5: The Platts

Grave of Elizabeth Platt

Elizabeth Platt had had a very difficult life when she died at the age of 49 on March 20, 1878. She and her husband, Harry, buried three daughters in the graveyard, all younger than one year old. Ten-month-old Emma Maria had died on August 4, 1853. Six-month-old Phebe Elizabeth died on August 4, 1859. And on September 28, 1862, an unnamed daughter died at the age of 22 days.

I have good reason to believe that Elizabeth Platt was the same person as the Elizabeth Sarles listed in the 1850 census. Elizabeth Sarles is the right age to be Elizabeth Platt and lived in the same town. Sarles is the most common surname in the graveyard (accounting for 61 out of 419 surnames). Lastly, and perhaps most convincingly, Elizabeth Sarles had a brother named Schuyler, the same name as Elizabeth Platt's son.

If this is true, then Elizabeth's parents were most likely William and Maria Sarles, who are buried in the cemetery. They died in 1858 (age 84) and 1842 (age 48), respectively. Elizabeth's brothers Schuyler and Erastus are also buried in the cemetery. Erastus died in 1862 at the age of 29 and Schuyler died in 1867 at the age of 37.

1850 US Federal Census

In 1860, Harry, a mason, and Elizabeth Platt were recorded living with their three sons, Hickson, William, and Schuyler.

1860 US Federal Census

Harry and Elizabeth's daughter Evelyn would be born about a year after this census. She seems to be the first of their daughters to have lived past infancy. However, she died at age 18, less than a year after Elizabeth's death, and was buried beside her mother.

Grave of Evelyn Platt

About a year after Evelyn's death, the surviving Platts were living together with two housekeepers. William Platt had been living with another family in the 1870 census, working as a farmhand. However, he had returned to the Platts' by this time and was working as a railway agent.

1880 US Federal Census

Harry was working as a plasterer. His son Hickson was working as ... a minister? I can't quite make out what it says on the census.

This census identifies a second daughter of the Platts who survived her infancy - Lizzie, who was born around 1869. Ultimately, the Platts seem to have had eight children: four who died young and were buried in the cemetery, and four who lived to adulthood.

Of those who lived, Hickson Platt, who was obviously named with a genealogist's interest in mind, was widowed relatively young. In 1900 and 1910, he was living with a woman named Emily Terry in the Middle River Center District in Danbury, Connecticut, and working as a hired man.

In 1917, the 61-year-old Hickson was interviewed for the Connecticut Military Census by Charles Brundage. Among other things, the interview established that Hickson could ride a horse, but not drive a car; he was a good swimmer, and stood 5'3" tall. It also established that Charles Brundage couldn't spell "widower," even when the correct spelling was right in front of him.

1917 Connecticut Military Census for Hickson Platt

Hickson's brother William married a woman named Eudora around 1889, and in 1900 was working at a candy store in Aspen, Colorado. William and Eudora lived with her mother Esther Burroughs, her brother Sam, and two boarders.

1900 US Federal Census

Ten years later, 87-year-old Harry had come to live with William and Eudora in Aspen, along with William's niece and nephew, Eudora and Fred Sarles, and a boarder who worked at the candy store.

1910 US Federal Census

By 1920, Harry had presumably died. William, who still worked at the candy store, and Eudora lived with the younger Eudora and one boarder.

1920 US Federal Census

The younger Eudora stayed in Aspen and married Paul R. Caley, a county assessor. In 1940, Paul was listed by the census as "unable to work." Eudora was working as an accountant for the Works Progress Administration. Paul's younger brother Arbing, who lived with them, was employed as a miner.

An investigation into the older Eudora's early life revealed something surprising. She was a Sarles too! Actually, I'm not sure it's that surprising. William's niece and nephew were Sarleses, after all.

1880 US Federal Census

In 1880 Eudora's mother Esther was married to Joseph Burroughs and living in Kent, Connecticut. Eudora, age 18, was working as a teacher.

I assume that Esther Burroughs is the same person as the Hester Sarles listed in the 1860 census, with Eudora yet to be born. And yes, Hamilton Sarles is buried in the cemetery, of course. He died on June 1, 1869, at the age of 43.

1860 US Federal Census

 As for Schuyler Platt, he married a woman named Caroline, and was working as a "tobacconist" in 1880 and living at 336 West 22 Street in Manhattan. In 1886, he enlisted in the army. In the register of enlistments, he is described as 27 years old, a salesman, 5'4" tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes, and black hair.

1886 Enlistment Registration of Schuyler Platt

Unfortunately, it's very difficult for me to say what happened to the youngest Platt, Lizzie. There are just too many Elizabeths who were born around 1869 for me to determine who and if she married. Of course, I could probably find out what happened to her if I was doing serious genealogy, i.e. the type of genealogy that requires me to leave my house. If and when that happens I'll probably end up doing follow-up reports on all of the people I've covered so far.