Gonna put this out here as a bit of cousin bait, and to help me organize some new, confusing and fun things that are happening in the research of the Jaquis clan.
My initial interest in this clan came from the intermarriage of Benjamin Jaquis (born 1810ish) to one Fannie Lashbrook (1819-1893). Benjamin, born 1810ish, according to family tradition, went west in 1849, participating in the California Gold Rush. Again, according to family tradition, he eventually made a nice strike. However, on the way back home (about 1854) to his family who had remained in Illinois, the ship he was traveling on sank and he died. Juicy material to research, I was hooked!
At some point, I was told a great-great granddaughter of Benjamin's, made a cassette tape of her remembrances of her family and named the ship that Benjamin died on as the Yankee Blade. Oh, yes! I had a field day researching this sinking in New York City newspapers. I never heard the tape, but, sometimes you just go hunt up the info anyway.
I eventually found a report on the sinking of the Yankee Blade, which reported, in part, "A body was seen on the beach, the pockets of the pants taken off and cut open, and another with a money belt around him, which was cut open and the contents abstracted." I found the report of the money belt to be interesting, as the family tradition (written about in the book referenced below) reports that Benjamin wore money belts.
I even found a drawing of the Yankee Blade, in the work, "Early American Steamers" by Erik Heyl, published 1953.
I even found a drawing of the Yankee Blade, in the work, "Early American Steamers" by Erik Heyl, published 1953.
Of particular interest in the next part of this post is the fact we can place Benjamin in a specific place in California. In the small charming family history, "The Gold Moon", which a family member so graciously shared with me years ago, it is reported that there is a letter from Benjamin. Said letter came from Benjamin from "Oregon Gulch, Bute Co., California" and was dated December 25, 1853. The letter was from Benjamin to his brother-in-law, John Lashbrook, who had inquired about coming west to hunt gold. Benjamin discouraged John.
Years pass, I research other families, other clans. Then the other evening, while snooping around on Ancestry dot com, looking for Benjamin H. Jaquis, the father of Benjamin (born 1810ish), I found some very interesting references to Benjamin (yes, the one born 1810ish), back in California. Trouble is, the references are well after our poor Benjamin's ship sank??
Benj S Jaques
in the 1860 United States Federal Census
Name: Benj S Jaques
Age: 49
Birth Year: abt 1811
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Vermont
Home in 1860: Eureka, Butte, California
Post Office: Thompsons Flat
Family Number: 1392
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Geo Carper 34
Benj S Jaques 49 occupation: Miner
The birth year for this Benj S. Jaques is close, birth place of Vermont cannot be discounted, as I have seen his birth place reported as Vermont, New York, and France. Same county as the transcribed letter came from.
Next I found:
B H Jacques
in the California, Voter Registers, 1866-1898
Name: B H Jacques
Residence Year: 1867
Residence Place: Butte, California
Again, same county. And then:
Ben Jafuas
in the 1870 United States Federal Census
Name: Ben Jafuas
[Ben Jaquis]
Age in 1870: 60
Birth Year: abt 1810
Birthplace: Illinois
Home in 1870: Ophir, Butte, California
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Oroville
Value of real estate: View image
Household Members:
Name Age
Ben Jafuas 60 occupation: miner
Again, the birth year is within reason, in fact, perfect. Birthplace of Illinois, I won't even argue, as Benjamin left his family in Illinois when his journey to find gold began in 1849. And, as we all know, spelling just does not count in this sport. And, as in all of these finds, this Benjamin is residing in Butte County.
However, this set of records is by far the most interesting.
Benjamin H Jaquis
in the California, Wills and Probate Records, 1850-1953
Name: Benjamin H Jaquis
Probate Date: 18 May 1874
Probate Place: Butte, California, USA
Inferred Death Year: Abt 1874
Inferred Death Place: California, USA
Item Description: Journal, Vol 5, 1879; Orders, 1915-1937; Bonds and Letters, 1862-1881
Benjamin H Jaquis
in the California, Wills and Probate Records, 1850-1953
Name: Benjamin H Jaquis
Probate Date: 23 May 1874
Probate Place: Butte, California, USA
Inferred Death Year: Abt 1874
Inferred Death Place: California, USA
Case Number: 537
Item Description: Case Files, 526-541, 1874
Table of Contents 16 images
Cover Page 1
Administration Papers 2
Petition Papers 3'965
Account Papers 6'967
Administration Papers 8'9610
Petition Papers 11'9613
Order Papers 14'9616
One thing these documents do reveal is that a man named Benjamin H. Jaquis, died in Butte County, California on July 18,1872, intestate. (Not having made a will before one dies.) Not one heir is listed in these 18 pages of probate records. In fact, in this file, I did not see any reference to heirs being searched for. I have to ask, are these all of the probate papers concerning Benjamin?
I need to study this more, is this Benjamin who died in 1872 in California the same Benjamin that wrote home in 1853 from the same county in California?
I have yet to find more, nothing on Find A Grave, nothing more on Ancestry dot com or on Family Search. The search continues - -
Next I'll tell you a bit of why I was even looking for a Benjamin Jaquis.
* Ancestry.com is a pay service for researching. I use, I pay, I have not been asked to use it, to review it. Please refer to my Disclaimers page. Find A Grave is currently a free site to use and contribute to, they are owned by Ancestry.com.
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2 comments:
What a fun search. Good Luck!
Thank you Joan, it has been quite the trip, there is no doubt about that.
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