Voices from History: Solving the Case of the Purloined Servant
by Pat Schley, DDMF Researcher
In 2004, when I began working on the letters of the Davis family, I had no idea of the scope of this project. I thought that I would transcribe the group of letters that we already had to make them more accessible to the volunteers and that would be that. As more and more letters were discovered, I transcribed them as they came along, in no particular order. Trying to make sense out of them, at times, was a lot like trying to put together a box of puzzle pieces when you don’t have the usual picture on the lid to guide you. In a word, it could be chaos.
When I began editing to digitize the nearly 1650 transcriptions in 2013, I was adamant that it be done in chronological order. Six years and just over 1000 transcriptions online later, the chaos of the “pictureless” box of pieces is now making much more sense. Perhaps a better analogy would be that the online letters are becoming an intelligible, written “conversation”, one on which we can easily eavesdrop. [These transcriptions may be easily accessed and searched at http://tinyurl.com/Davis-Family-Correspondence , a joint project in partnership with Illinois Wesleyan University].
Random transcription can cause myriad little mysteries to arise. Some mysteries arise from damage to the original document which renders pertinent information illegible, while others are due to a lack of online information available on sites like Ancestry.com, FindAGrave.com, newspapers.com, etc. or by doing a simple Google search. Most often they exist simply because the person or incident was so well known to the author of the letter and to the letter’s recipient, that crucial details were omitted as being unnecessary. Unfortunately, these are often the very details which are crucial to being able to identify the person or to understand the situation being discussed.
We are fortunate that since the transcribed letters come from a number of different archives, we have often have several letters describing the same person or incident to several different people, and sometimes written by several different people as well. Depending on the knowledge of the person being written to, and the gender of both the author and the recipient, as well as the social status and gender of the person being discussed, the amount of information and detail may vary letter to letter. It’s the same method that Inspector Morse or Sherlock Holmes used: talk to as many witnesses or bystanders as possible to hear each person’s unique take on the case. By comparing the results, a key piece (or pieces) of evidence may come to light. Editing the letters chronologically has allowed me to see these subtle differences -perhaps a name or a place - in one letter compared to another.
Such was the case here. Our “purloined servant”, Eliza, first makes an appearance in a letter from Love Wells Colton[1] to the Davises, written on January 1, 1852 from Beloit WI. Love Colton was a widow, mother of Martha Colton Chapin (and mother-in-law to the Rev. A.L. Chapin, Martha’s husband), as well as the mother of the subject of our previous web article, the late Wells Colton (see The Enigmatic Mr. Colton). Love Colton and her unmarried youngest daughter, Rachel, had been living with the Chapin family since they moved to Milwaukee WI in 1843. Rev. Chapin pastored a church prior to accepting the presidency of the new Beloit College. It would appear that Eliza was likely a servant or hired girl, as her health seemed to be crucial to the smooth running of the Chapin household:
“After some two weeks, in the course of which Eliza was broken down for two days or so, with a chill, and I hobbling about with a sprained ankle we emerged from our barbarous disorder, into a degree of civilization.” Beloit WI, January 1, 1852 (ALPL) Love Colton to David & Sarah W. Davis
Fairly early on in the transcription project, I had transcribed a number of letters regarding the plans for, and later, descriptions of a trip Sarah Davis took back East in the summer of 1853. The main reason for the trip was to consider the feasibility of enrolling her 11 year old son, George Perrin Davis, in Mr. Hyde’s School for Boys in Lee MA.[2] Mr. Hyde was a brother-in-law of George Walker[3], Sarah Davis’ elder brother. (George Walker and Alexander Hyde were married to sisters, Harriet Hull Walker and Cornelia Hull Hyde, respectively). The school was very well-respected, not only in southern Berkshire Co. but beyond, at least into New York state. James Roosevelt (father of Franklin Delano Roosevelt) had attended Mr. Hyde’s School from the fall of 1841 until the spring of 1843.
