Descendants of Francis King

Generation No. 1

1.  FRANCIS¹ KING was born November 25, 1757 in Frederick county, Maryland^1,2, and died October 24, 1830 in Ithaca, Tompkins, New York^3,4.  He married MARY JONES October 31, 1780 in Jones family farm, Somerset co., New Jersey, daughter of JOHN JONES and AGNES.  She was born August 15, 1763 in New Jersey, and died May 20, 1844 in Ithaca, Tompkins, New York.

Notes for FRANCIS KING:

The truth as to the origin of Francis King is unknown to me.  The Howland family always said that Francis King was born in Maryland.  This story apparently was widely accepted among various King descendants as all the applications for the SAR and DAR that I have seen say that he was born in Maryland, but no one says where.  The family tradition was that Francis King was living in or around Anne Arundel co., Maryland, about twenty miles from where he enlisted at the time of his enlistment into the American Revolutionary Army.    It was always said that he was born in Frederick county, Maryland.

I have not found a record of Francis King's birth or a family to associate with him.   I  recently discovered  a reference to a Francis King who died a year after our Francis King was born.  He had served during the French and Indian war in Frederick county Maryland.   If this is his origin, it may help to explain why there is no record of him. Frederick county was considered back country at this time, and it is likely that Francis faced plenty of difficult times growing up there in the 1760's and early 70's.  It is likely his time would have been spent learning the practical necessities for making a living,  farming, construction, hunting, fishing, maintenance, and making home brew. Francis King never learned to write, not  even his name.  This is demonstrated time and again in his making his mark on documents he was to sign.

The other story has its genesis in the Banfield Family Reunion and was published in the Cuba Patriot - Cuba, NY 5 July 1928.  It states that when James Banfield was twelve years old, he  and Francis King  were playing on the Royal lands in England.  While playing with sling shots, James killed a royal goose.  In fear for their lives, the boys stowed away on a ship that lay at anchor in London.  They were discovered after the ship sailed and worked on ship board during the passage to America. When they landed, they were sold into indenture by the captain to pay for their transport to the colony.

They served together during the American Revolution,  married sisters, and remained good friends for the remainder of their lives.  While there is good reason to doubt the first part of the story, the second part  is true.  Francis King and James Banfield served together in the 6th Maryland Line during the Revolution, they did marry sisters.   James Banfield married Tabitha Jones and Francis King married Mary Jones, and they both came to Ithaca and lived to the end of their days there.  Their descendants always referred to each other as cousins.

It was also said that James was the descendant of the noble Banfield line in England, and that the Jones were descendents of a royal Welsh line. [It was common in vanity genealogies at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century to make unsupportable claims of noble and royal linage.  Modern genealogy requires supporting documentation to back up a statement of descent.]

There are problems with the goose story.  The first problem with the story is that, according to their grave stones, James Banfield was 10 years older that Francis King.  For this tale to be true, Francis would have had to stow away with James when he was  age 2.   Further research has shown that James Banfield came over on a convict ship and was sold as an indentured convict.  This was a common enough event in those days.  It was the practice to take many a poor person and convict them of a minor offence, and then transport them to the colonies that were in need of cheap labor.  Over 50,000 English men, women and children were transported as ''convicts" before the Revolution.  One quarter of all those of English descent came to the colonies as an indenture, that were used primarily as labor contracts.  James Banfield could neither read or write and signed his will by making his mark.  Children of nobility would have been better educated by age 10 or 12.  His inability to sign his own name suggests a more common origin.

But could the story have been about Francis King and another friend, with James' name replacing the other mans so as to become more "acceptable" to later generations.  I found a Francis King and a John Johnson record bound out for passage from London in the Philadelphia archives.   I have come to believe, however,  that this is the wrong Francis King.   Ours would have been only 16 years old at the time. The term of indenture for this Francis King was only one year and nine months, while John Johnson was bound out for a term of four years.  Terms of indenture were often set by the value of ones labor, and for someone to serve only one year and nine months, they would have had to have a very special knowledge -- not something too likely for most illiterate 16 year olds.

Finally, I have not found any knowledge of the goose story of King descendants whose families were not in the upstate NY area in the 1920's when the story was first published.  Those that left there area earlier have had no knowledge of it, while those in the area have the same story almost word for word.  This further suggests a story of modern origin, and one in written form.  when one studies folklore, one looks for drift in the story over time.  There has been virtually none in this case.

The King and Howland family traditions are that Francis King was from Frederick County, Maryland.   He was born 25 Nov. 1757,  the date copied by his son, Alexander King,  into the family bible that later ended up in the National Archives to support the Revolutionary War Pension application.  Francis enlisted when age 20 on the 25 Feb 1777 at Carroll Manor or Alexandria, Anne Arundell Co. Md.  He served three years in the 6th Maryland Line during the American Revolution.  James Banfield's record can be found there as well.   National Archives records show that he fought in many battles which include:  the Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Long Island, Battle of Stony Point, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Germantown, and the Battle of Monmouth.  Historians will note that both the Battle of Brandywine and Long Island took place before the time of King's enlistment.  This means that Mary (Jones) King, his widow, made an error was applying for her widow's pension, or Francis had earlier service and may have been a member of a State militia.  There is no federal record of his early service.   On 10 Apr 1779 he was promoted to corporal.  Francis King was present on 1 January 1780, and was  mustered out of service on 25 Feb 1780, at or near Madison, New Jersey.

Both Francis King and James Banfield remained in the area,  as they soon became involved with the Jones sisters who lived on their father's farm in Somerset County, New Jersey.    On 31 Oct. 1780 both Francis King and James Banfield were married to the two Jones girls, Mary (b. 15 Aug 1763) and Tabitha (b. 1765) respectively.  The double wedding was performed by the Rev. Abner Sutton, a traveling Baptist minister.   Among others, the wedding was witnessed by Mary and Tabitha's cousin, Moses Barpo who later wrote a letter testifying to the fact in support of Mary's widow's pension.   His letter is part of the record in the National Archives. Moses Barpo's letter tells of the wedding at the farm.  He also states that they stayed on to help run the farm for at least a year, at which time Moses Barpo was married.

