By William H. McNitt
The 1800 census of Cayuga County (in the Finger Lakes region of central New York) shows Alexander Boulton living in Scipio and his brother James in Aurelius. Their surnames appear as Bolton in most other records. We know that Alexander settled in Cayuga County in 1799, but do not know exactly when James arrived. Assuming that all of the younger individuals included in James' household in 1800 were his children, his entire family seems to be accounted for in the census. Alexander, however, is shown with only a 16-25 year old female in his household. Perhaps his wife and children had remained back east until his farm was better estaslished (his wife Sarah gave birth to a new baby in September 1799 in addition to their five older children ages 2 to 12). Later censuses show his entire family in Cayuga County.
Normally it would be difficult to find genealogical information about such family living on what was then the American frontier. Unlike many of the towns of New England, most New York communities did not compile records of births, narriages, and deaths. Even in Massachusetts such records were less likely to be recorded in rural Scotch-Irish communities than they were in those near the eastern seaboard settled primarily by English families. Therefore the history of the Boltons, who were Scotch-Irish, is generally hard to piece together.
The Bolton brothers both served in the Revolutionary War, however, thereby creating records of military service and pensions that have been preserved in the National Archives. More importantly for genealogical purposes, Alexander Bolton lived long enough to benefit from legislation giving pensions to all who could prove significant service in the Amcerican Revolution (earlier laws had limited pensions to those who were crippled by injuries or the heirs of those who were killed while serving). After Alexander's death, his wife Sarah applied for a widow's pension. James Bolton died long before the pension laws were liberalized, but his widow Margaret also applied for a widow's pension.
These pension files (96 pages for James and 43 pages for Alexander) in the National Archives are also avialable in digital form on the Ancestry.com website. They are a treasure trove of family information because neither family had doumentary proof of military service or family relationships. Instead they collected affidavits from individuals who knew the facts. Among those providing affidavits were soldiers who had served with the Boltons, people present for their marriage or other important occasions, and family members (including their sister Rachel Bolton Tyrrell - whose husband had served in the American Revolution with the Bolton brothers, their widows, their children, and grandchildren). These documents provide details about their lives and family relationships that are not available in any other sources. For instance, Alexader Bolton's file includes a record in his own handwriting giving his date and place of birth and marriage and listing the births of each of his eleven children (see below). In addition, affidavits in James Bolton's file give the only known information about the life and family of his oldest daughter Isabel and give various clues that facilitate finding information about his other children.
Who were the Bolton brothers and where did they come from? An affidavit in James's file makes clear that his father was also named James Bolton and another establishes the fact that he and Alexander were brothers. Alexander states that he was born in Glasgow, Massachusetts and that his father was born in 1720. Although many Scottish and Scotch-Irish families wanted the town where Alexander was born to be named Glasgow or New Glasgow, the leaders of Massachusetts Bay Colony instead gave it the name Blandford. Searching for a James Bolton who was born in 1720 and lived at Blandford, we find one on page 83 of the book Bolton Families of Ireland by Charles Knowles Bolton (Boston: Goodspeed's Bookshop, Inc., 1937). This James and his parents, William and Elizabeth Bolton were born in Northern Ireland and then settled in Windham, New Hampshire. According to the book both James and his brother David lived at Blandford and then later in Cayuga County, New York.
Alexander Bolton's affidavit provides the additional information that the family left Massachusetts when he was six years old (1764) to go to Dover, Dutchess County, New York. Six years later they moved to Stillwater, New York (now in Saratoga County), and two years after that to Cambridge, New York (now in Washington County) where they lived throughout the Revolutionary War. The family of Alexander and Elizabeth McNitt, also of Scotch-Irish background, lived in the Black Creek neighborhood between the towns of Salem and West Hebron. Obviously the two families were acquainted as James Bolton married Margaret McNitt in 1778 and his younger brother Alexander married Margaret's sister Sarah in 1786 (affidavits make clear that both weddings took place at the McNitt home near Salem).
Actually, the connection between the Boltons and the McNitts may have been even closer. After the death of Alexander McNitt's father Barnard in Palmer, Massachusetts in 1773, one of the couples listed among his heirs was James Bolton and his wife Isabel. We know nothing else about this couple, but could it be that this James Bolton was the same as the one who lived at Blandford, Massachusetts and Cambridge, New York and fathered James and Alexander? If that were the case, then Isabel McNitt Bolton would be their mother (she was probably a half-sister to Alexander McNitt of Washington County, New York). It would also mean that the two Bolton-McNitt marriages at Salem, New York involved half-cousins marrying each other. It is interesting to note that the first daughter of James Bolton, Jr. and his wife Margaret McNitt Bolton was named Isabel.
