Garrett Staley De Graff was the son of William Henry De Groff and Rachel Ann Staley. Garrett Staley was born January 15, 1852. His brother, Charles B De Graff joined the family two years later, in 1854.
In 1870, Garrett Staley DeGraff is found in the Census with his mother and father, and brother (Charles) in Minaville
Garrett Staley married Mary M. Fuller in the 1870s. Mary's parents appear to be John Fuller and Rebecca De Graff.
In 1880, we find Garrett Staley in the US Census. He is listed as a farmer. He and Mary live with his parents, William and Rachel.
Mary died 5 February of 1892. Mary M. Fuller, "wife of Garet S" is buried in Chuctabnunda Cemetery in Minavaille, New York. She is buried with Cora De Groff (listed as her adopted daughter with Garrett). Cora died a week after her mother, on the 14 of February, 1892.
It must have a sad Garrett Staley who answered the New York Census takers on the 16th of February in 1892 - he was back living with his parents on their farm in Minaville after having buried Mary and Cora.
In the 1890s Garrett Staley married Elsie Mikle Dorn. Elsie appears to have been a widow of Thomas Whitman Dorn, who passed away in February of 1893. Elsie and Thomas had three daughters, Ada (b: 1880), Louise (b; 1882), and Caroline (b: 1889).
In 1900, Garrett Staley and Elsie, with their children Rachel (b 1897) and William (b 1899) and Carrie M Dorn, are living with Garrett Staley's father, William Henry De Groff. Rachel Ann Staley De Groff (Garrett Staley's mother) had died four years earlier. Three older sisters, Ada (b: 1880), Louise (b; 1882) are not listed in this census entry, they would have been 20, 18 respectively.
A side note on the daughters - they are not mentioned at all in Garrett Staley's obituary -- and are listed in their mothers obituary with their married names:
- Mrs. August Kruger: I find an August Kruger in the 1910 Census in Florida, with a wife Ada D and two children - Isabelle (b 1903) and Louis (b 1905).
- Mrs. Fred Walthousen: I find a Fred Walthouse in the 1910 Census in Florida, NY, with a wife Louise M (possibly for Mickle) and two boys, George(b 1904) and William (b 1908)
- Mrs. Harvey Johnson of Youngstown, Ohio: I find a Harvey Johnson with a wife Caroline D in Amsterdam in 1910 and in Ohio in 1920 and 1930. I find no children for the Johnson's.
Garrett Staley De Groff died young - in 1909 -- at the age of 57 years. He passed away at home where he had been battling cancer. He rests in Chuctanunda Cemetery in Minaville.
Garrett Staley's obituary references his active work with the Methodist church of Minaville and the Minaville Grange No 668. He is refereed to as a man who was "generally respected for his sterling manhood."
His life also seems to be have been one of going on and building partnership - both in his private life with his second marriage and his professional life. His life, however, feels as if it ended too soon; he lived to see his youngest son for only 9 years.
The DeGroff vs DeGraff name flips frequently in researching Garrett Staley - even within his obituary both spellings are used.
This photo is believed to be of the children of Garrett Staley De Groff and Elsie Mickle Dorn De Groff.
Man standing: Garrett Seymour De Groff
Man sitting: William "Bill" De Groff
women: Ada, Louisa, Caroline Dorn
Garrett Staley De Graff documentation
Documentation I am still seeking;
ReplyDeleteMarriage certificates for marriage to
Mary M Fuller (abt 1878)
Elsie Mickle Dorn (abt 1896)
Garrett Staley De Groffs will