Monday, April 29, 2013

30: Richard and Rachel Kirby

(Source)
"Rachiel" Kirby - unconventional spelling or engraver's mistake? For now I'm going to assume it's the latter. I don't think I've ever seen Rachel spelled that way.

At first I mistook Richard and Rachel Kirby for husband and wife. In fact, she's his daughter. (Correction, August 17, 2015: She was his wife! See here.) Rachel's mother was Matilda Frost, who is not buried in the cemetery. Richard, a farmer, was born around 1781 and died in 1857.

Rachel was born in New Jersey in 1804. In 1850, she lived with her father and three Kirbys whom I am assuming are her brothers. There was also a 17-year-old girl, Cecilia Smith; I'm not sure how she fits into the picture.
 
1850 US Federal Census
Joseph Kirby (1801-1849)
Rachel's older brother Joseph, who was born in 1801, married Mary Ferris and became a miller. On August 12, 1849, he died suddenly of unknown causes, according to the 1850 United States Federal Census Mortality Schedules. After her husband's death, Mary was living with a man named Philip Clapp, a woman named Adelia Horton, and Adelia's daughter Emily.

1850 US Federal Census
Although she died in 1879, I can't find Mary in the 1860 or 1870 census.

Leonard Kirby (1802-1878)
Rachel's older brother Leonard Kirby was born around 1802. He married Jane Vervalen, who was born in New Jersey in 1813. They had thirteen children, only five of whom outlived their mother.

In 1860, Leonard and Jane lived near the cemetery with their nine children, three servants, and two laborers. Leonard was a merchant.

1860 US Federal Census
Leonard died in 1878, after which Jane lived with relatives in New Jersey and then in Westchester. In 1900, she was living with her daughter Louisa and her husband Alexander H. Mood, a traveling salesman, as well as the Moods' son George, Jane's daughter Adelaide, and one boarder.


When Jane died in 1902 at the age of 89, it was a full hundred years after her husband Leonard's birth.

Leonard's son Richard Kirby married Adelaide L. Stanton, the daughter of James P. and Jemima Stanton and the sister of Annie and Emily who are buried in the cemetery. You can read about Richard and Adelaide's descendants in the Annie and Emily post.
Sinclair Harcout Kirby

Leonard's other son Edgar Kirby enlisted in the Civil War on September 9, 1862, in the 5th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment, Company H. He became a Corporal on January 24, 1863, and a Second Lieutenant on June 22, 1863. He was discharged on June 29, 1863.

Edgar Kirby's son Sinclair Kirby worked in advertising and volunteered in the 71st New York Infantry, Company G, in the Spanish-American War. In 1918, he applied for a passport for the purpose of traveling to England and France to serve in the Red Cross. To the right is a photograph of him from the application.

William A. Kirby (1828-?)
William Kirby was working as a carpenter in 1850, but I can't find him in censuses after that.

Charles H. Kirby (1830-)
Charles Kirby and his wife Jane buried one child in the cemetery: Albert E. Kirby, who was born and died in 1860. The family later moved to Brooklyn, where Charles was working as a bookkeeper in 1880.

1880 US Federal Census

John Wesley Kirby (1832-1901)
I'm guessing that the Kirbys were Methodists based on the name of their youngest child, John Wesley Kirby. He was born in 1832 and was a carpenter. On September 9, 1862, along with nephew Edgar Kirby, he enlisted in the Civil War, serving in the 5th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment, Company H. He was promoted to Corporal on July 31, 1864, and to Sergeant on April 20, 1865. He was discharged on June 22, 1865.

After the war, John Wesley Kirby lived in Brooklyn with his wife, Adelaide, and their children.

1880 US Federal Census
After Adelaide's death, John lived with his daughter Leonora and her husband George Parker. He died in 1901.

Most popular names
Leonard (5)
William (3)
Charles (3)
Jane (3) 
Edgar (2)
Richard (2)
  1. Richard Kirby (1781-1857) m. Matilda Frost (1783-); Rachel Kirby 
    1. Joseph Kirby (1801-1849) m. Mary Ferris (1800-1879)
    2. Leonard Kirby (1802-1878) Jane E. Vervalen (1813-1902)
      1. William H. Kirby (1831-)
      2. Richard Kirby (1834-) m. Adelaide L. Stanton (1841-after 1930)
        1. Evelina A. Kirby (1862-)
        2. Leonard Kirby (1869-) m. Elizabeth (1871-) in 1892
          1. Leonard Kirby (1893-1983) m. Delma Crenshaw (1903-1945)
            1. Leonard Kirby (1918-1964)
          2. Hildegard Kirby (1895-)
      3. Edgar Kirby (1838-1912) m. (1) Mary Jane (1838-1872); (2) Ellen McCoy Rider (1847-1900)
        1. Jane Kirby (1861-1890)
        2. Matilda Kirby (1875-)
        3. Sinclair Harcout Kirby (1877-) m. Louise (1863-)
        4. Edgar Kirby (1883-1967) m. Ethel B. (1884-)
          1. Helen D. Kirby (1910-)
        5. Ellen Kirby (1883-)
      4. Matilda Kirby (1840-1878) m. James Hoyt (1838-1890)
      5. Evelina Kirby (1842-)
      6. Jane Kirby (1844-)
      7. Leonard Kirby (1845-)
      8. Louisa Kirby (1848-) m. Alexander H. Mood (1852-)
        1. George L. Mood (1886-)
      9. Adelaide Kirby (1849-)
      10. Helen Kirby (1855-)
      11. Mary Kirby (1857-)
    3. William A. Kirby (1828-)
    4. Charles H. Kirby (1830-) m. Jane E. (1834-)
      1. Charles M. Kirby (1858-) m. Nellie (1859-)
        1. Walter Kirby (1879-)
        2. Lillian Kirby (1882) m. William J. Steinel (1875-) in 1898
        3. Charles Kirby (1885-)
        4. William Kirby (1888-)
        5. Benjamin H. Kirby (1889-)
      2. Albert E. Kirby (1860-1860)
      3. Frederick Kirby (1865-)
    5. John Wesley Kirby (1832-1901) m. Adelaide M. (1835-) in 1857
      1. Leonora Kirby (1857-1928) m. George H. Parker (1856-1897)
        1. George H. Parker (1886-)
        2. Marguerite Parker (1888-)
        3. Ethel G. Parker (1896-)
      2. Augustus Kirby (1860-)
      3. Louisa Kirby (1862-)

1 comment:

  1. Keep up the good work. This is one of the most fascinating places in Mount Kisco that is still reasonably intact. Up 117 a little bit past Byram Lake Road between 117 and Spencer street you'll find the remains of the wells the houses used about 45 - 100 feet in from 117 just past the last store that used to be a "Hi Health" milk store. They are marked by flat stones covering the well shafts. I believe they are dug wells. That will give you a good idea where to look for foundation remnants if you are into such things. Old maps indicate several structures in that area.

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