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Ziba Blodget |
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No parents conclusively identified |
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Dianna Burras |
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No parents conclusively identified |
Ziba
Blodget, the probable father of Alonzo Blodget, was
born on August 2, 1793 in Rutland County, Vermont WA30 or circa 1793 UN10, WA30 or
1794 in Vermont UN11,
UN12. In 1812, Ziba
lived in Hannibal, Oswego County, New York and served in the War of 1812; two
other men with the Blodgett surname, Levi and Alanson,
also served in that war JO2. His
pension record indicated that he served under Captain Stephen Brace in the New
York Militia WA10. A
form entitled “War of 1812 Declaration of Soldier for Pension” was filed by Ziba Blodgett on August 7, 1871 in Kent County, Michigan,
which stated that Ziba was then seventy-eight years
old and resided in Algoma, Kent County, Michigan WA30. Algoma Township is northwest of Rockford and is about sixteen
miles north of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He stated that he volunteered for
service “shortly after the war broke out” in 1812, although he couldn’t
remember the month or the day, but he “served the full period of sixty days” in
the United States Army during the War of 1812 in Captain Brace’s New York
Militia WA30. The form stated “he was a minute man,
and was in the Battle of Oswego” and “was also called out several times on
duty, and once went as guard to Smith Mills, guarding cannon, to Suckelts [sic]
Harbor” (Sackett’s Harbor, now called Sacket’s Harbor) WA30. He was honorably discharged in 1814 and received a land
warrant of 160 acres WA30.
Alvin Blodgett of Algoma, Kent County and Fred W. Hicks of Solon, Kent County
were witnesses to Ziba’s 1871 declaration for pension
WA30. A document from the Third Auditor’s Office with the claim
number of 22,846 which was dated March 14, 1872 stated that Ziba
Blodgett’s name was “not borne on the Rolls of Captain Stephen Brace’s Company
of New York Militia, War of 1812” WA30. A
record dated January 15, 1880 from the Third Auditor’s Office regarding claim
number 37,554 stated Captain Stephen Brace’s Company in the New York Militia
served for seven days in Major James Adam’s Battalion from June 17 until June
23, 2013, and for twenty-seven days in Lieutenant Colonel Warren Hocox’s Regiment from October 27 until November 22, 2014,
but the name of Ziba Blodgett “not borne on the Rolls
of Captain Brace” WA30. The
“Claim of Widow for Service Pension” form, filed by Diana Blodget in 1879,
stated that he enlisted at age twenty-one in Oswego, New York in 1814, served
as a private in Colonel Mitchell’s regiment during the War of 1812, “was
Engaged in The battle of Oswego”, and was then
honorably discharged later that same year WA30.
At
age twenty-one, he was “a laborer about 6 feet in height… [with] Brown hair
blue Eyes light complexion” WA30. After
he was discharged from the army, he lived in Hannibal, Oswego County for nine
years (from 1814 until 1823) WA30. He
first married Rebecca Briant, but her death occurred
on May 15, 1820 WA30. In the “War of 1812
Declaration of Soldier for Pension”, Ziba stated that
he married Diana “Burrughs” in “Hanable
Oswego Co. N.Y.” on May 6, 1821 WA30. He was mentioned in Hannibal’s Historic Highlights, by Gordon
W. Sturge, regarding the prices of items in Hannibal, New York from 1824
through 1901: “With Ziba Blodgett: For boarding
school marm, April 1, 1825, 26 cents. For one day at shingling, Nov.
8, 1825, 25 cents” ST24.
Diana stated that
they relocated from Hannibal to Camillius, Ondadaga County [sic],
New York where they lived for five years (from 1823 until 1828) WA30; Camillus, Onondaga County is about
thirty miles southeast of Hannibal and about ten miles west of Syracuse, New
York. Next, they lived in “Loraine Co Ohio” for sixteen years (from 1828 until
1844), and finally in Kent County, Michigan for twenty-eight years (from 1844
until 1872) WA30.
In 1850, Ziba and Dianna Blodget and Zenas and Rebecca Morgan
resided in Pittsfield, Lorain County, Ohio, which is less than five miles away
from Wellington Township, where Alonzo and Sarah then resided UN10. The Pension Office acknowledged Ziba’s
claim number 230,265 for Bounty Land on January 2, 1856 WA30. At the time of the 1860 census, Ziba and Diana Blodget lived in Otisco,
Ionia County, Michigan with their son, Alvin, and his family UN11. In 1870, Ziba and Diana Blodgett lived in the home of Alvin and
Melissa Blodgett in Algoma, Kent County, Michigan, yet in this instance, Alvin
was the head of the household UN12. Ziba died on August 31, 1872 at Sand Lake,
Michigan WA30.