I speculate that John Jones, Mary and Tabitha's father may have been in poor health.   This may have been the reason that Tabitha married at a young age to the older James Banfield.    I find no further trace of John Jones, and can only speculate that his wife's name was Agnes, based on the fact that both King and Banfield name children Agnes.   I further speculate that the Jones found in the Township of Wantage, Sussex, New Jersey in 1793 are brothers to Mary and Tabitha.

Francis King, James Banfield  next appear on the New Jersey 1793 Military Census in the Township of Wantage in Sussex county, New Jersey  along with a Moses and a William Jones.   In the winter of 1799 Francis King, Mary and seven children left Wantage to seek a home in the new land known as the "Lake Country" and settled two miles south of Ithaca in a place called "South Hill."  They moved upon the ice a great part of the way along the Delaware River probably crossing over from Deposit to Windsor, down the Susquehanna River to Binghamton and Owego, and then across the country by the old Indian trail blazed with marked trees to there place of destination.  The journey occupied about three week with oxen and sleds.  They had in their team two pair of oxen and two cows, the cows being driven in yoke to make it handier to drive them, and the oxen doing most of the work.  At that time there was but one log house between Owego and Ithaca.

Although they settled on the "Military Tract", neither James nor Francis are among the first purchasers of land on the tract.  It now appears that neither received bounty lands in lieu of pay for service in the Revolution.  The Military Tract was made available for settlement in 1794/5 and immediately a great deal of land speculation took place. Property changed hands several times before King purchased his piece of wilderness on South Hill.  From a later land transaction that recently came to my attention, it appears that Moses Barpo and Francis King bought some land together as stated in a land deed transferring property to Jacob King from Mary King, Francis' widow, who states that it was originally purchased by the two of them.  A land sale deed dated 1821 where Mary King, of Tioga County sells 34 acres to Caleb Jessup of Columbia County, NY referred to to a deed from 1799 where James Pumpelly sold 34 acres to Francis King.

They moved to Ithaca with scanty possessions which included the old grandfather clock with all wooden works which is now (1999) owned by Nick Howland.  King also brought the old sergeant's sword that according to family lore is said to have been removed from a dead Hessian after one of the battles.  The sword was used as a cheese knife on the South Danby farm for many years and most recently as the ceremonial knife to cut the wedding cake at Charles B. Howland and Beth Saslow's marriage.  Charles is also in possession of King's powder horn.

Francis King took up land on South Hill, across the road from the school house which is still called the King's schoolhouse.   King's original house burned in 1827, and with it the King Family bible that he kept. His son, Alexander had copied the information recorded in it, and it is this copy of the birth and marriage pages that are included in the National Archive records.   The second house he built is still standing, though much altered.  At this place he ran a tavern for a time (1802 to at least 1807), the first stop for drink on the long haul from Ithaca to Owego, over which goods were carried from the head of navigation of St. Lawrence and Central New York waters at Ithaca, to the Susquehanna at Owego which carried the goods to the Chesapeake and Baltimore.

Francis King had a large family of some 11 children.  He used to call them in the morning by standing at the foot of the stairs and in a loud voice shouting the name of each one, beginning with the oldest and going down the line to the youngest.  It was said to be an impressive catalogue.

Francis King used to tell a story that illustrated frontier humor.  At a dance held somewhere on South Hill, the talk turned to experiences with wolves and stories were told of certain people having been attacked by them.  A young fellow present boasted that wolves held no terror for him and he would like to see them attack him.  Some of the men left the party early and concealed themselves in the woods along the path the young man would take.  He left the party very late and as he was going along the wooded road along, the concealed jokers began to howl like wolves.  The young fellow raised his gun and pointed it first one way and then another but could not see any animals, only hear their howls.  Presently his nerve gave way, he dropped his gun and climbed a tree.  There he remained until daylight, when the jokers showed themselves and began to rag him about his terrors in the night.  He never lived down the story but was always being twitted about the matter from that time on.

There must have been innumerable stories about the Revolution that were told and retold on long winter nights.  One that Francis King's grandson remembered and passed along was that he he often heard grandfather King say that the best meal he ever had was a cat which he succeeded in killing when in camp.  The old man used to add that he had often thought he would kill him another cat some time and see if it tasted as good as that first one--but he had never got around to do it.

Moses Barpo appears in Ithaca, and his wife Anne is buried in the King Cemetery in Ithaca.  I have been unable to trace any descendants, but couse Georgie has.

More About FRANCIS KING:

Burial: King Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁵

More About MARY JONES:

Burial: King Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁵

Children of FRANCIS KING and MARY JONES are:

2.                i.    ELEANOR² KING, b. January 27, 1782; d. July 1842, Washtenaw county, Michigan.

3.               ii.    JOHN KING, b. September 24, 1783, New Jersey; d. January 07, 1857, Ithaca, Tompkins, New York.

4.              iii.    JACOB KING, b. February 09, 1786, New Jersey; d. October 24, 1868, Kenosha, WI.

5.              iv.    AGNES KING, b. March 17, 1788, New Jersey; d. March 19, 1859, South Danby, Tompkins, New York.

6.               v.    REV. MOSES KING, b. May 25, 1791; d. May 07, 1851, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York.

                 vi.    SOLOMON KING^6,7, b. May 23, 1793⁸.

                vii.    CATHERINE WALKER KING^8,9, b. February 04, 1795¹⁰; m. JOE ELLSON.

7.            viii.    JAMES KING, b. February 14, 1797.

                  ix.    MARY KING¹¹, b. February 25, 1799¹²; m. JOHN TEETER¹², September 29, 1816.