The traveling party for this trip consisted of Sarah Davis, her son, George Perrin, and his 9 mo. old sister, Sarah Worthington (aka Baby or Dolly). Rounding out the party was a woman named Eliza. It was not unusual for Sarah Davis to take along a young woman, usually a well-liked hired girl, to serve as a sort of nanny for the children and traveling companion for her. However, with no last name ever given and virtually no other information about her, it was impossible to identify exactly who Eliza was. Complicating matters was that there had never been a hired girl named Eliza mentioned as working for the Davises.
In 2018, when I began to edit the letters from 1853, I came upon a letter dated May of that year, in which Sarah wrote to her husband that she had just heard from Martha Chapin, in Beloit WI, saying that she would agree to let a girl named Eliza accompany Sarah and the children when they traveled back East in June. Martha Chapin was the wife of Rev. A.L. Chapin, who was the 1st president of Beloit College (serving from 1849 to 1886), and she was a childhood friend of Sarah Davis and fellow native of Lenox MA. Apparently, the original plan had been that Martha and Eliza would accompany Sarah back to Lenox, their childhood home, for a visit:
“I had a letter from Mrs Chapin[4] – She thinks she cant go with us – but Eliza can at any time – Wishes me to write when we shall start and where we shall stop – as Eliza will have to be sent in to Chicago – Mr- Farr[5] is building a new house – and Mrs Farr[6] may go to Beloit to spend the Summer – So Eliza cannot go there I think they have to give up their house about this time.” Bloomington IL, May 24, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
Good help, especially well-trained hired girls, was very hard to find (and keep) at this time. When a woman had a well-trained, efficient girl working for her, she did all in her power to keep her in her employ. Many a female friendship was broken over the real or perceived “luring away” of a hired girl. A woman would give serious consideration before doing anything that might cause her to lose a good girl. It was, therefore, a testament to the strength of the bond of friendship and the trust between Martha Chapin and Sarah Davis that Martha was willing to let Eliza accompany Sarah.
I decided, without much hope, to try again to figure out who this Eliza was. Since the only piece of information I had was a first name and an educated guess at a year of birth, I began by googling “Eliza A.L Chapin Beloit WI”. One of the first things that came up was a link to a listing in an old family history of the Dewey family[7]. That reference stated that there was an Eliza who was an “adopted daughter of A.L. Chapin”, that her name was Eliza Green, and that she had married a man named Noah Barrell Dewey (which was why this reference was even in the history of the Dewey family), and that she was his 2nd wife when they married on the 28th of November 1854! Everything seemed to point to this being the Eliza I had been looking for….. except for one small problem: Mr. Dewey lived in Delphi, Indiana which is about 230 miles southeast of Beloit, and about 30 miles northwest of Kokomo IN. How would they have met?
As it goes, the Chapins did have an adopted son named Frank. I asked the archivist at Beloit College if he had any knowledge of an adopted daughter as well. He said that he had not. Could this Eliza Green be the Eliza of the letters? It seemed to be a good guess but I doubted that we would ever really know for sure.
A short time later, I came across a folder of copies of random letters which I had never transcribed, mostly because they were strictly about things which did not significantly add to the story of the Davis family. A number of them were from Rev. A.L. Chapin to David Davis. They were mainly about business which Davis was doing for Beloit College.
However, in 2 of these letters which were written in the summer and late fall of 1854, I was amazed to find a total of 4 little sentences, 2 in each letter, which finally answered the question: Just who was this Eliza?
Armed with this new information, I was able to do a thorough search and, ultimately, piece together her life story.
And so, it is with great pleasure (and relief!) that I present to you:
The Case of the Purloined Servant
In May of 1853, Sarah Davis was getting ready for a trip back East to Lenox, not only to visit her family and to introduce them to the newest Davis child, Sarah Worthington “Sallie” Davis, age 9 months, but to look into the advisability of sending 11 year old son, George Perrin Davis to Mr. Hyde’s School for Boys in Lee MA.
