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Richard H SAMMIS (b 1803)

The gravestone for Richard Sammis in Huntington Rural Cemetery in Huntington, Suffolk County, New York states that he died on 03 Jan 1878 aged 74 years and 2 months. Working back from the time of his death in accord with that information, we arrive at a date of birth of 03 Nov 1803. The date is probably roughly accurate. Richard was almost certainly the son of Richard Sammis and Phebe Ketcham, residents of Huntington Township, Suffolk County, New York.

The 1810 US Census and 1820 US Census each have an entry for Richard's father Richard Sammis. From those two records we can guess that his parents were born somewhere between 1774 and 1778. Both censuses can accommodate son Richard, age 7 in 1810 and age 17 in 1820. The family was living in Huntington Township, Suffolk County, New York in both census years.

The Long Island Star newspaper published in Brooklyn, New York announced Richard's marriage to Marietta Sammis, daughter of Epenetus Sammis, on 16 Mar 1826. The marriage presumably had taken place only a short time before the announcement. A first child and daughter, Marietta Lewis, was born on 18 Nov 1826. Marietta, the mother, died less than a month later and was buried in Old Burying Hill Cemetery in Huntington (Suffolk) on 11 Dec 1826.

Richard married Esther Mary Eversley, a Connecticut native, in New York City on 15 Feb 1829. The couple appeared in the 1830 US Census in Ward 7 of the City of New York. The household was composed of just the two of them.

By 1840, the couple had moved to Huntington (Suffolk) New York and Richard was farming. The household of 14 persons included five boys under the age of 10 and 5 girls under the age of 15. (This would suggest that the household may have included children of related family members. The addition of nine children in a decade does not seem likely.) There were also two males age 20-29 in the household, possibly Richard's siblings. Five members of the household were reported to be employed in agriculture.

The 1850 US Census was the first to include the name of each household member. The household, still in Huntington on 17 Dec 1850, included Richard and Esther Mary as well as Edgar, Rinaldo, Adelia, Charles, Elizabeth, Emily, Phebe and Juliette. The youngest five children were reported to have been in school. Marietta had married Jesse Brush several years earlier and had already started a family by 1850. The couple's youngest child, Brewster, was not born until 1853. Mary Comara, a 29 year-old female born in Ireland, was living in the household in 1850, possibly as a housekeeper. Richard identified himself as a farmer and estimated the value of his real estate at $12,000. Richard's farm was also inventoried in the 1850 US Agricultural Census.

The 1860 US Census found the family still in Huntington. Richard still described himself as a farmer and assessed his property's value as $15,000. Five children were still at home, Elizabeth, Emily, Phebe, Julia, and Brewster (who was only 7). Elizabeth, at age 22, was reported to have been married within the year. Her full name was recorded as Eliz G Macky [McKay] Sammis. There were two males, George (age 15, born NY) and Edward (age 30, born Ireland) Bloxam listed in the household, possibly farm hands. Phebe, Julia, and Brewster were all reported to have been in school.

Emily (age 28), Phebe (age 26), and Brewster (age 16) were the only children remaining at home when the Census was taken in June 1870. The family was still in Huntington and Richard still gave his occupation as farmer. He estimated the value of his real estate as $6000, less than half the amount he had estimated in 1860. The war, presumably, had taken a toll.

Richard Sammis died in Huntington on 03 Jan 1878 and was buried in Huntington Rural Cemetery in Huntington (Suffolk) New York. He was 74 years old. His wife, Esther Mary, lived on until 1888.

Sources:

1810 US Census, Household of Richard Sammis (b c1778): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1810 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1810; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Roll: 36; Page: 517; Image: 00249; Family History Library Film: 0181390. Content: The 1810 US Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York lists the household of Richard Sammis composed of males (3 under 10 yrs, 1 16 to 25 yrs, 1 26 to 44 yrs) and females (1 26 to 44 yrs). 1 Slave. 7 persons total. Note: The 1810 Census is not very helpful in determining the age of the head of household and his wife. Both are acknowledged to be between age 26 and age 44 years. That give us a range of year of birth between 1766 and 1784. Son Richard should be age 7 in 1810 and the count of three males under 10 accommodates him.

1820 US Census, Hosuehold of Richard Sammis (b c1778): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1820 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Page: 282; NARA Roll: M33_74; Image: 295. Content: The 1820 US Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York on 07 Aug 1820 show the household of Richd Samis composed of males (2 10 to 15 yrs, 1 16 to 18 yrs, 1 16 to 25yrs , 1 26 to 44 yrs) and females (2 under 10 years, 1 16 to 25 yrs, 1 45 yrs and over), 4 engaged in agriculture. 8 persons total. Note: The 1820 Census information would suggest (1) that Phebe Sammis was older than her husband Richard. If we assume husband Richard is the eldest male in the household we can compute his year of birth as between 1776 and 1794. Combining that with the range 1766 and 1784 that we were given in 1810, the range of years for Richard Sr's birth are narrowed to the range 1776-1784. My guess is that the difference in age of Richard and Phebe is only a matter of a few years and that Phebe is on 45 or 46 years old in 1820, giving her birth years a range of 1774-1775 and husband Richard slightly younger, say 1776-1778. Again, son Richard should be age 17 in 1820, and the record would suggest that he was the eldest son in 1820, 2 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters and a sister roughly his age..

Find a Grave Memorial 32646435 for Richard Sammis (b c1778) .