·
1830 US Census: lived in Hannibal, Oswego County, New York with two boys under five, one boy between
five and nine, one boy between ten and fourteen, one man between twenty and
twenty-nine, and one woman between twenty and twenty-nine. Ziba
Blodget was of thirty but under forty years of age. Alvin would have been one
year old, and Volentine would have been seven, and
assuming that Alonzo was the son of Ziba and Diana,
he would have been four years old, which fits into these age brackets for that
census.
·
1834 Michigan Census: lived in Petitioner Township, Monroe County,
Michigan.
·
1840 US Census: lived in Sheffield,
Lorain County, Ohio with one boy of the age five to nine, one boy and one girl
aged ten to fourteen, one young man aged fifteen to nineteen, and one woman who
was thirty to thirty-nine.
·
1850 US Census: lived in Pittsfield,
Lorain County, Ohio.
·
1860 US Census: lived in Otisco,
Ionia County, Michigan.
·
1870 US Census: lived in Algoma, Kent County,
Michigan.
Dianna Burras, the probable mother of Alonzo Blodget, was
born circa 1802 UN10, WA30 or 1803 in New York UN11, UN12, UN13. She was the half-sister to Martin W. Palmer WA30 and the mother of Volentine and Alvin
Blodget. Diana stated in
the “Claim of Widow for Service Pension” form that she married Ziba on May 6, 1821 in Hannibal, Oswego County, New York in
a ceremony officiated by Reverend Birge; her maiden
name according to the form (“Claim of Widow for Service Pension”) was Diana
Burroughs WA30.
The Newfield Township, Oceana County, Michigan death
certificate for Volentine Blodget, who was born in New York in
January 1823 and died on March 12, 1898, stated that his father was named Zibbi Blodget and his mother was
named Dianna Burras. This death
certificate also stated that his parents were each born in Vermont, and Volentine was born in New York. Because Diana was born in about 1803, Volentine
was probably one of her first children, as she was about twenty at the time of
his birth, and so the marriage of Ziba and Diana
likely occurred between 1818 and 1822. Valentine B. Blodget married
Mary M. Morgan in Grafton, Lorain County, Ohio on November 9, 1844 OH3. “Volentine Blodget” (born about
1823) and Mary Blodget were enumerated with their children, Henry
and Marilla, in LaGrange, Lorain County, Ohio in 1850 UN10. Volentine B. Blodget was issued a
parcel of forty acres on September 1, 1853 which was the southeast quarter of the
northeast quarter of Section 14, Township 8 North in Ionia County, Michigan GE4. Volentine
Blodget, age thirty-six, married Sybil Dewel, age
twenty-four, in Orleans, Ionia County on February 12, 1859 IO3. In 1860, “Valentine
Blodgett” (born about 1824) was enumerated in Orleans Township, Ionia County,
Michigan with Sybil and children Henry, Marilla, Harrison, and four-month-old
Clarissa UN11.
Alvin Blodget was born in New York
about 1829 UN11, UN12. There is a gap of six years in between Volentine and Alvin, which, considering that most women
during their child-bearing years gave birth about every two years, indicates
that Dianna may have had one or two children during that time. Alvin married
Melissa in 1852 WA30 and they were enumerated with their children,
Sabra and Cassius, in the household of Ziba and Dianna in 1860 UN11. Alvin Blodgett died on May 21, 1874 WA30.
The
1860 census indicated that Diana was deaf UN11. In June 1880, Diana
was listed as a widowed dependent of David Smith and his wife, Melissa, and she
lived in Plainfield Township, Kent County, Michigan UN13. Melissa was the
newly remarried widow of Alvin Blodget. Diana stated that her father was born
in Vermont, and her mother was born in New York UN13.