Thanks to the generosity of Martha Colton Chapin, 24 year old Eliza Green would accompany Sarah Davis and the children, acting as a sort of lady’s companion and nanny. Though it was not unusual for Sarah to take along a trusted hired girl to help care for the children when she traveled, subsequent letters reveal that Eliza was more than just a hired girl. It was almost as if she was the daughter of a friend. Sarah and her sisters enjoyed taking Eliza to various shops and sites around Lenox, Pittsfield, and Stockbridge:
“Eliza has been to the shops to get a new bonnet. She seems quite pleased with all she see –“ Pittsfield MA, June 30, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Eliza has a new bonnet which pleases her much. She is quite excited with all she sees –“ Pittsfield MA, June 30, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Eliza is delighted with all she sees – wonders that ladies go West from this part of the Country-“ Pittsfield MA, July 6 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
It also seems as if she was exceptionally well-traveled for a hired girl:
“Eliza thinks the pulpit resembles those she saw in England-“ Stockbridge MA,
August 27, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
By late August, Eliza was venturing out to social events accompanied by new friends…:
“The Episcopalians had a Fair last week- Eliza and Helen Cottrell[8] went down- It was held in Miss Quincy’s yard under a tent-“ Lenox MA, August 20 1853 (IHPA) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
…and on at least one occasion, Sarah filled in for Eliza when she was out making social calls!
“Eliza goes out to visit to day [sic] – and I shall have the baby-“ Stockbridge MA, August 29 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
That is not to say that Eliza did not do her fair share of work. However, when Eliza was working it seems that Sarah was often working alongside her. She did laundry, watched baby Sallie, altered clothing that Sallie was outgrowing, and accompanied Sarah on her social calls in order to mind the baby while Sarah was visiting. It appears that Sarah, Eliza, and the baby all got along well :
“Baby is very restless this morning – and as Eliza is washing I am nurse-…She will not amuse herself half as well with me as Eliza – but hangs around me and tries to pull away whatever I try to busy myself about- “ Stockbridge MA, August 29 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Baby [Sallie] is out growing her dresses – about the waist – and a process of letting out has been commenced by Eliza and myself. “- Pittsfield MA, July 26 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Lucy- Eliza, baby and I, went to Lenox last Thursday – also to Lee –“ Pittsfield MA, July 26 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Eliza does well – and we got along as well as I could any where –“ Pittsfield MA, July 26 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“… I have visited at Mr Post’s … – Eliza and baby went with me – Mrs P- seemed much gratified –“ Lenox, MA August 11 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
The last few weeks of the visit fell into a pleasant routine. Eliza was becoming quite fond of little Sallie and was regretting that her time in the Berkshires was almost at an end:
“F[anny Williams][9] & I went to Church in the morning, heard a sermon from Mr Dashiell- Eliza went in the afternoon-“ Stockbridge MA September 8, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Eliza loves Baby dearly-“ Stockbridge MA September 8, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Eliza thinks the Summer has been very short- She loves dear Sarah who trots about very nicely now-“ Stockbridge MA September 18, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
Sometime in August, Sarah Davis wrote to Martha Chapin to ask if Eliza might accompany her home to Bloomington. Sarah had no hired help waiting for her in Bloomington and she needed to wean Sallie that autumn. The hope was that Eliza would stay as long as it took Sarah to have Sallie completely weaned. [To date, I have not found the letter from Sarah to Martha.]
On September 3rd, in reply to Sarah’s letter, Martha wrote the following, which was sent to Chicago where it was supposed to be held for Sarah Davis and Eliza Green at their hotel when they arrived.
