The First Four Generations

I'm pushing to clean up the entries for the first four generations of Byfields with Abraham and Patience as the first generation.  What I want to do is to release a version of the Byfield Book with the first four generations completed and then continue work on the fifth generation.

Children of Stella Harriet Byfield McGaughey

Stella Byfield married George McGaughey in Ohio shortly before coming to Indiana.  The censuses prior to 1850 gives evidence of some children that must have stayed in Indiana when their parents and the rest of the family moved on to Minnesota.

I've recently learned that one of these children was Catherine McGaughey.  Catherine married David Shafer prior to 1850.  She and David are listed in the 1850 census in Decatur County, Indiana.  Catherine is 18 and the couple have no children listed.  Catherine's first child, born later in 1850, is named Stella.

I'm adding Catherine's family and descendants to the book now.  There are still a couple of other children that I have listed as SonA and DaughterA.  Can anyone tell me about these children?

13. Stella Harriet Byfield. (Abraham H. Byfield-1)

Stella was born on 27 August 1798 in Ohio. She died on 13 October 1859 in Goodhue County, Minnesota at the age of 61 years, 1 month. She was the daughter of Abraham H. Byfield and Patience Corbin. She married George McGaughey on 14 May 1818 in Hamilton, Ohio.

Stella was the first of Abraham's children to marry. She married George McGaughey in 1818 while the family was still in Hamilton County, Ohio. Many genealogies of the Byfield's show that Abraham had three daughters – Stella, Harriet, and Eliza Ann. I believe that there were only two daughters – Stella and Eliza Ann. On the marriage return for Stella and George, the minister listed her as “Hetty” Byfield. Hetty is usually short for Harriet or Henrietta, so I believe Stella was probably Harriet Stella Byfield or Stella Harriet Byfield. Every record after the marriage lists her as Stella.

Stella and George moved to Indiana along with the rest of the Byfield family. They stayed in Indiana until the mid-1850s when they moved to Goodhue County in southeastern Minnesota. I believe that there were already some McGaugheys in that area or they moved there around the same time since the censuses show many McGaugheys in that area. Stella died just three or four years after the family moved to Minnesota.

Spouse: George McGaughey.

George was born in 1796 in Ohio. He died in 1883 in Arkansas at the age of 87 years. He married Stella Byfield on 14 May 1818 in Hamilton, Ohio.

George is probably the son of David McGaughey that was living in Hamilton County, Ohio around 1820. George stayed in Minnesota until just shortly before his death, when he moved to Arkansas to live with his son, Horatio.

Children of Stella Byfield and George McGaughey

131 i. Albert Edwin McGaughey. Albert Edwin was born about 1820 in Indiana. He died in 1888 in Ortonville, Big Stone County, Minnesota.

132 ii. David J McGaughey. David was born between 1 January 1823 and 28 September 1823 in Indiana. He died in August 1875 in Shelby County, Indiana.

133 iii. Samuel N McGaughey. Samuel was born in 1827 in Indiana. He died in _____________ in _____________.

134 iv. SonA McGaughey. SonA was born between 1830 and 1835 in _____________. 

135 v. Catherine R McGaughey. Catherine was born 29 December 1832 in Indiana. She died 6 January 1906 in Decatur County, Indiana.

136 vi. George C McGaughey. George C was born about 1831 in Indiana. He died in _____________ in _____________.

137 vii. DaughterA McGaughey. DaughterA was born between 1835 and 1840 in _____________. 

138 viii. Horatio M McGaughey. Horatio M was born 20 November 1836 in Franklin County, Indiana. He died 25 December 1911 in Rogers, Benton County, Arkansas.

139 ix. Mary P McGaughey. Mary P was born between 03 Jul and 28 Sep 1834 in Indiana. She died in _____________ in _____________. 

 

What happened to Addie Spurgeon?

This is a Byfield descendant that I come back to now and then. 

Eighteen year old Hattie Imel, daughter of Julia Ann Byfield and Peche Harrison Imel, married Oscar C Spurgeon in Coffey County, Kansas. They had a daughter, Addie, in 1876. By 1878 Hattie and Oscar had divorced and Hattie had remarried.  

Four year old Addie is found in the 1880 census with her mother, Hattie, and her new step-father, George Gilbert Holmes.  That's the last record that I can find.

I'm sure Addie must have married in the 20 years before the next census in 1900 but, I have no clues to go on.  Do any of you Kansas Imels or maybe Holmeses have some information about Addie?

This is my entire listing for Addie:

15311. Addie Spurgeon. (Harriett B "Hattie" Imel-4; Julia Ann Byfield-3; Massia Byfield-2; Abraham H. Byfield-1)

Daughter of Oscar C Spurgeon and Harriett B "Hattie" Imel. Born about 1876 in Kansas. Died _____________ in _____________.