8.                x.    ALEXANDER B. KING, b. June 22, 1801; d. October 18, 1884.

9.               xi.    CHARLES KING, b. August 15, 1804; d. 1851.

Generation No. 2

2.  ELEANOR² KING (FRANCIS¹)¹² was born January 27, 1782¹², and died July 1842 in Washtenaw county, Michigan.  She married ARRON DAVENPORT¹² June 27, 1800, son of CORNELIUS DAVENPORT and ELIZABETH COLE.  He was born Abt. 1780 in Bergen county, New Jersey, and died January 23, 1842 in Washtenaw county, Michigan.

More About ELEANOR KING:

Burial: Reynolds Corner Cemetery, Washtenaw Co., Michigan

More About ARRON DAVENPORT:

Burial: Reynolds Corner Cemetery, Washtenaw Co., Michigan

Children of ELEANOR KING and ARRON DAVENPORT are:

                   i.    JOHN³ DAVENPORT, m. ELIZABETH VALENTINE.

                  ii.    LEWIS DAVENPORT, m. MARY BALDWIN.

                 iii.    MANSON DAVENPORT, b. 1814; d. December 18, 1865; m. CATHERINE, New York State.

3.  JOHN² KING (FRANCIS¹)¹³ was born September 24, 1783 in New Jersey¹⁴, and died January 07, 1857 in Ithaca, Tompkins, New York.  He married IRENE ELY¹⁴ October 27, 1809¹⁴, daughter of RICHARD ELY. 

More About JOHN KING:

Burial: Kings Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York¹⁵

Children of JOHN KING and IRENE ELY are:

                   i.    EUSTATIA³ KING, b. May 19, 1812; d. October 01, 1850¹⁵.

More About EUSTATIA KING:

Burial: King Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York¹⁵

 

                  ii.    JANE KING, b. Abt. 1814; d. September 04, 1898, Ithaca, Tompkins, New York.

More About JANE KING:

Burial: Ithaca, Tompkins, New York

4.  JACOB² KING (FRANCIS¹)^16,17 was born February 09, 1786 in New Jersey¹⁸, and died October 24, 1868 in Kenosha, WI.  He married ELIZABETH HOWDEN¹⁸ February 17, 1807, daughter of GILBERT HOWDEN and AGNES VAN HOUTEN.  She was born January 23, 1789 in Newark, N.J., and died May 25, 1853 in Marshall, Calhoun co., MI.

Notes for JACOB KING:

In 1821 Jacob King and his wife Elizabeth sold land to Caleb Jessup.  At that time, Jacob was of Tioga County, Jessup of Columbia County and the the land was in Tioga County.    Jacob King signs his name while Elizabeth makes her mark.  The deed mentions that this land was at one time that of Francis King.

Jacob King took up 160 acres of land in Bronson Michigan Territory in 1836.   The property was subdivided and a portion sold to Selah Stout who married Almira King.  The other portion was sold to one of Jacob's sons, John King in 1849.  Selah sold his  half with the exception of 2 acres which were left for a cemetery.  John King purchased a plot in this cemetery.   Jacob is not mentioned in Francis King's will.

Children of JACOB KING and ELIZABETH HOWDEN are:

10.              i.    GILBERT H³ KING, b. June 08, 1808, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; d. January 11, 1869, Orleans, Ionia Co., MI.

                  ii.    MARY KING, b. May 23, 1810; m. SETH ELSTON, October 29, 1829; b. Abt. 1810.

11.            iii.    SENECA H KING, b. July 02, 1812, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; d. January 02, 1893, Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI.

12.            iv.    ALMIRA KING, b. August 19, 1814, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; d. October 03, 1902, Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI.

13.             v.    PHOEBE B. KING, b. October 30, 1816, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; d. August 01, 1881, Elmira, New York.

                 vi.    JOHN KING, b. February 21, 1819, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; m. MARY ANNE HOWE, February 01, 1844; b. Abt. 1819.

                vii.    CATHERINE H. KING, b. July 13, 1821, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; d. April 26, 1892, Otisco, Ionia Co., MI; m. DAVID WILSON, January 16, 1852.

               viii.    ELIZA KING, b. April 27, 1824, Big Flats, New York; d. April 06, 1837, Marshall Twp. Calhoun Co., MI.

                  ix.    MATILDA M. KING, b. May 02, 1827, Catlin, New York; d. August 30, 1885, Convis Twp., Calhoun Co., MI; m. GEORGE UPRIGHT, October 27, 1847; b. Abt. 1827.

                   x.    AGNES M. KING, b. January 07, 1831, Catlin, New York; d. August 30, 1902, Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI.

More About AGNES M. KING:

Burial: Hotchkiss Cemetary, Marshall Twp., Calhoun Co., MI

5.  AGNES² KING (FRANCIS¹)^19,20,21 was born March 17, 1788 in New Jersey^22,23, and died March 19, 1859 in South Danby, Tompkins, New York²⁴.  She married SENECA HOWLAND^{25,26,27,28,29,30} December 14, 1806 in Ithaca, Tompkins, New York^31,32, son of CHARLES HOWLAND and LAVINIA MOSHER.  He was born February 12, 1780 in Beekman, Dutchess, New York³³, and died July 26, 1831 in South Danby, Tompkins, New York³⁴.

More About AGNES KING:

Burial: Old Episcopal Cemetery, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York³⁵

Notes for SENECA HOWLAND:

It was nearly sunset on a day in the latter part of March, 1805.  The past winter had been severe and the snow yet lay on the ground to the depth of two feet or more.  From the top of Breeds Hill (the old Dug Road, near the southwestern corner of the Military Tract of New York State) might have been seen a newly-chopped road winding up through the woods, the stumps still sticking up through the snow and the logs hardly dragged aside far enough for a team of oxen to pass along.  The snow lay as deep here as elsewhere in the woods and was only beaten down into a narrow path by the boots of some footman who had gone down to Mr. Sheneck's at the Half Way House in the valley (later Morg. Whites) for a jug of "groceries".