“I am sorry to feel obliged to say nay to yr- request, but knowing the reasons, you wd – as soon say it as I. It is Mon’y morn’g[10] & the breakfast table awaits my clearing so I must be brief- Ann Olsen who has been with me a few weeks wishes to go to Minnesota this fall & must leave in 2 or 3 weeks at farthest – Then perhaps a more serious objection is, that Eliza has probably become partially unfitted for my work by an absence longer than I cd- have desired had any other arrangement been practicable. To be candid dear Sarah, it has been at a great personal sacrifice that I have given up Eliza in the way I have & I did it mostly for her benefit to pleasure. (I have rejoiced in the incidental advantage to you.) I have incurred the risk of a ____ ________ fr- myself & my interests, wh- I shd- feel wd- be greatly increased by a longer continuance of her present mode of life - & I have expected fr- the beginning, a trial on her return in her adapting herself to the duties of her relation to my family – I have no selfish desire to retain her, if there is a place in the world where she can enjoy greater advantages. It has been my constant aim to elevate ^her as fast as she cd- sustain a better position & this aim I shall still keep in sight. My dear Sarah I trust you as I do my husband[11] or I shd-n’t have lent you Eliza just when, after a laborious training, she had become most useful to me, & I trust Eliza just as far as I can trust one, so inexperienced & so susceptible to present influences – I need not say more for I have no doubt you are convinced –
I am very much worn & not well, or I might perhaps meet you in Chicago & go with Eliza to Milwaukie – I believe I must wait till she returns – Beloit WI September 3, 1853 (ALPL) Martha Colton Chapin-Sarah W. Davis
Sadly, Martha’s letter was misdirected and Sarah did not receive it. Sarah took this seeming lack of a reply as tacit approval for Eliza to continue on to Bloomington for the fall. And therein lay the foundation for a rather serious disagreement between Sarah Davis and Martha Colton:
“Eliza may go home to wean baby if I hear from Martha there [Chicago]- M[artha Colton (Mrs. A.L.) Chapin] is provided with a good girl now- Mr Porter[12] and Mr Chapin’s youngest sister[13] are members of her family- …“ Stockbridge MA, September 27 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
About this time, Sarah and Eliza, along with 1 year old, Sallie, left for Chicago. Sarah had decided that 11 yr. old George should stay in Lenox in the care of his Walker grandparents and Sarah’s widowed brother, George Walker, who lived with his parents to help tend to his chronically ill father. Come November, young George would attend classes and board at Mr. Hyde’s School in Lee, MA.
To further complicate matters, when Sarah & Eliza arrived in Chicago, they discovered that Eliza’s trunk had gone missing at some point along the way! In the hope of being able to quickly locate it, Sarah Davis contacted her brother, George Walker, in Lenox:
“I get no further tidings regarding Eliza’s trunk – shall keep the matter in agitation till something is done about it- I really feel badly for Eliza for she seemed so grateful for favors & appreciated gifts so readily-“ Lenox MA, October 5 1853 (ALPL) George Walker-Sarah W. Davis
“I was very sorry that Eliza lost her trunk I think she will get it- George will use spare no pains to recover it --- I hope she will go home with you” Lenox MA, October 5 1853 (ALPL) Lucy Adam Walker[14]-Sarah W. Davis
“I recd a letter last Eve from the R.R. agent at Albany who says that I must be patient about the lost trunk. They must have a reasonable time to look it up by their agent, & then, if not found, it shall be paid for – This is all that can be brought about in the matter directly; & the acknowledgement that it shall be paid for, is first rate news in my opinion. In the mean time the list of articles contained therein you will please send me.” Lenox MA, October 13 1853 (ALPL) George Walker-Sarah W. Davis
“Sir I am verry [sic] Glad to inform you that I have found your Trunk and at the Delevan House and Been there Since the evening You Arrived With Sister & Servant Gill [sic], it Being about three Weeks Since it Being no fault of Mine I Suppose You Will forward it at Your Expense if you wish Me to forward the Trunk Write Me and Give Directions Where to Send it. E Blackwell W.R.R. Office” Albany NY October 22 1853 (WMS) E Blackwell-George Walker
“Eliza’s trunk is found – It was found at the Delevan House & probably got taken by mistake into some room. I shall order it sent to Hon David Davis Chicago Ill – by Express, to remain till called for – as the Rail Road folks say they are not at all to blame in the matter – the expense of sending it to Chicago must be paid by ourselves. So you can probably get it for Eliza this week.” Lenox MA, October 23, 1853 (ALPL) George Walker-Sarah W. Davis
“… Minnie[15] is in the nursery fitting Eliza’s dress. I bought her a worsted dress in town last week.” Bloomington IL, October 25, 1853 (ALPL) Sarah W. Davis-David Davis
“Hope Eliza will get the Trunk soon & find all safe therein. I wrote last Sunday night to have it shipd by Express to Chicago, instantes [sic] – marked Hon. David Davis Chicago &c – shall hope to hear by middle of next week of its safe arrival.” Lenox MA, October 29, 1853 (ALPL) George Walker-Sarah W. Davis
By early November, Eliza and her errant trunk were reunited in Chicago. She and her trunk returned to Beloit, to the Chapin household, on November 3rd.
