Isaac DeGraff Jr (1795-1877)

Isaac De Graff [Jr.] January 30, 1795 - September 10, 1877

Isaac was the son of Isaac DeGroff Sr. and Jannetie Christenden

Isaac De Graff, of Florida, Montgomery County, New York, married Esther abt 1820 and they had a family of six children - four of whom lived to adulthood.

Esther (buried in Chuctanunda Cemetery) was born 15 March 1799. She married Isaac and their children were:

William Henry(1820-1910)
Ann (5/1/1822 - 5/15/1906) married Richard Davis
Harriet (1823-before 1877) married William Halladay
Louisa (1823-1856)
Antanetta (1829-1859)
John Harlan (1835-10/27/1895) married Sarah Ann (1837-10/29/1895)

In 1820, the family is in Florida, NewYork with one boy in the house under 10 (William). Isaac is listed as Isaac Jr.  In 1830, I find an Isaac De Graff Jr. in Florida, NewYork  with one boy (between ages of 5-9 presumed to be William) and 4 girls (believed to be Ann, Harriett, Louisa, Henrietta).  The 1840 census lists (Florida, NewYork) two boys; one boy under 5 (John) and one boy between 15-19 (William) and 4 girls (Antannetta, Louisa, Harriet, and Ann).

The 1850 Census (Florida, NewYork)  offers great details - the family is listed as Isaac (54); William (30): John (14): Anjenet (19); Louisa (23); and Esther (49).  Ann is found in her own home with Richard in Florida (with a daugther Evaline) and Harriet is in Broad Albin with her husband William and a son William.

Isaac owned land in Florida - a farm as well as a grist and saw mill.  According to William's obituary, Isaac and William and later John ran these mills together.

In 1850, Isaac's grist mill was worth $300 and the saw mill was worth $500.  By 1870, the grist mill is worth $3000 and the saw mill, with 12 saws, is worth $800.

There is no entry for Isaac in Florida in the 1850 Agricultural census; his farm appears in the 1870 census; Isaac (living near the Staley farm) has 15 acres of improved land - valued at $700 and $360 worth of farm machinery.  His livestock include horses (3); cows (7): cattle (1); and swine (1).

The 1860 and 1870 population census find Isaac and Esther living in Florida, Florida, NewYork.  Isaac told the 1860 census taker he was born in Long Island - which may be a valuable clue as I research Isaac's parents further.

In 1870 Isaac and Esther are living with Josephine Simons (b: abt 1853).  I had initially assumed she was a hired hand of some kind, until I reviewed the 1875 NY State Census.

In 1875, Isaac remains in Florida. Esther is not with him - she passed in 1872.  Isaac, at 80, is living with Frank Simons (25) his grandson and Joesphine Simons (21) his granddaughter.

Isaac is buried in Chuctanunda Cemetery with Esther.   His will leaves money to his surviving daughter (Ann) and money to the widow of his daughter Harriet and the rest of his estate to his sons William and John H.

I believe that Isaac is the oldest son of Isaac De Graff (1767-1851) and his first wife (not named in his will).

Isaac Sr parents remain a mystery.  So far, my theory is that Isaac Sr married in his early 20s and had two children - Isaac and Jane.  And then later, married Amy and had additional children.

• Isaac 1767-1851 names Isaac as a son in his will, he names as his daughter Jane Barkhoff (1792-1877) found in Chuctanunda Cemetery. 
• Isaac Sr. 1767-1851 also names daughters Lavinia De Graff, Eliza Hover, and Mary Patterson in his will; she also references Jane Barkhoff's husband - Robert Barkhuff. 
• Further research on the Hover family augments this theory.
• Amy, believed to be wife of Isaac Sr., names as daughter Lavinia DeGraff and her executors are Peter Hover (husband of  Eliza Hover), and Culver Patterson (husband of Mary Patterson).  I think this suggest Isaac was her husband these children were theirs - but Isaac's other two children had a different mother

Concerning Josephine Simons, living with Isaac and Esther in 1870 and with Isaac in 1875 

Digging a bit further on this name - I found a cemetery entry for a Josephine Simmons b: 1853-d: 1876 in Chuctanunda Cemetery.  Josephine is listed as being the wife of Giles Mickle - Elsie Mickle Dorn De Graff's brother.   Elsie married Isaac Jr's grandson, Garret Seymour  around 1900. I am unclear if this is a coincedence of in fact an earlier connection between the Mickle and De Graff family.