Along this rough wood-road two yoke of oxen were slowly pulling a long sleigh up the steep hill that rose westward from the upper valley of the Catatonk Creek.  On the sleigh were piled a few household goods and on them sat two young women, one carrying in her arms a baby seven months old and the other holding a little girl of two years.  The driver of the oxen, who tramped alongside was a young man of twenty-five, slim, straight and of medium height, his beardless face shaded by a heavy cap, beneath which looked out a pair of deep blue eyes.  His whole appearance betokened a long, hard journey.  Behind the sleight walked another young man of nineteen with an axe on his shoulder.

It is needless to say that the two men were Seneca Howland and his younger brother, James; while those in the sleigh were Seneca's wife, Polly Hagermann Howland and her sister, Betsy Hagerman with Seneca and Polly's two children, Levinah Anne (b. 2 Jan. 1803, d. 13 Sep 1805) and Charles Henry (b. 13 Aug 1804, d. 23 Sep 1805).  The family were coming from Fishkill in Duchess County, New York and were just arriving at their new home in the forest after a winter journey of some 250 miles through the Catskills and via Binghamton and Owego.

Seneca had been out the summer before and had chopped a small clearing in the woods and built a log house and barn.  There were at that time only three families in what was then called Haight's Settlement (later South Danby) - Old Haight on the Robinson farm (later known as the Hinds place); Old Nelson, on the Andrew Beer's place; and the Van Kleecks who lived on the flat-iron, as it was called, opposite the later Rankins place.  It took no small courage to bring a family to such a wild country at that time of year, but Seneca's early life had been such as to give him considerable self-reliance.

Seneca's father, Charles, a Quaker, was a wheelwright and he himself had learned that trade while young.  His first start in life, however, was obtained by delivering newspapers.  When about ten, he was hired as helper by a man who had a contract to deliver papers to the country about Fishkill.  In this way he earned $30.00 with which he bought a pony and thereafter carried on a considerable business of his own in delivering papers through the neighboring country.  Apparently, papers were not mailed to subscribers in those days but were sent to agents who undertook their delivery.  Seneca continued in the employment of one Nicolas Power until he was twenty years old, by which time he had saved the sum of 71.6.3, or $178.28.  Meanwhile, when time permitted, he also worked at his trade of Wheelwright and by the time he was twenty-one he owned a shop and five acres of land in Fishkill.  During the next four years he bought various other plots of ground and when, at the age of twenty-five, he moved with his wife and children to the frontier, he owned about twenty-four acres for which he had paid $615.50.

When he was twenty-one, Seneca had been appointed a constable of the township and, as the business of that office was considerable, he became fairly well known thereabouts.  In the village itself lived an old and aristocratic Dutch family, the Van Wycks.  Gen. John B. Van Wyck had recently acquired 6,000 acres of the old Watkins and Flint Purchase in south central New York, and needing someone to look after his interest there, offered the young constable the position on condition that he settle on the tract and act as Van Wyck's agent in the sale of the land to other settlers.

It was thus that the late winter and early spring of 1805 found Seneca moving out to the new country with his family and household goods.  With the help of his brother James, some land was cleared in time to sow crops that season.  But it is evident that his family never fully recovered from the hardships of the long journey through the winter snows of 1805. In the fall of that year his little daughter Levinah Anne, two and a half years old, died and ten days later his little son Charles Henry.  Nor was this all.  In the following winter his wife Polly succumbed to tuberculosis and died on the 17th of March, 1806, just a year from the time she came into the wilderness with her husband and children.   This left Seneca and his brother James alone, for his wife's sister, Betsy Hagerman, had gone back to Duchess Co., a month before Polly's death. But their work forced the two brothers to put all other thoughts aside. Seneca had taken up 400 acres of land and much new ground had to be cleared.  In the latter part of the summer of 1806 brother James, growing tired of the hardships of the frontier, also returned to Duchess County and Seneca was left entirely alone.  During that summer of 1806 he made one or more trips to the little village of Ithaca, and either coming or going (or both) had stopped at the tavern kept on South Hill, some three miles from Ithaca, by Francis King, a veteran of the Revolution who had taken up land here on the Military Tract.  At this tavern he had seen and been seen by the tavern keeper's daughter.  A story handed down in the family relates that when this 18 year old girl, Agnes, first saw the young widower she announced to her family that he was the man she was going to marry.   At any rate, she and Seneca Howland were married 14 Dec. 1806, nine months after his first wife's death.  Thus he obtained a companion in his loneliness and we acquired a grandmother.

Agnes King was a young woman of great energy and, I suspect from the reminiscences of my uncles and aunts, of a harsh and rather dictatorial character.  From the time of this marriage a new energy and thrift were give to Seneca's fortunes.  His new wife made him give up 200 acres of his land and devote himself to the improvement of the remaining 200.  His property in Duchess County had been sold the winter before by his father-in-law, Hendrick Hagermann, for 550 pounds, equivalent to $1,375.00; but a large part of the money went for the payment of old debts in that place, leaving but $500.00 to pay on his land in South Danby.  During the following winter (1806-7) Seneca visited his friends in Fishkill, the first of several visits made to his old home.

From the time of his second marriage until his death there were few events that varied the steady routine of work.  His son, Francis King Howland was born in September 1807 and from then until 1820 his family increased with great regularity and precision - eight children being born during the first twelve years of his second marriage and three other children thereafter.

In 1810 Seneca was elected Justice of the Peace, and ever afterwards was looked upon by his neighbors as a man who had profound knowledge of the law.  In fact, he was regularly re-elected to the office until his death.  In 1812 he was appointed Ensign of the 95th Regiment of the New York militia.  Five years later he was promoted to Captain.  Later, on the death of the Colonel, he was offered the Colonelcy of the regiment, but Agness would not allow him to accept the command, evidently thinking he had enough to do at home.

