Jabez & Polly

Jabez CAMPBELL (1775/6-1854) and Polly (ROFF) CAMPBELL (1777/8-1863) were long-time residents of Delaware Co. In the 1810, 1830, 1840, and 1850, they were in Kortright Township; in 1820, they were in Delhi. From about 1830 on, they farmed just outside Bloomville.

Not too much is really known for certain about Jabez prior to 1810, except that he was born in New York. Jabez died on 2 February 1854. His headstone says that he died at 78 years and 4 months, which would put his birth in early October 1775. But, the 1850 census lists his age that summer as 73, which would put his year of birth as 1776. That, or they meant more than 4 months on the stone.

I have a question about if he was illiterate or not; he signed his farm's deed with a mark, but the 1850 Census indicates that can read and write. He smoked a pipe. Records may have his name spelled as "Jabish," as this is what appears on his headstone. He is buried in Horton Family Cemetery, just outside of Greene, Chenango Co, the connection to the HORTON's being established by one of his Grandaughters marrying into that family.

My many newfound cousins and I are try to learn who Jabez's father was. One oral source suggests that his father's name might have been Angus, but this is very not firm. I have been unable to turn up an Angus in the area.

His wife was the former Polly ROFF, and she was born in Massachusetts. Polly's father's name was John. She had at least one sibling, a brother named Henry. Polly moved in with her son Rufus in Greene, Chenango Co, after Jabez died, passing away on 9 May 1863. She is buried next to her husband at Horton Family Cemetery.

Children & Grandchildren

The six known children of Jabez and Polly were James, John R., Maria, Rufus, William, and Dorcas, and they combined gave 32 known grandchildren. All of the children are believed to have been born in Delaware Co. Only one, William, the fifth child, stayed to raise a family there, indeed on Jabez's original property. Except for James, all the children have some connection to Chenango Co, contained in details below.

James CAMPBELL (1807-1837) married Sarah Ann LAKE in Andes, Delaware Co, 1830. No issue has been located to him and Sarah yet, and except for the date of his marriage and name of his bride nothing is known about his life. Sarah Ann Lake was a sister of Phoebe Ann Lake, who married one of Clarinda MARVIN's brothers.

John R. CAMPBELL (1810-1891) married Clarinda MARVIN. Clarinda' parents were Seth and Sally MARVIN, and they had come to Delaware Co from Connecticut when Clarinda was young. John and Clarinda moved from Delaware Co to Smithville Flats, Chenango Co, around 1833. Then, they moved to De Kalb Co, Illinois, in 1853. James and Mary Jane are born in Delaware Co, the other children in Chenango Co.

1. James Leroy CAMPBELL (1831-1915) married Eveline CLEMMENS.
2. Mary Jane CAMPBELL (1832-1869?) married David T. BLACK.
3. Silas R. CAMPBELL (1833-1886) married Mary HAMMOND who died, then he remarried Phoebe Catharine WINANS.
4. Abertha A. CAMPBELL (1837-after 1850).
5. Abigail CAMPBELL (1839-1921) married John R. BLACK.
6. Henrietta CAMPBELL (1842-between 1880-1891) married Isaac Coleman HINCKLEY in Ill., moved to South Haven, Mich.
7. Jabez A. CAMPBELL (1844-1915) married Mary L. HUFFMAN. Jabez volunteered for service to the Union during the Civil War, serving with the 31st Ill. Vol. Infantry.
8. Almira CAMPBELL (1846-1923) married Clark Amos WINANS.
9. Phoebe A. CAMPBELL (1849-after 1860).

Maria CAMPBELL (1814-1888) never married as near as can be told. She shows up on the 1850 Census working as a housekeeper in the Horton family house next store to where brother Rufus lived. She died shortly after being admitted to the Chenango Co House at Preston and is buried in Fly Meadow Creek Cemetery, Greene.

Rufus CAMPBELL (1816-1870) married Lovinia BURDICK. Rufus moved to Greene in 1843. Rufus and Lovinia spent time at the end of their lives at the Co home in Preston. Prior to goint to the Preston home, Lovinia lived Emily and her husband, Dwight LYMAN. The four children who died young are buried along with their parents in Sylvan Lawn Cemetery, in Greene. It is not known what happened to the other five children who survived after the parents died. Rufus and Lovinia had nine known children in toto, all born in Chenango Co.:

1. Emily CAMPBELL (1843-after 1880) married Dwight LYMAN by 1880, when they are listed as still living in Greene for that Census.
2. Elizabeth CAMPBELL (1846-after 1870) married Abraham HORTON by 1870.
3. Mary CAMPBELL (1848-after 1875).
4. Sarah CAMPBELL (1851-after 1875).
5. Rufus Aaron CAMPBELL (1853-after 1875) may have gone by Aaron and apparently leaves Chenango Co after his father died. He is the earliest Campbell man who "goes missing" from the records.
6. Charles W. CAMPBELL (1856-1863).
7. Adelbert O. CAMPBELL (1858-1862).
8. Levinia CAMPBELL (1861-1862).
9. Martha CAMPBELL (1865-1869).

