Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Amy Hugaboom De Groff (1795-1851)

Amy DeGroff was an exciting name for me to research - being that it is my name.

Amy appears in documentation as Emma (in the 1850 census) and as Amy (in her will)

Amy was likely born in 1790.

Amy may have been married to a Van Voorhees. I've hypothesized about this earlier marriage because:

  1. Amy's will (1854)  lists Nelly Ann Voorhes and Amy Voorhes as next of kin. 
  2. Later, in 1856, her daughter, Lavinia's will notes the existence of two Voorhees brothers (presumed to be Amy's sons), Garrett and one unnamed - deceased - of Florida, Montgomery County, New York.  
  • Amy's first son was deceased by the time her daughter, Lavina passed, and he is not mentioned by name in Lavina's will.   I suspect that he was the father of the two girls listed as Amy's next of kin in her will. 
  • Amy's second son, Garrett, moved to Oswego New York where he and his wife, Emma, raised their family.   I find them in US Federal Census records; the family included:   Warren (1840-1905), Daniel (1843-unknown), Emily (1846-unknown), Elisa )(1847-unknown), and Mary (1852-unknown).  Garrett may have had a second wife, Fanny, with whom he had one son - John (1856-1920).  Garret passed away in 1882 and is buried in Nutting Cemetery, in Oswego. 

At some point before 1815, Amy married Isaac DeGroff Sr.   She and Isaac had five children:

  • Eliza (1815)married Peter Hover, and had children, Isaac D.  (b: 1837-d before 1850), Maria (b; 1840) and William (b: 1845).  Eliza is buried in Green Hill Cemetery with the name Anna Eliza De Graff Hover. Eliza died on 17 May 1906.
  • Lavina (1817) who I find living with her parents in 1850 and then found married to Isaac N. Stillwell in Kings County, New York. 
  • Rebecca (1817) married John Fuller 29 December 1836) and had perhaps eight children: William (***),  Amy Maria (b:1837-1880); James Leslie (1839-1911); Annie H.  (b:1842-1913); George Henry (b:1844-****); Amos D( 1846-1925); Harriet (1850-***) Mary M married to Garrett Staley (1854-1892). Rebecca died in 1890. 
  • Margaret (1818-1850) married David Servoss; son DeGroff Servoss
  • Mary (1821) married Culver Patterson. Mary died 3 November 1875.


Amy died in 1854; her will was probated in July of that year.  Her executors were Culver Patterson and Peter Hover - her sons in law.    Her will was witnessed by William Blair of Florida.

Decrees and Orders related to Amy's will speak to three heirs and next of kin:  DeGroff Servoss or Serviss, Nelly Ann Voorhes and Amy Voorhes.  Gerry U Hagelton was named guardian of the Voorhes girls and DeGroff Servoss.

Later research turned up a Letter of Administration, for Lavinia DeGroff Stillwell of Kings County, New York.  This letter references Lavinia's siblings - all those listed above - and also notes that she had two half brothers Garrett Voorhees (of Parish, Oswego County) and another Voorhees brother, of Florida, Montgomery County, New York - who was deceased - with two surviving daughters - Nelly and Emma. This Letter explains why the Voorhees girls are noted as Amy's heirs- and suggests that perhaps Amy had been married to a Voorhees prior to her marriage to Isaac.   

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