Benjamin Byfield

I'm just finishing up work on the descendants of Benjamin Byfield, son of Massia Byfield.  Benjamin was Massia and Polly's first child and is the only one that stayed in Indiana when the rest of the family moved to Illinois.

Benjamin's son, Sardius, married a second cousin so, there's a branch of Byfields that are related to Abraham Byfield and Patience Corbin through two different grandparents.

I'll upload a new version of the full book once I get the Benjamin Byfield line wrapped up.  I don't plan to update the book that includes only the Massia Byfield line until that line is complete.  I guess I'm going to have to find a better way to refer to which book contains the entire Byfield line and which is just a branch starting at one of Abraham's children.

Updated Version

I just uploaded the latest version of the book.  I added  a section explaining the Henry Numbering system.  The Massia Byfield portions are shaping up slowly.

Any descendants of Massia Byfield out there, sent me pictures!

Change of Plans

I've decided to finish work on the Massia Byfield branch of the Byfield family.  That way I can put up a book covering just the Massia branch that will be fairly complete.  I chose the Massia branch to complete first since that's my branch and I'm closest to having all the "skeleton" information for that branch already.

I will probably do the Horatio Byfield branch next.  I've got some good research on that branch and have received some great help from a couple of other researchers on the Horatio line.

I also have the George Washington Byfield line in pretty good shape but I need to correspond with a few others to fill in some blanks.

I want to stress that even when each branch is completed, that it will only be complete as far as I can fill in names, dates, and places.  I still want to add the stories and family traditions for as many people and families as possible.  I want to hear from anyone associated with the Byfield family!  What stories did your parents or grandparents tell?  Do you have old photographs that you can share?

Send me a note!  There is a place on the right hand side of this page where you can leave me a note or just e-mail me at byfieldbook@gmail.com.

Kate Byfield, Kate Polasky, Kate Woolen

Horatio Byfield of Lancaster Township, Jefferson County, Indiana, had a son named Alford.  Alford Byfield married Nancy Graham and they had a daughter named Hannah Janet Byfield.  This is recorded in Horatio's family bible.

Alford died young and his wife, Nancy, moved back with her parents for a while.  Nancy is listed with her parents in the 1850 census and her daughter, Hannah Janet, is listed with relatives adjacent.  By 1860, Nancy had  set up shop as a seamstress in Madison, Indiana.  Here is where her daughter, Hannah Janet Byfield, became Kate.  I don't know why.  Hannah was her maternal grandmother's name and her paternal grandmother was Jennet so the name Hannah Janet made sense.  Nevertheless, she is recorded as Kate in the 1860 census.

In 1867 Hannah Janet Byfield married John Polasky.  She is recorded as 'Kate' on the marriage record. Later in 1867 John Polasky died along with his business partner, Arthur Hurd.  The young widow, Hannah Janet, had a daughter named Mary Hurd Polasky.  However, in the 1870 census, Hannah Janet is recorded as Kate with a ditto mark indicating the name Kate for her 2 year old daughter.

So.  Kate, who is really Hannah Janet, has a daughter, who's name is Mary Hurd Polasky,  listed as Kate Polasky.

In 1872, Hannah Janet (Byfield) Polasky married the Indiana Attorney General, Thomas Woolen.  In the 1880 census, she is listed as Catherine Woolen and her daughter is listed as Herdie Polasky.  Mary Hurd (aka Kate) (aka Herdie) Polasky died young and is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, in Franklin, Indiana.  On the family headstone that she shares with her mother and step-father she is "Mary Hurd Polasky".

Hannah Janet's husband Thomas Woolen died in 1898.  In the 1900 census, Hannah Janet is listed as Kate Woolen and is with two of her daughters by Thomas Woolen, Ruby May Woolen and Kathryn Woolen who is listed as "Kate".  So here is another Kate!

In the censuses of 1910 and 1920, Hannah Janet (Byfield) Woolen is living with her daughter Kathryn who is married to James Dean.  In 1910 Hannah is listed as "Hannah J Woolen" and in 1920 as "Mrs. Kate Woolen".

Hannah Janet Byfield died in 1926 and is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery with her husband Thomas Woolen.  On the headstone she is recorded as "Hannah Janet Woolen".

Hannah Janet Byfield can be found as "Kate Byfield", "Kate Polasky", and "Kate Woolen".
Her daughter, Mary Hurd Polasky can be found as "Kate Polasky".
Her daughter, Kathryn Woolen can be found as "Kate Woolen".