William CAMPBELL (1818-1873) married Harriet DANIELS, both of Delhi, on July 1, 1850 by Rev. C F Barnett, in Greene, Chenango Co, NY. He inherited the family farm in Bloomville, Delaware Co, after Jabez died. William Alfred and his wife Ella McIntyre eventually inherited the farm but sold it around 1940 after leasing it out a few times. William and Harriet had three children, all of whom stayed in the area:

1. James Henry CAMPBELL (1851-1872), probably didn't marry, went by Henry.
2. Jane Ann CAMPBELL (1859-????), married David Clark MCWILLIAMS.
3. William Alfred CAMPBELL (1864-1931) married Ella F. MCINTYRE.

Dorcas CAMPBELL (1820-1896) married Sam PHELPS. They moved from Delaware Co. to Chenango Co. around 1842, then they followed brother John R. to De Kalb Co, Ill., in 1856, and settled near her brother's farm. They had 11 children: Sarah Ann and James were born in Delaware Co; Mary, Mary Lavinia, Phoebe, and Caroline were born in Greene, Chenango Co; Cynthia was born in Binghamton, Broome Co; and the rest were born in Illinois:

1. Sarah Ann PHELPS (1839-1921) married Nyrum BLACK.
2. James A. PHELPS (1841-1922) married Sarah WILTSIE.
3. Mary PHELPS (1842?-1849?)
4. Cynthia PHELPS (1843?-1849?)
5. Mary Lavinia PHELPS (1849-1934), married Hyrum Smith EWING.
6. Phoebe Adelia PHELPS (1851-1910?), married John O. WESTLAKE
7. Caroline PHELPS (1854-1942), married Col. FOSTER, Myron CORSER, and Lyman EWING (after sister Emma died).
8. Emma PHELPS (1857-1915) married Lyman EWING.
9. Clarinda PHELPS (1860-1918) married John R. CHATFIELD.
10. Adelphia PHELPS (1862-1937) married Alonzo GORTON. Alonzo worked as a laborer on the farm of Silas CAMPBELL's stepson.
11. Benjamin PHELPS (1866-????) married a Kate.

Other families mentioned

1. There are multiple marriages between the CAMPBELL and the BLACK, EWING, and WINANS families. There is even a case of a CAMPBELL daughter have a BLACK daughter who marries a WINANS.
2. HINKLEY was also spelled HINCKLEY in some records. Or, if you prefer, HINCKLEY is also spelled HINKLEY in some records.
3. James CAMPBELL married Sarah Ann LAKE, whose sister Phoebe married Jeremiah MARVIN. Jeremiah is the brother of Clarinda MARVIN, who married James' brother, John.
4. Quite a bit of work on the MARVIN family has been done. Originating in Essex, England, they settled in Conn. before Seth and Sally MARVIN came to N.Y. with their many children. I am in contact with a couple MARVIN descendents if anyone is looking.
5. The ROFF family originated in Mass.

The "other" Jabez Campbell

Very early on in my research, I realized that there were two men named Jabez CAMPBELL in New York at this time. To make matters more confusing, the two Jabez's were born about the same time, although the other Jabez was born in Conn. and emigrated with his parents prior to 1800. Here is a chart of the two side-by-side:

I believe the other Jabez was also in the War of 1812, as there is a Jabez CAMPBELL serving with the 55th N.Y. Militia (Sprague's Regiment), which was based out of Jefferson Co., where the other Jabez is settled in 1820. If the other Jabez interests you, I hope this has been helpful. I have contact with a descendent.

Random thoughts

In October 2003, I began my genealogy research with the goal of finding the name of my ancestor who came over on the boat. I made some early strides and got back to Jabez after a couple weeks, thanks primarily to meeting some people who had made efforts before. Then, I hit "the wall." Jabez's parentage has been eluding me since, but I can't feel bad because my cousin Marcy has been at this since 1980-something and has been at the wall much longer than me. Also, there are many people who can't get back very far in their search, so to be at my Great Great Great Great Grandparents is a good measure of success. I really can't complain.

To support my goal, I have been tracking down living descendents who reside down the other branches of the Jabez tree. And there are many branches. Some have found me from other postings hither and yon on the Web. This has been a wonderful experience, because I have found some cousins I never knew I had. Also, many of the new cousins, the most distant so far confirmed being a Third Cousin Twice Removed, have provided me with pictures and more information than I had originally.

By happy circumstance, I live in New Jersey, so I have been able to make a few trips up there to do first-hand research. I have been to these towns in Delaware and Chenango counties from where my family originated, as well as some historical libraries in Albany and Cooperstown.