“My husband just bro’t in yr. letter of the 7th for wh. I sincerely thank you. I have determined to answer it immediately, at the cost of leaving an apron unfinished ^for Bessie wh- I proposed to put on her tomorrow. Eliza returned in safety “bag & baggage” literally, a week ago yesterday.” Beloit WI, November 10, 1853 (ALPL) Martha Colton Chapin-Sarah W. Davis
“Glad to learn that Eliza met her trunk at Chicago, on the day of her arrival there.” Lenox MA, November 27, 1853 (ALPL) George Walker-Sarah W. Davis
In July of 1854, A.L. Chapin wrote to David Davis to discuss some business for the college as well as to finalize some last details of the settlement of his brother-in-law, Wells Colton’s estate.[16] From 1837 until he moved to St. Louis in January 1845, Colton had been David Davis’ law partner, the only one Davis ever had. Colton was injured in the Great St. Louis Fire on the night of May 17-18, 1849, and died from his injuries a week later.
It was in this letter that we finally have the first confirmation that the Eliza Green mentioned in the Dewey family history was indeed the same person who accompanied Sarah Davis in the summer of 1853:
“Eliza’s suitor[17] from Indiana is on hand to bring his matters to an issue. The probabilities are inclining to a match I think.” Beloit WI July 21 1854 (ALPL) Aaron Lucius Chapin-David Davis
He was correct. On November 27, 1854 [the Dewey family history incorrectly lists the date as November 28th], at the Chapin home in Beloit, Eliza Green, now age 25, married Noah Barrell Dewey, age 42, of Delphi, IN, as his 2nd wife:
“Eliza’s wedding has just come off at 6 o’clock this evening, & the newly married pair have started for their home. It was quite a fine affair & things went of nicely.” Beloit WI November 27 1854 1854 (ALPL) Aaron Lucius Chapin-David Davis
The relationship between Sarah and Martha, however, remained cool:
I think some of our letters must have miscarried also. Martha has been wondering that she did not hear from Sarah in reply to letters forwarded some time ago. I think the ladies at both ends had better take a fresh start at once & see if they cannot open communication. Beloit WI, February 21, 1855 1854 (ALPL) Aaron Lucius Chapin-David Davis
Eventually, they were able to set aside their hurt feelings and reconciled, which was a good thing as Martha Colton died in late 1859.
Once I had Eliza’s maiden name and the name of her husband, I was able to fill in quite a few details about her life before her time in Beloit and after her marriage as well: Where did the Green family come from? Where did they live? Did she live “happily ever after” with Mr. Dewey?
Eliza Green was born in Leicester, Leicestershire, England, on June 21, 1829. She was the daughter of George H. Green (1798-1879) and Sarah M. Clark Green (1804-1893). She was one of 11 children.
