A: Ancestry
There appears to be no evidence or documentation for Thomas Jemison’s marriage to Jane Erwin, his origin, birth of their children Thomas, John and Betsy in Ireland. One Henry O’Reilly gives a verbal account of living in the same village like the Jemison family in Carrickmacross, Monaghan County, Ulster Province, and Ireland.
There is another mentioning of a location called Antrim, where “stories” of the Jemison family were told. (from the 1918 rec. ed. Of the book) there are no details given.
I found the biography of Henry O’Reilly 1832-1873 (NYS Historical Society online) Mr. O”Reilly was born in Carrickmacross, immigrated in 1816 with his parents.
My extensive Irish research concentrated first on Carrickmacross and Antrim then county Monaghan and Ulster Province. Then other counties. I have many details but will show only the grist of my findings:
• Many non Catholic church records destroyed in 1922
• Carrickmacross parish has no Church of Ireland records until 1795
• Carrickmacross early records from barony of Farney divided into “Bath” and “Shirley” estates show no Thomas Jemison.
• There are no Presbyterian church records for all of Monaghan county for early 1700’s
• There are numerous locations called Antrim (the mentioned place 30 miles from Carrickmacross
Could be either county Antrim or parish Antrim)
• The parish Antrim (Connor diocese Church of Ireland) has baptism and marriages ab. 1700-1756
No Tomas Jemison
• The Antrim parish in Millrow has baptism 1677-1733 Presbyterian Church no Thomas Jemison
• Other records: Freeman lists to 1743 do not show Thomas Jemison. Found Thomas Jameson from 1797 to 1840 etc.
• Other records: Tithe Applotments records 1740 (tax paid for leased or owed land) Found Thomas Jameson (from Derry County Genealogy Centre) there is no further data.
• Other records: Land leases 1670-1689 show James Jameson (possible ancestor to William Jameson claimed in the book “The Jamesons in America by Ephraim O. Jameson” The dates I found do not correspond with the book, however this is not my research. No Thomas Jemison listed.
• Other Records: “Protestant householders list 1740” shows Thomas Jemison of Ballyrashane parish, Derry county, he is head of household but there is no further data)
• Other Records: Armagh County Presbyterian Church records 1st session 1707-1728
Has Thomas Jamison baptized 1708 in Armagh, the fee based service (15 Engl.Pounds for 15 minutes) will provide details through this document location “PRONI MICIP/4, 218” If anybody wants to pursue this matter see the reference list for PRONI.
• Research of all Ireland counties show many Thomas Jameson after 1758, next baptism is 1780, freeman lists of 1780 etc.No baptism of Children anywhere for the time line to 1743.
• Derry County parish Antrim no records there are 39 places called Derry in Ireland, 3 in Monaghan county)
• Monaghan county Antrim parish no records
B: Arrival
The arrival of 6 October 1743 in the ship” William and Mary” remains questionable.
Even if this ship carried the Jemison family, most ships in that timeline have no or little passenger information for immigrants from Ireland.
This date provided by Dr. James Jordan (the 11918 rev. ed. of the book) shows no existing documentation.
The closest “William and Mary” documentation I found was 1742 arrival in Philadelphia from Whitehaven, England in 1742 and returning to Whitehaven 1 Dec. 1742 from Virginia with tobacco for Bristol. (I have the specific source for this somewhere)
C: Brothers of Thomas Jemison
The surname of Jemison, Jameson, Jamison, Jemieson, etc. is found throughout the 18th century from New England to Kentucky.
Claims of brothers, John, Robert and William cannot be confirmed; anybody with such a name at time of this writing shows no evidence of relationship to Thomas Jemison (died 1758)
“Mary” tells us that “her uncle John Jemison died at the battle at Great Meadows at Fort Necessity under George Washington” that’s a lot of specific information for a little girl that was 12 years old in 1754. “Mary” also refers to her uncle as being a widow, and his child being cared for by Mary’s mother etc.
Other writings state John Jameson died in the same battle in 1754 and had no children, was not married
However:
The National Battlefield at Fort Necessity has two original sets of documents showing muster and pay rolls, including dead, wounded or deserted officers and soldiers. NO John (Jonathan, Johannes, Jan etc.) Jemison, Jameson et al. is listed there. (By chance I also searched for possible John Erwin, being an uncle to Mary, no Erwin, Irvin et al. listed either.
The only known “John Jameson” for that timeline is son of William Jameson.
This William Jameson is NOT father of Thomas Jemison (died 1758)
D: William Jameson
William Jameson married Sarah Collins 28 March 1722 (Christ Church Philadelphia online)
There he baptized sons John and William on 20 March 1722/23.
William moved to Augusta County VA. He also had sons George and Andrew.
(He and All his sons show several recordings in Chronicles of Scottish Irish settlements in Virginia, Augusta County online)
William Jameson made a will in 1752 naming sons John, George, Andrew and William. Wife Sarah, the will was proved 21 March 1753.
Sarah Collins Jameson married 2) Robert Guy in 1754 (Chronicles ….ibid)
John Jameson of William and Sarah married Jean Erwin (see next “Matthew Erwin) about 1740
This John Jameson served 8 days in 1756 in VA militia under Capt. Patrick Martin. He was not in Fort Necessity either. (Chronicles….) John made a will 29 Feb. 1776 proved 19 March 1776. His descendants are known and documented.
Barbara @
vanboerum2@hotmail.com