After
Ziba’s death in 1872, Diana did not remarry WA30. The War of 1812 “Claim of Widow for Service Pension” was a
form dated July 16, 1879 and signed by Diana Blodget. It stated that Diana “Blodgett”
was then seventy-seven years old, was a resident of Rockford, Kent County,
Michigan, and the widow of Ziba Blodgett WA30. The form also stated “she further declares that she has
heretofore made no application for… pension, no certificate for pension Ever
issued_ Land warrant issued and land located” WA30. Melissa Smith, age fifty-one, of Rockford, Kent County, and
Sarah Brownell, age fifty-three, of Plainfield, Kent County, both stated that
they had known Diana Blodgett and her husband Ziba
Blodgett for twenty-seven years WA30.
Melissa Smith stated that that she, Alvin, Diana, and Ziba
Blodgett lived together in the same house for over twenty years WA30. Sarah Brownell stated that she had “seen the land Warrant
issued to said Ziba Blodgett, and both are knowing to
his locating upon the same” WA30.
On
July 24, 1879, Martin W. Palmer, age fifty-eight of Elmira, Chemung County, New
York stated before the County Clerk and Clerk of the Supreme Court that he was
Diana Blodget’s half-brother, and that he knew she had been the wife of Ziba Blodget for over fifty years until Ziba’s
death on August 31, 1872 WA30. He
stated that he believes that Ziba served in the War
of 1812 and in the Battle of Oswego in New York on May 5 and 6, 1814 under
Colonel Mitchell; the reason he believed this was that he had often heard Ziba’s recollections of participating in the War of 1812
and in the Battle of Oswego WA30.
On
August 2, 1879, Melissa Smith, age fifty-one of Rockford, Kent County, Michigan
appeared before the Justice of the Peace for Kent County and stated that she
had “in her custody one certain large family Bible which was the property of Ziba Blodget and which according to date upon Title page
was printed A.D. 1832” WA30.
Melissa stated that she had resided with Ziba and
Diana Blodget for over twenty years as their daughter-in-law, being married to
their son, Alvin, in 1852 and remaining in Ziba and
Diana’s household until Ziba’s death at Sand Lake,
Michigan on August 31, 1872 WA30.
She attested that the handwriting as pertaining to the births, marriages, and
deaths written in the family Bible was the handwriting of Ziba
Blodget, and in his penmanship were the words “Ziba
Blodget was married to Diana Burroughs May 6, 1821” WA30. It appears that on August 11, 1879 J.L. Smith, Justice of the
Peace for Kent County, Michigan sent these proofs to Honorable J.A. Bently, the Commissioner of Pensions in Washington, D.C. WA30.
On July 19, 1882 H.V.
Ransom, Justice of the Peace for Kent County, Michigan sent a letter to Honorable
William W. Dudley, the Commissioner of Pensions in Washington, D.C. which asked
what needed to be done to complete her claim WA30. On March 19, 1883, Diana Blodgett of Rockford, Kent County,
Michigan stated in a letter witnessed by Mrs. H. A. Hoston and Calnir E. Smith that
she had applied for a pension (claim number 37,554) which had been rejected on
March 29, 1880 because there was no record or “satisfactory evidence of the
service of the soldier” WA30.
She requested that the claim for a pension be reopened because “her husband,
said Ziba Blodgett, located the following described
land in Oceana County Michigan, on or about November 6, 1861, Viz: The North
West Quarter of section ten (10) in town fourteen (14) North of Range sixteen
(16)” and this parcel of land was “taken up… under a Land Warrant which had
been issued to him… for services performed by him while in the military service
of the United States while a member of the New York Militia in the war of 1812”
WA30. She then stated that the United States Land Office in Reed
City, Michigan located Land Warrant 93,749 for Ziba
Blodgett, but because such a long period of time had
elapsed, she was unable to provide documentation of his company and regiment WA30. She “respectfully requests that her case be examined and acted
upon as speedily as possible as she is now over eighty (80) years of age and
has for many years past been dependent upon the
charity of her relatives and friends for necessary support” WA30. On March 23, 1883, H.V. Ransom sent Diana’s affidavit
regarding pension claim number 37,554 to the Commissioner of Pensions, and he
followed up with another letter dated July 28, 1883 which reminded the
Commissioner that Diana was “very anxious to hear from her claim” WA30.
·
1850 US Census: lived in Pittsfield,
Lorain County, Ohio.
·
1860 US Census: lived in Otisco,
Ionia County, Michigan.
·
1870 US Census: lived in Algoma, Kent County,
Michigan.
·
1880 US Census: lived in Plainfield Township,
Kent County, Michigan.
