One of my biggest (and most frustrating) brick walls is David Witherell’s parents. I have clues but it’s not enough direct and indirect evidence yet to prove parentage. All of my clues at the moment point to John Witherell and Judith Bullard as his parents. I’ve mentioned these two previously.
So in the hopes that maybe I could learn more about the Witherells, I began to look into Judith’s family. Her family is the one mentioned in Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York after all, including the names of her parents: David and Elizabeth Bullard ((Arad Thomas, Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York: Containing Some Account of the Civil Divisions of Western New York, with Brief Biographical Notices of Early Settlers and of the Hardships and Privations They Endured, the Organization of the Towns in the County, Together with Lists of Town and County Officers Since the County was Organized, with Anecdotes and Reminiscences, Illustrating the Character and Customs of the People (Albion: Orleans American Steam Press Print, 1871), 231.)).
As I began to look into David, I kept seeing American Revolution records popping up with his name. He would have been about 15 when the war had started, which is a bit too young for me to look there for records((Thomas, Pioneer History of Orleans County, New York: …, 231.)). It’s not unheard of of course, just not somewhere I would have started with.
About the time I discovered there may be records for him from the American Revolution, the DAR also announced that their supporting documentation would be available for purchase. Good timing! So I searched, and found him listed with several associated applications. Several of them were from the line of Judith and John Witherell. I was incredibly excited! So I purchased the supporting documents and saw the member’s name and recognized it immediately – she was from David’s line too! I felt like I was definitely on the right track!
Some of her sources were awfully familiar. The same book I already noted above was used for the line of David and Elizabeth, linking them to Judith and John Witherell. There were new books too, ones I hadn’t heard about until now (and added to my list to get). There was also this WONDERFUL source:
A copy of a page from a family Bible with John and Judith’s children’s birth dates listed. I HAD NO IDEA THIS EXISTED!!!
Intrigued, I went to Fold3 and looked for more records on David’s service. Here I was quite dismayed to find more behind this story… it turns out Elizabeth applied for a pension after David died. She has a long listing of everything he told her he did (he was apparently a fifer)((Declaration by Elizabeth Bullard, widow of David Bullard, 9 October 1843, (Mass., Revolutionary War), pension no. R. 1419; digital images, Ancestry.com’s Fold3 (http://www.fold3.com : downloaded 22 February 2015), page 3; imaged from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, National Archives microfilm publication M804 [roll number not cited at Fold3].)). However, there was no proof of his service and she was then denied pension because there were no records of him serving with any officer and she couldn’t provide any proof of his service nor of her marriage((Pension Office Letter of Denial, Elizabeth Bullard widow of David Bullard, 8 July 1844, (Mass., Revolutionary War), pension no. R. 1419; digital images, page 19.)).
Where does this leave me? Well, I definitely have more now to go along with who David’s parents are and I’d say some pretty convincing clues that I could use in a proof argument (after more research of course). David would have been my first nearly confirmed relative who had participated in the American Revolution and I was quite excited about that. Now though, I don’t think I could quite say I could qualify for DAR with this particular ancestor.
Not to worry. I’ve had family in America for quite some time and I’m positive there are more ancestors who could have been a part of the American Revolution. 🙂
Have you used DAR’s records in your research? Share below!
Happy hunting!
tom wetherell
hope this will help
he appears on the census as a member of the household, although he is born in Michigan, rather than New York. He is a member of the same church…
Another possibility is that he is a nephew of Darius, by David Wetherell his brother who did live in Michigan, or he was born while darius was visiting his brother in Michigan…
further research by Dee of NY says that he is the son of John Jr. Witherell, another son of John & Judith Bullard Witherell
marriage in washtenaw county michigan??? 1, Cole, Charlotte M Cole, Witherell, Ray – Witherel, Washtenaw, 3 Nov 1860,
Citizens Advisor Classified ads
WETHEREL At the family home, 22 1/2 North Division Street, Auburn. N .Y., Monday, July 19, 1915, Ray Wetherel, in the 75th year of his age.
