Tuesday, December 25, 2018

The Marriages of Ann Jane DOBKINS/DOPKINS (1815-1902)

The following has not been proved, but explains my reason for believing that Ann Jane DOBKINS/DOPKINS married (1) Rufus Billings Cowing (1815-1840) and, (2) Ephraim Smith HAVENS (1805-1877).

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Rufus Billings COWING was born 24 Sep 1815 in Chesterfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts to Calvin COWING and Ruth BISSELL.

He married Ann Jane HOPKINS (probably around 1837). (Information per J. Cowing)

Rufus died on 14 Mar 1840 (probably in Buffalo, Erie, New York).

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Ephraim Smith HAVENS was born 30 January 1805 in Ballston, Saratoga, New York to Joseph HAVENS and Mary E WEED.

He married Mariette MOOERS (1815-Jul 1836) of Alexander, Genesee, New York probably about 1835.  (See History & Directory of Yates Co., Vol 1, Pub 1873, by Stafford C. Cleveland, pages 288-291).  In the History, Mariette’s last name is given as MOORE, but the Alexander Village Cemetery has a record on Find-a-Grave for Marietta Mooers HAVENS.  Further research shows many other MOOERS, including her likely parents, Timothy and Vashti.

Ephraim married Mrs. Ann Jane COWING on 7 Aug 1843 in Buffalo, Erie, New York.  The “Mrs.” leads me to believe that this was a married name.  This record can be found in 10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809-1850.  In North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, it says he married Ann Jane DORKINS.

The obituary for Ann Jane HAVENS (The Buffalo Commercial - 21 Oct 1902 - Page 10) gives her birth date as 30 Sep 1815 in Hoosick, Rensselaer, New York.  Looking through census, tax and military records for Hoosick between 1800 and 1820 for similar names yields a Nathan DOBKINS/DOPKINS as the most likely father of Ann Jane.

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Given the challenges with transcriptions of very old records, I believe that Ann Jane DOBKINS/DOPKINS, rather than HOPKINS, first married Rufus Billings COWING and, after his death, married Ephraim Smith HAVENS.

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In Ephraim’s obituary (Buffalo Evening Post - 18 Apr 1877 - Page 3) it mentions that he has an adopted daughter.  It seems likely that this daughter, Lucy Jane, was Ann Jane’s daughter from her marriage to Rufus Billings COWING.  Lucy Jane was born 29 Dec 1838 (as given by North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, and her burial card at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo) and Rufus died in March 1840.

Lucy Jane HAVENS married William Wisner PARSONS on 18 Sep 1860.  Their daughter, Jennie Havens PARSONS was born in Jun 1866.  Jennie never married. She died 16 Nov 1916.

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