John Lashbrook, Research Report, the As It Is Series

Copyright 2024, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

This continues a series of posts, done in a very efficient (make that speedy fast) manner to share some research on the ancestors.  This is NOT intended to be the end all to end all report.  It's a work in progress, to show you what I have found, right or wrong. Kind feedback is welcomed via comments.

Let’s begin - - 

Meet - - John Lashbrook.

First with his parents and some of his siblings, note sibling Thomas.

Next, here is John with wife Lydia (maiden name unknown, yes we have suspicions, but, lack the proof we desire, even after a little over 30 years of research, sigh), and 2 children:

The names of John's children are family tradition, and are recorded in the work, "Lashbrooke, Lashbrooks and Lashbrook" by Mary K. Lashbrook, 1986.  (If you have access to the book, or can find it, look at page 265, 266.)

I have never found a marriage record/mention for John and Lydia.  I worked with the local historians in Clinton County New York, where I presumed a marriage may have taken place since the Lashbrook family lived there from about 1830 to mid 1840's.  I may just have to revisit all of this and see if the historian of Wilmington, Essex County might be able to help - - as - - 

We do find John in the 1840 census enumeration of Wilmington, Essex County, New York as follows: 1 male 10-15 years old, 1 male 15-20 years old, 1 female under 5 years and 1 female 20-30 years.  We note that John would have been 25 years of age and the female (20-30) could be Lydia.  Are the ages accurately recorded? Anyone's guess is as good as mine, so easy to mark one of those little hash marks in the wrong column.  And, who are the others, 1 male 10 to 15 and one female under 5?  Are they John's children or siblings?  It is not clear is it?

John appears on the 1850 census for Byron, McHenry County, Illinois as follows: John, age 35, farmer, born England; Lydia, age 22 (hard to read), born Canada.  No children enumerated with them.  Had their offspring already passed?

John is enumerated on the 1855 state census in McHenry County, Illinois.  Residing in his household are the following: one male age 10 to 20, 1 male 40 to 50 years of age and one female age 30 to 40.  We believe the younger male could be the Oliver Jerrison, err, Jerome, found in the household in 1860.  

John appears on the 1860 US census for Harvard, McHenry County, Illinois age 45, farmer value of real estate $6,000.00, value of personal property $1,000.00, born England; Eliza, age 43, born Canada E.  Living with them was Oliver Jerrison (this is Jerome, not Jerrison), age 14. *See below.

John is enumerated on the 1865 state census for McHenry County, Illinois.  There are 2 males and one female living in the home.  The second male is between 10 and 20 years old.

John is enumerated on the 1870 US census of Harvard, McHenry County, Illinois as follows: John age 55, farmer, real estate valued at $7, 200.00, personal property valued at $1,520.00, born England, parents of foreign heritage, cannot read nor write; Lydia, age 53, born Canada, parents of foreign heritage, cannot read nor write.

John was found enumerated on the 1880 U.S. Census, Harvard, McHenry County, Illinois:  John Lashbrook, age 66, farmer, born England, parents born New York; Lydia, age 63, wife, keeping house, cannot read or write, both Canada, both parents born France.

John's obituary appeared in "The Harvard Herald" (Harvard, McHenry County, Illinois) on Friday, March 27, 1891, copy provided to compiler by Rosemary Alewine of Delavan, Wisconsin in February of 1997.  

     His obituary reads as follows:

     "JOHN LASHBROOK, who died at his residence in Harvard on Friday morning, was born in Devonshire, England, March 6, 1814.  When 15 years of age he came with his father to America, settling in Clinton county York State, where he remained until 1844, when he came west and bought a farm in the town of Dunham on which he resided until twelve years ago.  He then came to Harvard and resided here until his death. Mr. Lashbrook was a man who in early life shared the hardships and trials of a poor man, for he was poor when he came west, but by hard work and the patient, persistent and kindly influence of a devoted wife, who died a few years ago, he laid by considerable money, which nearly all became exhausted before he died.  Mr. Lashbrook was a kind hearted man, but he had a sad failing.  He had an unconquerable thirst for liquor, and he lived to see the fortune which he and a devoted wife had labored so hard to accumulate slip gradually away from him, and all on account of his strong appetite for liquor.  About three years ago he received a paralytic stroke and he has been an invalid ever since, totally unable to help himself. His funeral services were held at the house on Sunday, the burial being in Jerome's cemetery."

Nothing I have found in the years of research ever mentioned John and Lydia having children, except as mentioned above, the work by Mary Lashbrook, 1986.  On page 265-66, she states:
     "John's tombstone says that he was 76 years 14 days at death.  Two small stones without dates in the cemetery might be those of their children, Ernest and Ann."  

     On a visit to the cemetery a number of years ago, I did not see these two small stones near the burial spots of John and Lydia.  The photos I took that day, also do not reflect any small stones.  Small stones could easily be damaged, removed, lost to time.

Here is a photo of two Lashbrook stones, Richard and Ann, the parents and John and Lydia Lashbrook are all buried here in close proximity.  Yes, the stones are leaning.  We visited in September of 2004.

Other family charts, and write ups, including booklets I have been gifted may have mentioned these children.  Nothing else, no census, no news clips, no probate cases, nadda, nothing, zip!

Until today, when typing up some more newspaper clippings, I came to this:

From the Waverly Democrat, Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa, published March 26, 1891:

     “Mr. Thomas Lashbrook received a dispatch on Friday from Harvard, Illinois, stating his eldest brother, John Lashbrook, of that city, died that morning of the grippe.  He was about 80 years of age and had retired from active business some years ago.  His wife died about four years previously, and their only child died in infancy.”

Only child!  Not two, just one.  But, it is the mention OF A CHILD.  I'll take it - - for now - - and, yes, errors in news paper reporting do happen.  You will note that there is no mention of the "gripe" in the obituary that appeared in the Harvard Herald.  There was also NO mention of children.  Is this definitive?  Heavens no.  But, I'll still take it.  For now.

* Oliver Jerome is the son of one Emily Mary Rancour Fuller.  Emily's first husband was Joseph Jerome, her second husband was Amos Fuller.  Some researchers indicate that Emily is a sister of our Lydia Lashbrook.  I do not disagree. I just would love something to connect them.  Long story, left for another post, another day.

** No obituary has been located for John's wife, Lydia.

*** I maintain John and Lydia's Find A Grave memorials, his can be found via number 37424386, her Find A Grave number is 37424421.

**** Disclaimers, I use Find A Grave, Ancestry dot com, FamilySearch, several newspaper subscriptions, free sites, such as Virginia Chronicles, Virginia Chancery Cases online at the Library of Virginia and more to research my ancestors.  I pay for subscriptions, full price.

***** My judgements may or may not be correct.  Transcriptions may or may not have errors.

****** Links, URL's, for the most part will not be included henceforth on my posts, as so many of them change and then I have to come back and try to re-discover and relink.  Frankly folks, I have no desire to spend my limited time here on this side of the sod with those kinds of do overs.  As researchers, or just members of the internet community, sites such as Find A Grave are easy to find, some are free to use and with the information I am sharing with you, hopefully, you can duplicate the research/findings. That said, I have seen memorials at Find A Grave be removed.  If you have questions, I suggest you leave a nice comment for me. OR find the method I have outlined on my blog for contacting me.

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