The Wife of Samuel D. Wilder - New York

[Tawna]

My great-great grandfather, Samuel D. Wilder, was married to a woman named Lavina.  She was born about 1805 in Orange County, New York.  They had 5 children, that I know of, including my great grandfather, Charles Edward Wilder, who was born in 1841 in Rockwood, Fulton, NY.
Other than her approximate year and location of birth, I've found nothing else about Lavina, and I'm hoping someone out there who may be a descendant can help me find out who she and her family was and where they came from. 

[shellyesq]

Do you have deaths for Samuel or Lavina?  Do you have further information about Samuel and Lavina's children, such as marriages or deaths?  I see a family tree that lists Charles' death date as 6 Mar 1911 in Gloversville, New York - do you have his death certificate?

[Tawna]

Hi Shelly,

No, I don't have any death records for Sam or Lavina.  I can only estimate, by census records, that Sam died after the 1875 NY state census which was done in June of that year.  It's the last census he appeared in.  At that time, he was living with his niece and her family in Farmerville, NY listed as a widower; Lavina last appeared with Samuel living in Johnstown, Fulton, NY in the federal census of July 1870 so she certainly died between 1870 to 1875. 
Now, for the children: there were five, that I'm aware of.  Sarah, I have next to nothing on, other than being born around 1830, so I hit a dead end with her; sons, David and George, both married and had families, and both died in 1864 fighting in the Civil War; daughter, Elizabeth, died in Johnstown, NY in 1918 - she was the widow of Charles Foster at the time of her death.  Maybe her death certificate might have her mother's maiden name?  I know my great-grandfather, Charles, only had her first name recorded, which was disappointing, to say the least.

[shellyesq]

It's possible that the maiden name would be on the death certificate, but, as you found with Charles, it depends on what the informant knew. 

New York state didn't require vital registration until 1881, but if there were any marriages of Samuel & Lavina's children after then, the marriage certificate may have her name.  I think the later ones are more likely to have the parents' names.

There are a bunch of cemeteries from Cattaraugus Co. (where Samuel was in 1875) listed here - http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nycattar/cemetery.htm?cj=1&netid=cj&o_xid=0000584978&o_lid=0000584978&o_sch=Affiliate+External - so it might be worth checking for him.

[Tawna]

Thanks, Shelly.  I'll have a look.