In 1827 he was confronted by a serious lawsuit.  Gen. Van Wyck gradually formed a dislike of his agent in Danby.  The two had maintained close business relations for twenty years, but their characters were wholly unlike.  Seneca was kind-hearted, rather easy-going man, not very prompt in doing business.  He had a habit of putting off disagreeable things, a habit not infrequently found in kind-hearted men.  On the other hand, Van Wyck was keen and grasping and insisted on the new settlers living up to the letter of their agreements.  If their payments fell the least in arrears, he kept writing to his agent to have them ejected at once from their holdings, but the latter was unwilling to proceed to such hard measures against his neighbors.  Old Mr. Bingham used to say, "Old Van Wyck would keep writing out 'Fire! Fire!' and Squire Howland would keep writing back 'Water! Water!'"

Thus, partly because of this, as well as because Seneca had not made any further payments on his own land since coming out to Danby, Gen. Van Wyck in 1824 revoked Seneca's power-of-attorney and appointed another man as agent.  He also charged Seneca with poor management and dishonesty; but it was not until 1827 that he brought suit against him the the State Supreme Court for $800.00, a sum he claimed owing him for lands sold by Howland during the latter's agency.  Grandfather brought forward a counterclaim against Van Wyck for $1,000.00 for improvements made on the latter's land, for taxes paid and surveys made thereon and for his own commissions of 4% on the lands sold.  The counter claims were finally left to three referees, who decided that "John B. Van Wyck was indebted to Seneca Howland the sum of $158.36", thus vindicating the latter from any charge of dishonesty.  But the pressure of the law suit together with Van Wyck's demand for final payment for his farm, forced Seneca in July, 1827 to borrow $600.00 for which he gave a mortgage on his land.  Four years later, at the time of his death, one-half of this mortgage had been paid off; but it was not until several years later that the remainder of the debt was discharged.

In 1829 Seneca was seized with a lameness in the knee which soon developed into what was then called the "white swelling" (later known as tuberculosis of the bone).  This was treated by Dr. Beers and Dr. Curtis, but their treatments were unavailing, and a "capping" of the swelling, is was said, scattered the disease into all parts of the body.  He died 26 July 1831, and such an impression had his life and abilities made on his neighbors that many years later a very old man told Arthur Charles Howland, Seneca's grandson, that "Old Squire Howland was smarter than any of his descendants."

More About SENECA HOWLAND:

Burial: Old Episcopal Cemetery, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York³⁵

Children of AGNES KING and SENECA HOWLAND are:

14.              i.    FRANCIS KING³ HOWLAND, b. September 15, 1807, South Danby, Tompkins, New York; d. March 05, 1878, South Danby, Tompkins, New York.

                  ii.    DR. JOHN HOWLAND^36,37, b. March 01, 1809, South Danby, Tompkins, New York³⁸; d. April 15, 1836, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York.

Notes for DR. JOHN HOWLAND:

John never married.  He went to medical school -- "Hamilton" College -- started practice in Owego and died of small-pox, contracted from a patient in 1836.  He was 26 years old when he died.

More About DR. JOHN HOWLAND:

Burial: Old Episcopal Cemetery, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York

Cause of Death: Small-pox

Education: Hamilton College

                 iii.    CAROLINE HOWLAND³⁸, b. March 14, 1811, South Danby, Tompkins, New York³⁸.

Notes for CAROLINE HOWLAND:

They had 11 children, nine died in infancy and only two grew up.

15.            iv.    JAMES K. HOWLAND, b. March 08, 1812, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York; d. March 04, 1888, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York.

16.             v.    HARRIET AMANDA HOWLAND, b. January 04, 1814, South Danby, Tompkins, New York; d. July 05, 1890, Candor, New York.

                 vi.    LAVINIA ANN HOWLAND^38,39, b. January 02, 1816, South Danby, Tompkins, New York⁴⁰; d. July 15, 1853, South Danby, Tompkins, New York; m. JOHN MANNING, December 13, 1848, South Danby, Tompkins co., New York.

More About LAVINIA ANN HOWLAND:

Burial: Danby Episcopal Hill Cemetery (Peter Rd.), Danby, Tompkins Co., New York

Notes for JOHN MANNING:

John Manning was a farmer in Danby, New York.   He and his wife left no children.  They belonged to the Methodist church in S. Danby.

17.           vii.    CHARLES HOWLAND, b. January 13, 1818, South Danby, Tompkins, New York; d. May 24, 1900, South Danby, Tompkins, New York.

18.          viii.    REV. SENECA HOWLAND, b. December 20, 1819, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York; d. January 12, 1906, Smyrna, New York..

19.             ix.    WILLIAM HOWLAND, b. March 21, 1827, South Danby, Tompkins, New York; d. July 18, 1907, South Danby, Tompkins, New York.

20.              x.    MARY JANE HOWLAND, b. October 30, 1828, South Danby, Tompkins, New York; d. September 22, 1900.

6.  REV. MOSES² KING (FRANCIS¹)^41,42 was born May 25, 1791⁴³, and died May 07, 1851 in Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁴.  He married ELIZABETH BROWN^44,45 Abt. 1812 in Lansing, New York, daughter of SAMUEL BROWN and ELIZABETH MILLER.  She was born August 29, 1796⁴⁶, and died May 31, 1870 in Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶.

More About REV. MOSES KING:

Burial: King Cemetary, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶

More About ELIZABETH BROWN:

Burial: King Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶

Children of MOSES KING and ELIZABETH BROWN are:

21.              i.    JAMES³ KING, b. Abt. 1812, State of New York; d. 1870.

22.             ii.    AMANDA KING, b. March 10, 1814, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; d. October 16, 1852.

23.            iii.    FRANK KING, b. October 13, 1815, Danby, Tompkins County, New York; d. 1904, Ithaca, Tompkins, New York.

