William E. Remington

Notes:

Eben, Sarah, & Arch are in the 1870 Federal Census living at Fentonville, Genesee Co., MI, next to his uncle Abner Remington and family. In 1880 Eben & Sarah are at Fenton, Genesee Co., MI, with their two sons, Frank 20 & Arch C. 10. (Who is Frank Remington, age 20, son? Could he have been from an earlier marriage?) Also in the home are in-laws Moses & Catharine Smith.

In the Federal Census of 1 June 1900, Eben & Sarah C. Remington, ages 63 & 58, are still living at Fenton, Genesee Co., MI. Their son Archie, 27, is still with them. They are living on Poplar Street.

His obituary in The Fenton Independent:
"Ebin Remington died at his home on Poplar Street . . . He was born in Fenton 17 June 1837 and lived here his entire life. Surviving: wife; 1 son, Archie Remington; a brother, J. B. Remington; and a sister, Mrs. Jennie Traver. Mr. Remington was widely known as a horse trainer and breeder of fancy dogs. He was the pioneer in the cement business in Fenton, discovering the marl deposits and realizing their worth several years ago. He was unable to interest capital, however, and so did nothing with what has developed into an industry of immense proportion. He was a soldier in the war of the rebellion and spent three years in a rebel prison, but finally succeeded in escaping and returned to Fenton."

Eben married Sarah J. Smith 5 Dec 1866, Genesee Co., MI. Sarah (daughter of Moses Smith and Catharine Unknown) was born Between 1838 and Sep 1841, Michigan; died Aft 1 Jun 1900. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1850 Federal Census, she is age 11, and her name is given as Sarah C. Smith. It is also Sarah C. Smith in the Genesee Co., MI, Marriage Index.

Notes:

William came from a family of 14 siblings. Born in Rhode Island, he moved to New Bedford, MA, then to Dutchess County and Ulster County, NY. He came to Michigan from Kingston, NY, in 1835 with his wife Jane. His trip from New York State was by canal to Buffalo, then by boat to Detroit and by foot to Fenton. (Information from Thomas Lavery, a descendant)

In the 1860 Federal Census, William & Jane Remington are living at Fenton, Genesee Co., MI. They have three children: Edwin (Eben) 23, John 19, & Jane (Jennie) 16. Also with them is brother Abner Remington, 37, a sailor.

The 1870 census shows William at age 61 & his wife Jane living in the Village of Fenton, Genesee County, MI, with his extended family. In the household are Edward H. White & Eliza J. with their three children: Jessie A., Mabel P., & Edward H. Jr.; along with two domestic servants, a farm hand, and another man -- possibly a boarder or relative. Next door are John Remington (his son) with wife Emily and son Jay C. (see Roll 671 p. 1000 R Wm Remington; online census images)

In 1880 William is 71 and Jane is 72. They are still at Fenton, MI, living near and with family members.

The obituary in The Fenton Independent, 29 Apr 1897:
"William Remington, probably the oldest pioneer of this township, at his home in the northern part of the village. He was born in Tiverton, Rhode Island, in 1809, one of a family of 14 children, all of whom are dead but one brother, Abner, of Mundy. He with his wife, Jane Broadhead, came from Kingston, New York, in 1835, taking up land in a then unbroken wilderness on the banks of the Shiawassee. At one time he owned 500 acres of land, on which a good portion of Fenton now stands. Three children survive: Ebin and John of Fenton and Mrs. John Traver of Ft. Wayne, Indiana."

William married Jane Broadhead 16 Aug 1835, Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, NY. Jane (daughter of John Brodhead) was born 20 Mar 1807, Ulster County, NY; died 20 May 1893, Fenton, Genesee County, MI; was buried 28 May 1893, Oakwood Cemetery, Fenton, MI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her obituary says that at age 85 she was one of the oldest residents of Genessee County, and died at her home in the northern part of Fenton. She came to Fenton in 1835, settling on the farm taken up by her husband and which is now subdivided into the village lots.

Notes:

In the 1850 Federal Census, Moses & Catherine are living at Holly, Oakland Co., MI, with their eight children. In the 1870 Federal Census, Moses & Catharine are still living at Holly, Oakland Co., MI. They are next door to Lot & family. In 1880 Moses & Catharine are living with daughter Sarah Remington and her family at Fenton, Genesee, MI.

Moses was probably born closer to 1801.

Moses married Catharine Unknown Abt 1825, NY. Catharine was born Between 1800 and 1803, NY; died Aft 1 Jun 1880, MI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Catherine was probably born closer to 1803.