James Bolton, Jr. died at a relatively young age in 1803 in Cayuga County. I have not identified his family in the 1810 census, but in 1820 Margaret headed a household in Marcellus, Onondaga County (the county to the east of Cayuga County). Within a few years, she and three of her four survining children relocated to Cattaraugus County (in the southwest part of the state, south of Buffalo) as did a number of neighbors from Onondaga County. Included in the household of John Bolton at New Albion in the 1830 census is a female age 70-79 (probably Margaret). Her daughter Sarah Vanderhoef and family were at Ellicottvile in 1830 and 1840 and her daughter Betsey Haynes and family lived nearby at Yorkshire in 1830. Margaret died at Ellicottville, presumably while visiting or living with the Vanderhoefs. Since the Revolutionary War widow's pension was not finalized in Margaret's lifetime, her heirs filed a claim to get the money she should have received.
Alexander Bolton lived on for several decades in Cayuga County. He received a Revolutionary War pension from 1833 until his death in 1836. Sarah then applied for a widow's pension. Although her pension was not awarded until 1841, the Pension Office made it retroactive to Alexander's death. By that time Sarah had moved from Cayuga County to Ontario County, a couple of counties west, possibly because her sons Barnard and Thomas lived there (although she does not appear in the household of either Barnard or his son George in the 1840 census, so perhaps she was living with a married daughter). She received her pension at least until 1848 and probably died around that time.
First Generation
1.
James BOLTON was born before 1755. He died on 13 Sep 1803 in
Mentz, Cayuga, New York.
They had
the following children.
+
2 F
i. Isabel
BOLTON was born in 1779. She died in 1810.
+
3 F
ii. Susannah
BOLTON was born in 1784/1785. She died after 1850.
+
4 F
iii. Betsey
BOLTON was born on 19 Apr 1786. She died on 23 Mar 1853.
+
5 M
iv. John BOLTON
was born in 1787/1788. He died before 1870.
+
6 F
v. Sarah BOLTON
was born in 1796/1797. She died before 1859.
Second Generation
2.
Isabel BOLTON (James) was born in 1779 in , , New York. She died
in 1810 in , , New York.
They had
the following children.
7 M
i. Elijah
LEMMON was born on 22 May 1797 in , Wayne, New York. He died on 27 Dec 1879
in , Wayne, New York. He was buried in Brick Church Cemetery, Sodus Center,
Wayne, New York.
8 F
ii. Margaret
LEMMON was born on 15 Aug 1801 in , , New York. She died on 7 Oct 1868 in ,
, Michigan. She was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, New Baltimore, Macomb, Michigan.
9 M
iii. Isaac
LEMMON was born on 1 Jan 1808 in , , New York. He died on 17 Jun 1900 in
Lenox, Macomb, Michigan. He was buried in Hart Cemetery, New Baltimore, Maconb,
Michigan.
10 M
iv. Justus
LEMMON was born on 22 Nov 1810 in Lyons, Wayne, New York. He died on 1 Dec
1904 in , Macomb, Michigan. He was buried in Centennial Cemetery, New Haven,
Macomb, Michigan.
3.
Susannah BOLTON (James) was born in 1784/1785 in , , New York. She
died after 1850.
They had
the following children.
11 F
i. Esther J.
JEFFRIES was born on 19 Jun 1805 in , , New York. She died on 19 Mar 1897 in
Edmore, Montcalm, Michigan.
12 F
ii. Lucy
JEFFRIES was born in 1812/1813 in , , New York. She died on 25 Aug 1880 in
Parma, Jackson, Michigan.
13 F
iii. Margaret
JEFFRIES was born on 7 Aug 1814 in Albany, Albany, New York. She died on 12
Dec 1901 in Sparta, Monroe, Wisconsin. She was buried on 13 Dec 1901 in Sparta,
Monroe, Wisconsin.
14 F
iv. Susan
JEFFRIES was born on 3 Feb 1817 in , , New York. She died on 23 Feb 1905 in
Highland, Oakland, Michigan. She was buried in Highland Cemetery, Highland,
Oakland, Michigan.
15 M
v. Christopher
P. JEFFRIES was born on 12 Jun 1824 in , , New York. He died on 11 Mar 1912
in Bridgeport, Saginaw, Michigan. He was buried on 14 Mar 1912 in Bridgeport
Cemetery, Bridgeport, Saginaw, Michigan.
4.
Betsey BOLTON (James) was born on 19 Apr 1786 in , , New York. She
died on 23 Mar 1853 in , Allegany, New York.
They had
the following children.
16 M
i. Daniel B.
HAYNES was born in 1811/1812 in , Cayuga, New York. He died on 29 Dec 1899
in Ischua, Cattaraugus, New York.
17 M
ii. James A.
HAYNES was born in 1812/1813 in , Cayuga, New York.
18 M
iii. Samuel
HAYNES was born in 1815/1816 in , , New York.
19 F
iv. Rebecca
HAYNES was born in 1823 in , , New York.
5.
John BOLTON (James) was born in 1787/1788 in , , New York. He died
before 1870.