24.            iv.    SAMUEL B. KING, b. June 20, 1817, Ithaca, Tompkins, New York; d. February 16, 1888, Ithaca, Tompkins, New York.

25.             v.    ELEANOR KING, b. Abt. 1821, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York.

26.            vi.    SARAH KING, b. May 16, 1825, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York; d. February 23, 1909.

                vii.    EUNICE KING⁴⁶, b. 1826⁴⁶; d. February 24, 1851⁴⁶; m. GEORGE TUTHILL⁴⁶.

               viii.    MARY E. KING⁴⁶, b. April 19, 1827, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶; d. October 20, 1847, Danby, Tompkins county, New York⁴⁶.

More About MARY E. KING:

Burial: King Cemetary, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶

27.             ix.    SOLOMON D. KING, b. 1828, Danby, Tioga Co., New York; d. April 21, 1895, Barton, Tioga County, New York.

                   x.    PHEBE KING⁴⁶, b. December 21, 1829, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶; d. July 10, 1850, Ithaca, Tompkins, New York⁴⁶.

More About PHEBE KING:

Burial: King Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶

                  xi.    HULDA KING, b. Abt. 1830, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York.

Notes for HULDA KING:

In 1860, she was working as a servant in the household of Stephan and Betsy Richards, age 64 and 58 respectively at that time.  He was one of the more wealthy farmers in Danby.

                 xii.    RACHEL KING, b. September 20, 1830, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶; d. May 25, 1846, Ithaca, Tompkins, New York⁴⁶.

More About RACHEL KING:

Burial: King Cemetary, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶

                xiii.    LOUISA M. KING⁴⁶, b. May 31, 1833, Danby, Tompkins, New York⁴⁶; d. September 18, 1853, Danby, Tompkins, New York⁴⁶.

More About LOUISA M. KING:

Burial: King Cemetery, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁶

                xiv.    JANE B. KING, b. 1834, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York.

7.  JAMES² KING (FRANCIS¹)⁴⁷ was born February 14, 1797⁴⁷.  He married (1) PEGGY CASADY^47,48.  She died December 29, 1830 in Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁴⁹.  He married (2) BEDEE TYLER⁴⁹.  She was born 1797⁴⁹, and died April 15, 1834⁴⁹.  He married (3) AMANDA THOMPSON.  She was born 1805⁴⁹, and died January 04, 1843⁴⁹.

More About PEGGY CASADY:

Burial: King Cemetary, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁵⁰

Children of JAMES KING and PEGGY CASADY are:

                   i.    HORACE³ KING⁵⁰, b. March 08, 1822⁵⁰; d. December 22, 1847⁵⁰; m. FANNY ANN⁵⁰; b. January 1822⁵⁰; d. June 06, 1845⁵⁰.

More About HORACE KING:

Burial: King Cemetary, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁵⁰

More About FANNY ANN:

Burial: King Cemetary, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁵⁰

                  ii.    FANNY KING⁵⁰, b. June 1823⁵⁰; d. January 22, 1847⁵⁰; m. O. TAYLOR⁵⁰.

More About FANNY KING:

Burial: King Cemetary, Ithaca, Tompkins Co., New York⁵⁰

8.  ALEXANDER B.² KING (FRANCIS¹)^51,52 was born June 22, 1801^53,54, and died October 18, 1884.  He married RACHAEL CASTERLINE^55,56 May 31, 1821⁵⁷, daughter of JOSEPH CASTERLINE and MARGARET ATKINSON.  She was born November 26, 1803⁵⁸, and died September 07, 1882.

Notes for ALEXANDER B. KING:

In 1860 Alexander King is found in the Lumber business in Ithaca.  Both he and his wife are living.  He is age 59.

Children of ALEXANDER KING and RACHAEL CASTERLINE are:

28.              i.    JOSEPH³ KING, b. June 13, 1823.

29.             ii.    FRANCIS KING, b. September 14, 1824.

30.            iii.    THERESA LINA KING, b. October 08, 1826, New York; d. January 10, 1853.

31.            iv.    WARREN KING, b. July 12, 1828.

32.             v.    HELEN KING, b. October 04, 1834; d. January 30, 1856.

                 vi.    DELPHINE KING⁵⁹, b. December 16, 1839⁵⁹; d. January 16, 1858⁵⁹.

9.  CHARLES² KING (FRANCIS¹)⁶⁰ was born August 15, 1804⁶⁰, and died 1851.  He married JANE FERRIS⁶¹ 1822.  She was born 1803, and died 1860.

Children of CHARLES KING and JANE FERRIS are:

33.              i.    WILDE EDGAR³ KING, b. 1837.

34.             ii.    MARY ELLEN KING, b. December 25, 1843; d. September 27, 1910.

Generation No. 3

10.  GILBERT H³ KING (JACOB², FRANCIS¹) was born June 08, 1808 in Danby, Tioga Co., New York, and died January 11, 1869 in Orleans, Ionia Co., MI.  He married MARY KIMBALL August 30, 1827 in New York State.  She was born Abt. 1810 in New York State, and died December 23, 1884.

More About MARY KIMBALL:

Burial: Wheeler Cemetery, Orleans Twp, Ionia Co., MI

Children of GILBERT KING and MARY KIMBALL are:

                   i.    JOHN⁴ KING, b. Abt. 1832.

                  ii.    RACHEL KING, b. Abt. 1834.

                 iii.    ANN KING, b. Abt. 1837.

                 iv.    JANE KING, b. 1839.

                  v.    ELIZABETH KING, b. Abt. 1841.

                 vi.    MARSHALL KING, b. Abt. 1843.

                vii.    ELISY KING, b. Abt. 1845.

               viii.    MARGARET KING, b. Abt. 1847.

                  ix.    HARRIET KING, b. Abt. January 1850.