Funeral services at the Church of Christ, North Division St., Auburn, N. Y., Wednesday afternoon, July 21, at 1 O’clock.
Burial at Spring Lake Cemetery.
1850 CENSUS of the TOWN OF BUTLER Part 2,
WETHERELL Darias 35 Male Farmer Val Real Est $2,000 b. NY
Jenette 37 Female b. NY
Ray 12 Male b. MI
James IRISH 21 Male b. NY
1865 New York Cenus Wayne County next door to Darius and Jennette
Wetherel, Ray, 25, male farmer, b. MI
Mary 25, female, b. Wayne
US Census, 1870, Butler, Wayne County, New York living next door to Isaac Brown age 59, wife laura, age 53, and 3 children
Wetherel, Ray, w, m, 39 farm labor MI Alfred 21, Susan, 17, & Adeline 14, all b. NY
Wetherel, Mary w, f, 29 keeping house NY
Wetherel, Nellie w, f, 4 NY
Wetherel, Laura w, f, 2 NY
US Census 1880
Ray Wetherel self M Male 41 MI Farm Labor NY —
Mary Wetherel wife M Female 37 NY Keeping House NY NY
Nattie Wetherel dau S Female W 14 NY NY NY
Laura Wetherel dau S Female W 12 NY at school NY NY
John D. Wetherel son S Male 5 NY NY NY
Walter Wetherel son S Male 3 NY NY NY
Dennis Wetherel son S Male 4mo NY NY NY
Source Information , Census Place Bulter, Wayne, New York; Family History Library Film; 1254943; NA Film Number T9-0943: Page Number 72c
US Census, 1900, Auburn, Cayuga, New York
Wetherel, John D. head w, f, Aug 1874, 26, m 8 NY MI NY teamster
Wetherel, Ada L. wife w, f, Aug 1874 26, m 8 1/1 NY NY NY
Wetherel, Mabel dau w, f, Apr 1895 4 s 0 NY NY NY
Wetherel, Ray father w,m ?? ?? MI NY NY cordage works
Wetherel, Mary mother w, f NY NY NY
Wetherel, Dennis brother w, m, NY MI NY
+ two boarders
HI, I am Dee,
I am looking for a Witherell in Michigan. Was Capt. John Witherell married? I have a Raymond Witherell born 1838 in Michigan. Removed to Butler,Wayne co. New York. Raymond went to live with his Uncle Darius Witherell. I can not find any leads in Michigan for Raymond.
I am reseaching the Witherell Family. My Witherell/Wetherell
lived in Auburn, county name spelled Cayuga county,
My Witherell/Wetherel line:
John Witheral and Judith Bullard
David Witherell son.
Darius Witherell was my GGG GrandUncle. He was Guardian to Raymond Wetherel/Wetheral who was born in Michigan and lived in Auburn 1910 to 1915 he died.
French, the French Cemetery, Victory, New York
WETHEREL, Mary Jane, dau. of Darius & Janet d. Aug. 12, 1847, ae. 2-3-15.
WETHEREL, Flora, dau. of Ray & Mary d. May 19, 1873, ae. 2-2-14.
possible fit, since Ray is listed as a son in 1850 census
Name: Raymond WETHERAL
Given Name: Raymond
Surname: Wetheral
Birth: 1840
Death: 19 JUL 1915
Marriage 1 Mary BROWN b: 1841
Children
Nettie WETHERAL b: 30 OCT 1865 in Butler,Wayne County,N.Y.
Laura WETHERAL b: 15 OCT 1867 in Butler,,N.Y.
Dennis WETHERAL
John WETHERAL
Walter WETHERAL
1900 Auburn City Directory
Witherell Dennis, delivery clerk, 114 wall, bds 101 do
Witherell John D, teamster, h 101 Wall
Witherell Orville E, trainman, L V R R, h over 132 Wall
Witherell Ray, bds 101 Wall