Benjamin H. Jaquis, The Father and His Wife, Mary, err, Rachel, err???

Copyright 2017, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

I recently wrote about Benjamin H. Jaquis, The Disappearing Benjamin.

I only found those interesting California probate files because I was looking for Benjamin H. Jaquis, the father of the disappearing Benjamin.

I have a cache of files and documents that are waiting to have the information mined and then attached to the data base. I have additional probate info, this time from the state of New York for one Uz Jaquis, yes, that IS his name, and another for one Lucy Jaquis.

As I was inspecting these files, I of course traveled to my fav research web sites, Ancestry dot com, Family Search, Find A Grave.  At Find A Grave I found some interesting memorials.  I hoped to turn up more probate files for some of the Jaquis clan I have researched.  As you know from reading about the "disappearing Benjamin" I did indeed find more files.

From my work on Find A Grave:  Here is a link to the Hillcrest Cemetery, Parishville, St. Lawrence County, New York, for just the people buried there with the name Jaquis, spelled just that way.

The probate file I have for a Lucy Jaquis is most likely for a Lucy who died in 1878. Note she is the wife of Uz Jaquis, whose memorial is here.  She is also a Jaquis, born to Enoch and Lucy.  I'll admit that Enoch confused me for a while, but, note his birthdate is 1786.  Why was I confused??  Because I have another Enoch in my data base, born about 1823.  Sometimes it takes a while to sink into my thick skull.

When I visited Uz's memorial, I note a link to a mother named Rachel.  Her memorial is here.

So, let's stop here a moment and look at the family as it currently is in my data base:

This is Benjamin the father and Mary, who I have as his wife and the mother of his children.  Note, no Rachel.

Benjamin, first born, born 1810ish, is the man who disappeared from the California Gold Rush.  Uz is there, born about 1826, Enoch is there, born about 1823 and several other children.  

You can see by looking at the date range that I do not have death information for Enoch or Sarah. And, there is Uz  - this screen shot taken before I found Uz at Find A Grave.  I need to enter that information into the data base.  The children continue, Ann, Mary, Emily and John.  I am not even really sure that Emily or John are related. It's been a tough search, one that I have abandoned more than once. And, now, I am back at it once again due to all these probate files.

I spent a good number of hours this last 10 days or so looking for Rachel Jaquis.  So far, I am not finding her.  I really had hoped to find her in the 1860 census since she died in 1861.  At the age of 79 we would hope to find her in a household with some others, possibly children.  I could not find her in the 1855 New York State Census either.  Ditto, 1850 census.  The search will continue by getting creative with spellings.

However, I did find some decent copies of the 1855 new York State census online.  First image is the headings/questions asked.

This image is Benjamin, and Mary, and children of Benjamin.  Note, they do not claim the children to be of Mary, but, of the head of the family.

We have:  Benjamin(e) Jaquis, age 65, born New Hampshire

Mary Jaquis, age 68, wife, born New Hampshire

Ebenzer Jaquis, age 46, child, born Vermont

Enoch Jaquis, age 39, child, born Essex (County in New York)

Mary Jaquis, age 34, child, born Essex (County in New York)

Ann Jaquis, age 27, child, and in the place of birth column:  School teacher

Jame Jaquis, age 25, child, and in the place of birth column:  School teacher

Irving Jaquis, age 10, child, born Essex (County in New York)

Almira Jennings, age 8  , granddaughter, born Essex (County in New York). Granddaughter? Yes, follow up research is indicated as I have none of the daughters married to a Jennings.

What a wonderful thing this 1855 state census is.  I'll be revisiting it for additional family members.

In the meantime, I have not found any other record of Rachel.  At this point, I don't believe she is the mother of any of Benjamin's children, but, in research we must keep an open mind.  I'll be working on any possible connection of Enoch born 1786 and my Benjamin born about 1790.  Other researchers have them as brothers. Then, there is the John Jaquis died about 1832, who is buried at Haselton Cemetery in Essex County, New York, at 54 years of age at his death, he would have been born about 1778.

Onward goes the research - - - 

* 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.  Family Search is a free site for all to use.

**Note:  The 1855 census images for Essex County New York were far superior at FamilySearch.  The same images at Ancestry dot com I could not read, nor manipulate with digital editing enough to read.

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