11.  SENECA H³ KING (JACOB², FRANCIS¹) was born July 02, 1812 in Danby, Tioga Co., New York⁶², and died January 02, 1893 in Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI.  He married (1) JULIA BARNES January 01, 1840.  She was born Abt. 1819 in Portugal⁶³, and died February 16, 1849 in MI.  He married (2) MARGRETTA Aft. 1849 in Michigan.  She died August 08, 1869.

Notes for SENECA H KING:

Obit of Seneca King.

It's at the Flat River Library in Greenville, MI, Scrapbook No. 37, pg 30 (the source paper for the obit is not mentioned)

Seneca H. King was born in Danby, N.Y., July 2, 1812 and died at Greenville, Mich., January 14, 1893, aged 80 years, 6 months and 14 days.

He came to Michigan, then a territory, in 1834, and settled four miles north of Marshall.  For a number of years he worked at his trade, a millwright, in different parts of the state, and in April, 1846, he came to Ionia county and located 320 acres of land on section 20, town of Orleans.  This he rapidly improved and developed into one of the finest farms in the county.

Some sixteen years ago he sold his farm and, although retaining his home in Orleans, he spent several years in the west, much of the time in the interest of the Seventh Day Adventist society, of which he was an exemplary member.

In 1883 he settled with his wife in Greenville where, surrounded by the comforts of a beautiful home he spent the remainder of his life in peace and quiet.

Mr. King was a man of untiring industry and strong convictions and, when his plans were formed, no ordinary obstacles stood in the way of his accomplishing them.

He leaves a wife and two sons; and, in his death they lose a kind husband and father, the church a zealous member, his neighbors a true friend, and the community an upright citizen.

More About SENECA H KING:

Burial: Orleans Cemetery, Orleans Twp, Ionia Co., MI

Occupation: Stone Mason

More About JULIA BARNES:

Burial: Orleans Cemetery, Orleans Twp, Ionia Co., MI

More About MARGRETTA:

Burial: Balcom cemetery, Ionia county, MI

Children of SENECA KING and JULIA BARNES are:

35.              i.    CARLOS B.⁴ KING, b. July 02, 1842, Pennsylvania; d. September 23, 1871, Newton, Kansas.

                  ii.    LUCIA KING, b. 1844, Michigan; d. December 29, 1863, Michigan.

More About LUCIA KING:

Burial: Wheeler Cemetery, Orleans Township, Ionia County, Michigan

                 iii.    SELEH KING, b. 1846, Michigan.

36.            iv.    ISAAC BARNES KING, b. February 1849, Ionia County, Michigan; d. April 01, 1908, Chippewa Twp. Mecosta County, Michigan.

12.  ALMIRA³ KING (JACOB², FRANCIS¹) was born August 19, 1814 in Danby, Tioga Co., New York, and died October 03, 1902 in Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI.  She married SELAH STOUT January 21, 1835 in Tioga County, New York.  He was born November 26, 1809 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and died January 12, 1882 in Marshall Twp. Calhoun Co., MI.

Children of ALMIRA KING and SELAH STOUT are:

                   i.    JOHN SELAH⁴ STOUT, b. November 20, 1835, Royelton, Ohio; d. March 28, 1904, Marshall Twp, Calhoun Co., MI; m. (1) MARY A. COMSTOCK, January 13, 1866; b. Abt. 1832, Cicero, Onondaga Co., New York; d. March 30, 1878, Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI; m. (2) HARRIET M. HOTCHKISS, December 21, 1881, Calhoun Co., MI.

More About MARY A. COMSTOCK:

Burial: Hotchkiss Cemetary, Marshall Twp., Calhoun Co., MI

                  ii.    SENECA K. STOUT, b. May 02, 1838, Lenawee Co., MI; d. September 01, 1843, Marshall Twp, Calhoun Co., MI.

More About SENECA K. STOUT:

Burial: Hotchkiss Cemetary, Marshall Twp., Calhoun Co., MI

                 iii.    H.S. STOUT, b. Abt. 1842.

                 iv.    DELIA CATHERINE STOUT, b. January 08, 1843, Lenawee Co., MI; d. August 11, 1845, Marshall Twp, Calhoun Co., MI.

More About DELIA CATHERINE STOUT:

Burial: Hotchkiss Cemetary, Marshall Twp., Calhoun Co., MI

                  v.    LYCURGUS S. STOUT, b. December 27, 1848, Lenawee Co., MI; d. April 02, 1895, Eckford, Calhoun Co., MI; m. HELEN D. ROGERS, January 06, 1876, Marengo Twp, Calhoun Co., MI; b. 1853, Marengo Twp., Calhoun Co., MI; d. 1937, MI.

More About LYCURGUS S. STOUT:

Burial: Oakridge Cemetary, Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI

37.            vi.    CHARLES CHESTER STOUT, b. July 03, 1854, Marshall Twp, Calhoun Co., MI; d. March 11, 1910, Marshall, Calhoun Co., MI.

13.  PHOEBE B.³ KING (JACOB², FRANCIS¹)⁶⁴ was born October 30, 1816 in Danby, Tioga Co., New York⁶⁴, and died August 01, 1881 in Elmira, New York⁶⁴.  She married ALLEN S. GIBSON⁶⁴ January 21, 1835 in Tioga County, New York⁶⁴.  He was born July 12, 1800 in Rhode Island⁶⁴, and died May 13, 1878⁶⁴.

More About PHOEBE B. KING:

Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, New York

Cause of Death (Facts Pg): August 02, 1881, Cholera

More About ALLEN S. GIBSON:

Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, New York⁶⁵

Occupation: 1850, Millwright

Children of PHOEBE KING and ALLEN GIBSON are:

                   i.    DIANTHA H.⁴ GIBSON⁶⁶, b. November 10, 1835⁶⁶; d. August 19, 1849⁶⁶.

                  ii.    ELIZA K. GIBSON⁶⁶, b. August 13, 1837⁶⁶.

