Western New York Roots

A couple weeks ago when I was reading Randy Seaver’s blog he asked bloggers to look up their “#21″. On an Ahnentafel report, you’re #21 would represent one of your great great grandmothers. In my case it was woman named Evelyn (Stach?) Finch. Her maiden name was always a mystery to me. The only clue I had was the 1880 Census which listed her husband’s mother-in-law living with the family and her name was Catharine Stach? (The last name was very hard to read.) Whenever I searched ancestry.com for Stach, Stock, Mench… any variations I could think of, I never found anything of use. When I read Randy’s post I decided to revisit this case and try a different method of searching. This time I searched for Catharine’s in Attica, NY and tried to match one up with a daughter Eveline. Its a small town so this worked out much easier than I anticipated. There they were in the 1870 Census! Owen, Catharine and Evaline Marchant! Next I searched ancestry for anything on Owen Marchant. Sure enough… he was mentioned in the “History of Warsaw, NY” which is scanned on the website.
It says:
Owen, born in 1796, married Amanda Brown… He had 5 children: 1. Esther, who married Henry Finch… Mr. Owen Marchant has a second wife.

Ut oh! Here’s where the problem comes in! “Esther, who married Henry Finch” is the mother of Henry Wesley Finch. Henry Wesley Finch went on to marry Eveline Marchant? If this is the case, HW married his mother’s half sister!

In the 1860 census, Catharine Eighmy (spelled Amy) and Eveline Marchant are listed in Attica, NY living with other member of the Eighmy family. Owen and Amanda Marchant live together in a different residence in Attica.

Here is my take:

• Owen Marchant (b.1796) and Amanda (b.1800) are married
• 1821 – Esther Marchant is born
• 1851 – Owen has an affair with Catharine Eighmy and Eveline is born
• Early 1850’s – Esther Marchant marries Henry Finch
• Jan 1854 – Henry Wesley Finch is born to Henry and Esther
• 28 Feb 1862 – Amanda Marchant dies
• Bet 1862 & 1870 – Owen Marchant and Catharine Eighmy get married
• 19 Oct 1877 – Owen Marchant dies
• Approx. 1877 – Henry Wesley Finch and Eveline Marchant get married

I know things were a little different in those days but… assuming Owen was still alive when HW and Eveline got married… did HW ask his grandfather for permission to marry his daughter?

Here are the people involved as they fit in my family tree:
Owen Marchant
Amanda (Brown) Marchant
Esther (Marchant) Finch
Catharine (Eighmy) Marchant
Eveline (Marchant) Finch
Henry Finch
Henry Wesley Finch

I have yet to find death records for any of them. I guess my next step is to dig into state census records. I don’t believe there are any wills or probate records either.