Notes:

Thomas Remington of Tiverton was appointed to serve on the grand jury, along with Isaac Negus, for the November term 1797, to attend the Court of Common Pleas. (Tiverton Probate Records No 5 p 56)

Thomas served in the military during the Revolutionary War. He first enlisted at Tiverton in January 1777, and when he was discharged in March 1778, re-enlisted right away, and was subsequently discharged about a year later. During much of that time his company was encamped at Bristol and at Ft. Barton in Tiverton. He was in the action during the Battle of RI under General Sullivan.

In his deposition as part of the pension application in 1832, he said he had been born in South Kingstown, but that his family had moved to Tiverton when he was very young. After the war he returned to Tiverton, where he is most likely the other adult male in his father's household in 1790, which includes 2 free white males 16+, and one free white female -- probably his mother or a sister.

In 1832 he mentions that he is a neighbor of Job and Charles Durfee, Esquires. Thomas Remington is in the 1830 RI Census, residing in Tiverton (Newport County, p. 071). He is also there in 1840, and is listed as a Revolutionary War Pensioner, at age 79 1/2. However, he seems to be living alone at that time. Perhaps Alice is in ill health, and has gone to live with one of her children? She will pass away in 1848 at Dartmouth; their son Joseph and family are probably there in 1840, but appear in New Bedford by 1850. I have not yet found a date of death for Thomas, but apparently he died before Alice because she is described as his widow; also, since his last pension payment was in March 1842, he probably died in Feb or March of that year. "Thomas Remington residing in Tiverton collected a pension until March 2, 1842." (source for quote: George Sermuksnis, Archives Technician at Waltham National Archives).

On 7 September 1832, two friends/neighbors and fellow-Revolutionary-soldiers testified on his behalf; they were William Cook, and John Manchester, our ancestor.

Thomas Remington is on the list of persons who united with the Amicable Congregational Society, associated with the Amicable Congregational Church, Tiverton, RI. (ref: "The History of Amicable Congregational Church 1746 - 1946" p.83) He probably was buried from this church, but there were no death records kept for the church at this time. The location of his grave is unknown. I suspect he may be buried with his parents and their Brayton relatives, in one of the unknown gravesites in the family plot at Pleasant View Cemetery, Stone Church Rd., Tiverton, RI (formerly buried on a family farm and relocated to this cemetery).

Revolutionary War Pension file # S21938

He is listed on the Pension Roll of 1835: Remington, Thomas, private of Artillery, Newport county, all $90, rec $270, R.I. Cont. Line, pl July 9, 1833, com March 4, 1831, age 74

In the 1840 Federal Census, Thomas is listed in Tiverton, RI, as a Revolutionary War Veteran/Pensioner age 79 and 1/2.

The list of Thomas and Alice's children came to me from a distant cousin in Michigan. This agreed with names I already had found in the New Bedford whaling crew lists and in marriage, census, and death records in RI and MA.

On 2 March 1791 Thomas Remington mariner of Tiverton received 250 in Spanish milled dollars from Thomas Barker of Tiverton, for the 13th 50-acre lot in the Pocasset Purchase, bounded easterly and westerly on highway, north by the 12th lot and south by the 14th lot. Witnessed by Joseph Barker and Abraham Barker. (Tiverton Deed Book 4)

See this note from cousin Russ Shaw (I am not sure if it pertains to this particular Thomas Remington, our ancestor, but it probably does):
"Last time I was at the RIHS archives I came across an interesting document that I think you may want to check on. It involves Thomas Remington and his son John. I found them both as crew members on the brig Eliza out of Bristol, bound for Trinidad de Cuba, 5 Jan 1818. Reference: MS 28,sg 2, Box 7 (1819-1820), Bristol Custom House records, RIHS."

Thomas married Alice "Elce" GRINNELL Abt 1793. Alice (daughter of Daniel GRINNELL and Sarah Unknown) was born Abt Mar 1777, Tiverton, Newport Co., RI; died 1 Jan 1848, Dartmouth, MA; was buried , Rural Cemetery, New Bedford, MA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Her death announcement was in The Daily Mercury, New Bedford, on Monday 3 Jan 1848:
"Died, in Dartmouth, the 1st, Mrs. Alice Remington, the widow of the late Thomas Remington, formerly of Tiverton, RI, aged 72. Funeral this afternoon at 2 o'clock from No. 59 Grinnell Street. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend."

A similar announcement was in the New Bedford Mercury (not the daily), Friday, 7 Jan 1848:
"In Dartmouth, the 1st, Mrs. Alice, widow of the late Thomas Remington, formerly of Tiverton, RI, aged 72."

According to the New Bedford death record, Alice died of consumption at age 70 y 10 m.

She may have died at the home of her daughter Mary Rounds.