Hi Michelle,
Good to hear from you.I'll try to answer your questions about our Thomas, but actually have much more info on the Tuel's of this line to give you at a later date. Let me start by asking the names of your parents and your paternal Grandmother Tuel. We share a direct lineage to Thomas. Now, here's the story on him. You are indeed of IRISH heritage, not Dutch or French. Thomas immigrated to America from Ireland sometime in the 1820's. This is new info just found on Isaac's death certificate received from Richmond last week. Up to that point I had been searching for him in old census records, wills, etc. could not find him anywhere. Now I know why...he wasn't in this country yet. Now, to locate a point of origin in Ireland will not be so easy. We have no idea if he came as an adult or as a child with parents. I'll begin that search soon, but it will take a lot of time because I have no county to begin my search. I'll be needing help on this one, but I know where to get it locally. If your parents would like to contact me, we would love to hear from them. My e-mail address is
frances.tuel@gte.net Could you possibly be related to Levi and Ethel Mae Brown? Levi's mother and my husband's father were brother sister. We write often recently saw one another at the Owen-Top Tuel Reunion in Unionville, PA in August. You must be their daughter. The coinsidence is just to strong.
Thomas' name is spelled with two l's on his marriage registration in the Orange County Courthouse records. He married Mary Ann Lee on Christmas Day 1830. Isaac was born Jan 26,1833 and married Sarah Jane Ferneyhough on March 3, 1857 in Orange County also. He and Sarah Jane had seven children. I'll give you the names, dates,etc later. Isaac Sarah Jane broke up housekeeping near the turn of the century and never lived together again as husband wife. He went to live with their oldest child, John Pendleton Tuel and Sarah Jane went to live with their daughter Josephine, called Josie. What caused this permanent seperation, I do not. But I do know it seperated the family...with the children chosing sides in the situation. I have Isaac's gravestone rubbing, have visited his grave at the Graham Cemetery in Orange. Also have Sarah's obit.
I have many records of this family.... census,marriage obits. I would be glad to share them with you your parents. If you are Levi's daughter, he's already seen some of what I have. If you are not,tell your parents our line decends like this: Thomas Tuell to Isaac Tuel to George Allen Tuel to George Lester Tuel to James Lester Tuel (my husband).Thomas is his g.g.grandfather. Your parents are of the same generation as Jim. I am working hard, in my retirement, to compose a book on the family. Nothing published, just copies of what we have found in our research for those in the family who have been kind enough to offer interest and encouragement. Believe me, not everyone is interested. We have Isaac Socrates' military histories from the Nat'l Archives in DC even a picture of Sarah Jane and her English heritage all the way back to Checkley, England. I hope to hear from you soon and we wish you happy hunting in your family search. Do write back soon. Regards, Fran Tuel