The family emigrated from England and arrived in New York on September 7, 1836, when Eliza was 7 years old. That apparently was old enough to remember what the pulpits looked like in Leicestershire well enough so that she would recognize their resemblance to the pulpit in the church in Stockbridge MA some 17 years later!
In 1837, they were living in Jefferson Co. WI, in southeastern WI. By 1838, they were living in Milwaukee Co. WI. It is possible that this is where the Chapins and the Greens met. Rev. A.L. Chapin was the pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church (aka The Little White Church) in Milwaukee, from 1843 until 1850, when he became the 1st president of Beloit College.
In the 1850 US Census, the Green family was living in Oak Creek, WI, which is now considered to be a suburb of Milwaukee, however, when the Greens lived there it was a village about 12-15 miles south of Milwaukee. Her father is listed as being a farmer.
It is likely that Eliza was sent to live with the Chapins in order to learn the skills necessary to run a household and perhaps, some social skills, all things which might enable her to find a good husband. Whatever the reason, by January 1, 1852, Eliza Green was already an integral part of the Chapin household.
By the summer of 1854, just 8 months after Eliza returned to Beloit the previous November and about 15 months after the death of his 1st wife on April 8, 1853, Noah Barrell Dewey was in Beloit to press his suit for marriage to Eliza as his 2nd wife. As Rev. Chapin surmised, it was successful. On November 27, 1854,[18] Mr. Dewey and Eliza Green were married at the Chapin home in Beloit. By evening of the same day, they were on their way home to Delphi, IN.
Why the hurry to get back to Delphi? At the time of their marriage, Noah Dewey was the father of 6 children from his 1st marriage, ranging in age from 11 years to 2 years old. Eliza Green Dewey, age 25, was now the stepmother of 6 children!
A little over 2 years later, she gave birth to a daughter, Jeanie, on December 5, 1855. Sadly, her husband died just 1 month later, on January 8, 1856. Jeanie died later that same year.
The 1860 US Census shows that Eliza was still living in Delphi. She had 5 of her 6 stepchildren living with her, ranging in age from 15 years to 9 years. She also had her 24 year old sister, Lydia J. Green, living with her, as well as a Catherine Steel, age 18, listed as being born in Wisconsin, and possibly a friend of Eliza’s sister. Lydia and Catherine may very well have been playing the same role in Eliza’s household that Eliza herself played in the Chapin household nearly 10 years before. They likely were there to help Eliza keep house and to care for the children. This census was taken on August 14, 1861, just 16 months before Eliza died, so it is also possible that she was already ill. Lydia Green and Catherine Steel may also have been there to help care for her.
Eliza Green Dewey died in Delphi, Carroll Co. IN, on December 18, 1861, at the age of 38. She and her husband and baby daughter are buried at IOOF Memorial Gardens, Delphi IN. There is a memorial for them at findagrave.com. It is memorial # 134785079.
One question still remains unanswered: how did Eliza and Noah Dewey meet? It is only a guess but the Dewey family history says this about Noah Dewey:
“[He] went west in 1828, visited Chicago and Milwaukee, but settled at Delphi, Ind.”
It is possible that it was during one of these visits to Milwaukee that he either met the Green family or that he attended the 1st Presbyterian Church after 1843, when Rev. Chapin was pastor there.
I also discovered that there are several other links in the Dewey family to Wisconsin. Noah Dewey’s eldest sister, Maria, lived her adult life in Monroe, Wisconsin. Monroe, in Green Co., is about 35 miles NW of Beloit, in south central Wisconsin. Their mother, Frances “Fanny” Barrell Dewey, lived with Maria after their father died. Fanny Dewey died in Monroe in 1877 and is also buried there.