38.            iii.    MARY ELIZABETH GIBSON, b. March 18, 1842; d. July 14, 1899, Elmira, New York.

                 iv.    WILLIAM ALLEN GIBSON⁶⁶, b. July 30, 1844⁶⁶; d. 1911.

More About WILLIAM ALLEN GIBSON:

Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, New York

39.             v.    CLARA GIBSON, b. April 18, 1847; d. April 11, 1929.

40.            vi.    ADALINE S. GIBSON, b. July 24, 1849; d. July 13, 1922.

                vii.    FRANCIS C. GIBSON⁶⁶, b. May 09, 1852⁶⁶.

               viii.    ALICE E. GIBSON⁶⁶, b. August 13, 1855^66,67; d. 1877⁶⁷; m. THOMAS⁶⁷, 1877⁶⁷.

Notes for ALICE E. GIBSON:

Alice Gibson Thomas was only married two weeks when she died.

More About ALICE E. GIBSON:

Burial: Woodlawn Cemetery, Elmira, New York⁶⁷

14.  FRANCIS KING³ HOWLAND (AGNES² KING, FRANCIS¹)^68,69,70 was born September 15, 1807 in South Danby, Tompkins, New York⁷¹, and died March 05, 1878 in South Danby, Tompkins, New York.  He married CLARISSA CASTERLINE^72,73,74 September 20, 1827 in Danby, Tompkins Co., New York, daughter of JOSEPH CASTERLINE and MARGARET ATKINSON.  She was born October 11, 1808 in Newfield, Tompkins Co., New York⁷⁵, and died February 10, 1888 in South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁷⁵.

Notes for FRANCIS KING HOWLAND:

He was raised to follow his father's profession of farming, but later took up milling.  He was a large, powerful man.  In the 1850 census he is listed as a farmer in Danby, New York age 43.  His wife "Claurisa age 42 is there and is said to be born in NJ.  The farm is valued at $1,600.00. The children listed are:  Seneca, age 16; Levi, age 14; Edgar, age 12; Terrisa, age 8; Charles, age 20; Joseph, age 18; and Agnes, age 1.

Arthur C. Howland wrote of uncle Frank and aunt Clara: "I can just remember Uncle Frank and Aunt Clara.  She finally became insane, intermittently wild, at other times apparently normal.  She was blind when I knew her."

More About FRANCIS KING HOWLAND:

Baptism: Methodist

Burial: South Danby Cemetery, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁷⁵

Occupation: Farmer and miller

Notes for CLARISSA CASTERLINE:

The 1850 census suggests that Francis K. Howland's wife Claurisa age 42 was born in N.J. and not in New York.

According to the 1880 census, Clarissa was living with her daughter and son in law, Lewis Ferris in that year.

More About CLARISSA CASTERLINE:

Burial: South Danby Cemetery, South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁷⁵

Children of FRANCIS HOWLAND and CLARISSA CASTERLINE are:

41.              i.    CHARLES CASTERLINE⁴ HOWLAND, b. January 16, 1830, South Danby, Tompkins, New York; d. December 25, 1900, Minneaplis, Minnesota.

42.             ii.    SENECA HOWLAND, b. May 09, 1834, Tompkins co., New York; d. February 12, 1901, Forest City, Winnebago, Iowa.

43.            iii.    LEVI M. HOWLAND, b. March 19, 1836, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York; d. Missouri.

44.            iv.    EDGAR VOSE HOWLAND, b. May 19, 1838, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York.

                  v.    JOHN J. HOWLAND^76,77, b. May 06, 1840^78,79; d. March 19, 1861, Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁸⁰.

45.            vi.    THERESA HOWLAND, b. December 10, 1841; d. February 17, 1888.

46.           vii.    GEORGE F. HOWLAND, b. October 10, 1844, South Danby, Tompkins, New York.

               viii.    MARY A. HOWLAND⁸¹, b. August 29, 1847⁸²; m. (1) NEAL THOMPSON, June 03, 1874; d. Florida; m. (2) ODEL KNAPP, Aft. 1875, Conn..

Notes for MARY A. HOWLAND:

Mary A. Howland moved to Wisconsin where she was married to Neal Thompson, a merchant.  From here they moved to Florida where Mr. Thompson died.  After his death she went to Connecticut and then married Odel Knapp.

47.             ix.    AGNES C. HOWLAND, b. March 23, 1849.

15.  JAMES K.³ HOWLAND (AGNES² KING, FRANCIS¹)^83,84,84 was born March 08, 1812 in South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York^85,86, and died March 04, 1888 in South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁸⁷.  He married EMOLINE MANDERVILLE⁸⁷ April 08, 1841⁸⁸.  She was born 1815⁸⁹, and died July 1874 in South Danby, Tompkins Co., New York⁹⁰.

Notes for JAMES K. HOWLAND:

In the 1850 census Emma is listed as Emery E age 3.  All are born in New York.  Their farm is valued at $750.00.

More About JAMES K. HOWLAND:

Burial: Manderville Cemetery (Danby, Nelson Rd.), Danby, Tompkins County, New York

More About EMOLINE MANDERVILLE:

Burial: Manderville Cemetery (Danby, Nelson Rd.), Danby, Tompkins County, New York

Children of JAMES HOWLAND and EMOLINE MANDERVILLE are:

48.              i.    HARRIET ADELAIDE⁴ HOWLAND, b. May 24, 1842.

49.             ii.    WILLIAM A. HOWLAND, b. August 23, 1844; d. Danby, Tompkins Co., New York.

50.            iii.    EMMA HOWLAND, b. January 11, 1848.

                 iv.    DR. LYMAN E. HOWLAND^90,91, b. April 17, 1850⁹²; d. December 29, 1874⁹³; m. MARY; b. 1855; d. 1875.

Notes for DR. LYMAN E. HOWLAND:

He studied medicine and died just as he began practice.