1826 Marriage Announcment for Richard Sammis and Marietta Sammis: Citation: Newspapers by Ancestry. The Long Island Star (Brooklyn, New York), 16 Mar 1826, Thursday, Page 3. Content: A marriage announcment in the Long-Island Star (Brooklyn, NY) on 16 Mar 1826, page 3, reports marriages "At Huntington, Richard Sammis to Miss Marietta Sammis, daughter of Mr Epenetus Sammis."

1829 Marriage Registration for Richard Sammis and Esther Eversley: Citation: Ancestry.com. U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Presbyterian Historical Society; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1907; Book Title: 1818 - 1951. Content: A marriage registration in the records of Seventh Presbyterian Church, New York City, New York shows that Mr Richard ?P? Sammis and Miss Esther M Eversley were married on 15 Feb 1829.

1830 US Census, Household of Richard Sammis (b c1803): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1830; Census Place: New York Ward 7, New York, New York; Series: M19; Roll: 97; Page: 32; Family History Library Film: 0017157. Content: The 1830 US Census of City of New York, Ward 7, New York in June 1830 lists Richard H Sammis with household of males (1 20 to 30 yrs) and females (1 15 to under 20 yrs) a total of 2 persons. Note: Richard had married Mary Esther Eversley in New York City in 1829.

1840 US Census, Household of Richard Sammis (b c1803): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Year: 1840; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Roll: 343; Page: 180; Family History Library Film: 0017207, Content: The 1840 US Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York in June 1840 lists the household of Richard Sammis composed of males (3 under 5 yrs, 2 5 to 9 yrs, 2 20 to 29 yrs, 1 30 to 39 yrs) and females (3 under 5 yrs, 1 5 to 9 yrs, 1 10 to 14 yrs, 1 30 to 39 yrs. 5 employed in agriculture. 14 persons total.

1850 US Census, Household of Richard Sammis (b c1803): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Year: 1850; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Roll: 601; Page: 89a. Content: The 1850 US Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York on 17 Dec 1850, shows dwelling (1284/1451) with a household composed of (1) Richard Sammis, age 49, male, farmer who values his real estate at $12K, born in New York, (2) Esther M Sammis, age 45, female, born in New York, (3) Edgar Sammis, age 20, male, farmer, born in New York, (4) Rinaldo Sammis, age 19, male, farmer, born in New York, (5) ?Adelia? Sammis, age 18, female, born in New York, (6) Charles Sammis, age 15, male, born in New York, attended school, (7) Elizabeth Sammis, age 14, female, born in New York, attended school, (8) Emily Sammis, age 12, female, born in New York, attended school, (9) Phebe Sammis, age 10, female, born in New York, attended school, (10) Juliette Sammis, age 8, female, born in New York, attended school, (11) Mary Comari, age 29, female, born Ireland.

1850 US Census, Household of Jesse Brush (b c1825): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1850; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Roll: 601; Page: 68b. Content: The 1850 US Census of Huntington (Suffolk) New York on 09 Dec 1850 lists dwelling 1019 with two families, 1149 and 1150. Family 1149 is composed of (1) Zephaniah Brush, age 40, male, farmer, born New York, and (2) Mary Brush, age 56, female, born New York. Family 1150 is composed of (1) Jesse Brush, age 30, male, farmer, born New York, (2) Marietta L Brush, age 22, female, born New York, (3) Charles E Brush, age 3, male, born New York, and (4) Emma F Brush, age 1 female, born New York.

1850 US Agricultural Census, Richard Sammis: Citation: Ancestry.com. U.S., Census Non-Population Schedules, New York, 1850-1880 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Census Year: 1850; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Archive Collection Number: A8; Roll: 8; Page: 747; Line: 14. Content: The 1850 US Agricultural Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York on 13 Dec 1850 reports that Richard Sammis had 200 acres of improved land, 30 acres of unimproved land, cash value of land estimated at $10000. 5 horses. 5 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 15 other cattle, 100 sheep, 3 swine. Livestock valued at $1179. 400 bushels wheat, 6 bushels rye, 500 bushels corn, 200 bushels oats.

1860 US Census, Household of Richard Sammis (b 1803): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1860; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Page: 306. Content: The 1860 US Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York, enumerated on 20 Jul 1860, shows dwelling (999/1095) with a household composed of (1) Richard Sammis, age 57, male, farmer, (real: $15,000; pers: $2,300), born in New York, (2) Esther M Sammis, age 56, female, born in New York, (3) Elizb G Macky, age 22, female, married within the year, born in New York, (4) Emily Sammis, age 18, female, born in New York, (5) Phebe Sammis, age 15, female, in school, born in New York, (6) Julia Sammis, age 12, female, in school, born in New York, (7) Brewster G Sammis, age 7, male, in school, born in New York, (8) George Bloxom, age 15, male, born New York, (9) Edward Bloxom, age 30, male, born Ireland.

1870 US Census, Household of Richard Sammis (b 1803): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Year: 1870; Census Place: Huntington, Suffolk, New York; Roll: M593_1100; Page: 502B. Content: The 1870 US Census of Huntington, Suffolk County, New York, enumerated on 18 Jun 1870, shows dwelling (455/487) with a household composed of (1) Richard Sammis, age 66, male, farmer, (real: $6000; pers: $1000), born in New York, (2) Esther M Sammis, age 60, female, born in New York, (3) Emily Sammis, age 28, female, at home, born in New York, (4) Phebe Sammis, age 26, female, at home, born in New York, (5) Brewster Sammis, age 16, male, at school, born in New York.

Find a Grave Memorial 63396353 for Richard Sammis (b 1803) .