They had
the following children.
20 F
i. Amanda M.
BOLTON was born in 1816 in , Cayuga, New York. She died on 7 Oct 1887 in ,
Rock, Wisconsin.
21 F
ii. Sarah Ann
BOLTON was born in 1820 in , , New York. She died on 6 Oct 1854 in Peru,
Miami, Indiana. She was buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Peru, Miami, Indiana.
22 M
iii. John M.
BOLTON was born in 1823/1824 in , , New York. He died on 3 Feb 1914 in ,
Monterey, California.
23 F
iv. Charlotte
BOLTON was born in 1827/1828 in , , New York. She died in 1880/1885 in , ,
Kansas.
24 F
v. Mary
Isabelle BOLTON was born on 25 Aug 1831 in , , New York. She died in 1900 in
, , Iowa.
6.
Sarah BOLTON (James) was born in 1796/1797 in , , New York. She
died before 1859.
They had
the following children.
25 M
i. James B.
VANDERHOEF was born on 8 Jun 1823 in , Cayuga, New York. He died on 24 Jan
1896 in Brockport, Monroe, New York. He was buried in High Street Cemetery,
Brockport, Monroe, New York.
26 M
ii. Alfred
VANDERHOEF was born on 22 Apr 1827 in Ellicottville, Cattaraugus, New York.
He died on 2 Oct 1918 in Retsil, Kitsap, Washington.
27 F
iii. Hyletta
VANDERHOEF was born on 14 Aug 1828 in Ellicottville, Cattaraugus, New York.
She died on 31 Dec 1907 in Pine, Montcalm, Michigan. She was buried on 2 Jan
1908 in Langston Cemetery.
28 M
iv. Franklin
"Frank" VANDERHOEF was born on 22 Jan 1829 in Ellicottville, Cattaraugus,
New York. He died on 16 Jan 1900 in , , Allegany, New York. He was buried in
Forest Hills Cemetery, Belmont, Allegany, New York.
29 F
v. Sarah J.
VANDERHOEF was born in 1835/1836 in Ellicottville, Cattaraugus, New York.
First Generation
1.
Alexander BOLTON was born on 27 Apr 1758 in Glasgow (now
Blandford), Berkshire,
Massachusetts. He died on 25 Oct 1836 in Ledyard, Cayuga, New York.
They had
the following children.
2 F
i. Rachel
BOLTON was born on 10 Apr 1787 in , , New York.
+
3 M
ii. Barnard
BOLTON was born on 27 Dec 1788. He died before 1870.
4 F
iii. Zilpha
BOLTON was born on 1 Apr 1791 in , , New York.
5 M
iv. Alexander
BOLTON was born on 28 Apr 1795 in , , New York.
6 F
v. Patsy BOLTON
was born on 26 Mar 1797 in , , New York.
7 F
vi. Sally
BOLTON was born on 9 Sep 1799 in , , New York.
8 F
vii. Eliza
BOLTON was born on 26 Sep 1802 in , Cayuga, New York.
9 M
viii. James
BOLTON was born on 15 Jan 1804 in , Cayuga, New York.
10 M
ix. Thomas J.
BOLTON was born on 1 Jun 1806 in , Cayuga, New York.
+
11 M
x. Daniel
BOLTON was born on 8 Feb 1809.
12 F
xi. Nancy Anne
BOLTON was born on 15 Apr 1815 in , Cayuga, New York.
Second Generation
3.
Barnard BOLTON (Alexander) was born on 27 Dec 1788 in , , New
York. He died before 1870.
They had
the following children.
13 F
i. Mary Jane
BOLTON was born on 23 Jan 1816 in Syracuse, Onondaga, New York. She was
christened on 13 Jun 1847 in South Fredericksburgh, Grenville, Ontario, Canada.
She died on 27 Jul 1865 in North Fredericksburgh, Lenox and Addington, Ontario,
Canada. She was buried in Bethany Cemetery, North Fredericksburgh, Lenox and
Addington, Ontario, Canada.
14 M
ii. George
BOLTON was born on 1 Oct 1817 in , , New York. He died on 13 Mar 1896 in
Verndale, Wadena, Minnesota. He was buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Verndale,
Wadena, Minnesota.
11.
Daniel BOLTON (Alexander) was born on 8 Feb 1809 in , Cayuga, New
York.
They had
the following children.
15 M
i. Milo F.
BOLTON was born in 1842 in , , Ohio. He died on 22 Nov 1862 in Bowling
Green, Warren, Kentucky. He was buried in Nashville National Cemetery, Madison,
Davidson, Tennessee.
16 M
ii. John M.
BOLTON was born on 16 Sep 1845 in Dayton, Montgomery, Ohio. He died on 25
Mar 1925 in Leavenworth, Leavenworth, Kansas. He was buried in Leavenworth
National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas.
revised 23 Aug 2023
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