Another sister, Mary Etta Dewey [Mrs. George Prior] Hedge, had 2 sons. It appears that George & Mary Etta Hedge followed in the footsteps of her elder siblings, Noah Barrell and Maria Dewey. The eldest son, Frank E. Hedge (1855-1940) was born in Carroll Co. IN, likely in Delphi, where Noah lived. Two years later, the younger son, George Dewey Hedge (1857-1930), was born in Monroe WI, where her elder sister, Maria, who was unmarried, had settled. It is possible, that in the course of visiting his elder sister, Maria, that Noah Barrell Dewey met Eliza.
This is, of course all conjecture and it is likely that we will never know for sure. But then again, I said the same thing about ever knowing for sure who Eliza was.
Key to Archives Which Hold Original Documents
ALPL – Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Springfield IL, The David Davis Family Collection
WMS – Williams College, Williamstown MA, The Samuel Chapman Armstrong Collection
[1] Love Wells Colton (1786-1856)
[2] Established in 1837. The picture on the right (c. 2007) shows the 1 ½ story schoolhouse wing to the right. At the time this was taken, the schoolroom (lower level) and the “cells” where the boys boarded (upper level) were still as they were in 1853, when George Perrin Davis attended there. It is now a private residence.
[3] George Walker (1812-1860), elder brother of Sarah W. Davis.
[4] Martha Colton [Rev. Mrs. Aaron Lucius] Chapin - (1816-1859) – wife of Rev. A.L. Chapin; daughter of Rhodolphus & Love Wells Colton; native of Lenox MA and childhood friend of Sarah W. Davis
[5] James Farr, Jr., who owned a furniture business in Chicago IL. He was married to
[6] Laura Jane Chapin [Mrs. James] Farr, Jr. She was a sister of Rev. A.L. Chapin, Martha Colton Chapin’s husband. She went by the name of Jane.
[7] Life of George Dewey, Rear Admiral, U.S.N., and Dewey Family History, Louis Marinus Dewey, editor, Dewey Publishing Co., Westfield MA, 1898, pp. 639-640.
[8] [Emma] Helen Cotrell (1838-1905) was the daughter of Oliver C. &Lucy Curtis Cotrell. Lucy Cotrell worked for the Walker family on occasion as a sort of housekeeper/cook. She was more than a hired woman, though, as she would pay social calls on Sarah Davis’ mother when she wasn’t working at the Walker home.
[9] Frances Mary Walker “Fanny” [Mrs. Daniel Rogers] Williams (1817-1903), younger sister of Sarah W. Davis.
[10] Monday morning. Interestingly, the 3rd of September 1853 was actually a Saturday. Monday was the 5th of September.
[11] Rev. Aaron Lucius Chapin (1817-1892) – husband of Martha Colton Chapin; 1st president of Beloit College and Preparatory School, Beloit WI; formerly pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church, Milwaukee WI (1843-1850), graduate of Yale University (1837) and Union Theological Seminary (1843).
[12] William Porter (1820-1917), who taught Latin, served as academic dean, and as Secretary to the Faculty at Beloit College from 1852-1917.
[13] Ellen Gertrude Chapin (1831-1905), who had just married William Porter (see endnote #7) on July 13, 1854 in Beloit.
[14] Lucy Adam Walker (1781-1864) – mother of Sarah W. Davis and wife of Judge William Perrin Walker (1778-1858).
[15] Mary R. “Minnie” Macon (b. 1835), daughter of William Hartwell & Mariah A. Macon; lived with her mother in Burlington, Iowa after the death of her father. .She was not a hired girl but rather a young woman from a respected family who would come and live-in for a period of time and help out.
[16] [Beriah] Wells Colton (1812-1849), son of Rhodolphus & Love Wells Colton; died on May 26, 1849, from injuries suffered in the Great St. Louis Fire on the night of May 17-18, 1849.
[17] Noah Barrel Dewey (1812-1856) of Delphi IN.
[18] The Dewey family history lists the date of marriage as being November 28, 1854, but as the letter from A.L. Chapin to David Davis clearly testifies, they were married on November 27th.