Palfrey Surname

The Palfrey surname originates in England, although our origins within that country are unknown. The word Palfrey refers to a type of horse saddle that was used in the Middle Ages that was used for general everyday riding. An ancestor of the Palfrey family may have had an occupation that had something to do with these kinds of horses.

The most consistent spelling of the name is Palfrey, yet other spellings that have survived in earlier records include: Palfry, Pallfre, Palphrey, Polfre, Pollfre, etc.

John Palfrey was born in England and died after 1775 in England.

It is not known when or where John Palfrey was born or raised - but presumably he came from somewhere in the neighboring counties of Herefordshire or Shropshire. He was first located in 1759, when he married Ann Weaver in Aston Parish, Herefordshire. Their first child, John, was baptized in 1760, in the neighboring parish of Elton. Then their remaining children were baptized in Aston between 1763 and 1775. It is unclear what happened to John after this date. There was a John Palfrey who served as church warden in Aston during the 1780s and 1790s; and a John Palfrey who was buried on April 4, 1800 in Aston. It is impossible though to confirm whether that John Palfrey was this John, or his son with the same name.

Many online family trees have identified her as the Ann Weaver baptized on January 10, 1738/9 in Bitterley, Shropshire; the daughter of Littleton Weaver and Ann Mountford. However I'm not aware of anything that proves this - other than the same name, same time period and being relatively near to where Ann later lived.

Some other family trees suggest that she was the Ann Weaver, baptized in September 1736 in Eyton in Herefordshire, to William and Elizabeth Weaver.

It is possible that she was the Ann Palfrey who was buried in November 28, 1803 in Aston Parish, Herefordshire. However since the parish record doesn't include an age or any other information, it's impossible to verify if that person was her, or another person of the same name (including her granddaughter Ann Palfrey).

1	John Palfrey
2	William Palfrey was baptized on July 17, 1763 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. He was buried on November 4, 1834 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. He married Elizabeth*. She was born circa 1768 and was buried on October 15, 1827 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. They had the following children: Sarah Palfrey (1806-) Ann Palfrey (1809-1809) William Palfrey (1810-1859) md. Jane Meredith Presumably, William spent his entire life living in Aston Parish (he was baptized there, his children were all baptized there, and he and his wife were both buried there). * Most online family trees indicate that he married Elizabeth Davies on August 11, 1803, yet confusingly enough William's nephew William Palfrey also married to an Elizabeth at around the same time. I think it is more likely that this William was married to Elizabeth Bevan on September 16, 1805 in Ludlow Parish, Shropshire, England (Ludlow was closer to Aston, where William and Elizabeth later lived).
3	Sarah Palfrey was baptized on January 19, 1766 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. It is unknown what happened to Sarah. In May 1815, a Sarah Palfrey was a witness to the marriage of her niece Mary Palfrey in Clunbury, Shropshire. It is possible that person was her.
4	Susannah Palfrey was baptized on June 23, 1771 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. She was buried on July 27, 1774 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10.
5	Elizabeth Palfrey was baptized on April 23, 1775 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10.

John Palfrey was baptized on October 26, 1760 in Elton, Herefordshire, England ¹¹. He died after 1795.

Father: John Palfrey
Mother: Anne Weaver

John was likely born in the parish of Elton, where he was baptized on October 26, 1760. As a child they moved to neighboring Aston Parish, where all of his younger siblings were baptized. In November 1781, 21-year old John was described as a resident of Aston when he married Eleanor Corbett in nearby Wigmore. Their first child, William, was baptized there 3 months later, in 1782. Then, John and his family moved back to Aston, where their other children were baptized between 1786 and 1795. It is unclear what happened to John after 1795. The Aston Parish registers confirm that a John Palfrey was a church warden there during the 1780s and 1790s. And a John Palfrey was buried in Aston on April 4, 1800. Unfortunately, the register does not include any information besides his name - so it is impossible to identify this person definitively. It is possible that the John Palfrey who died in 1800 was his father, or another unidentified John Palfrey.

He married Eleanor Corbett on November 5, 1781 in Wigmore, Herefordshire, England ¹². She was baptized on August 11, 1754 in Wigmore, Herefordshire, England ¹². She died after 1795.

Father: Arnold Corbett
Mother: Mary

Her first name was spelled in contemporary parish registers as "Elinor", "Eleanor", and "Ellianor".

Eleanor was baptized on August 11, 1754 in Wigmore, Herefordshire, England. She was married there on November 5, 1781 to John Palfrey. Their first child, William, was baptized 3 months later, on February 24, 1782. After this, they moved to nearby Aston Parish, where the rest of their children were baptized. It is unclear what happened to Eleanor after her youngest child was baptized in 1795.

Most family trees indicate that she was the Eleanor Palfrey who was buried on February 14, 1818 in nearby Ludlow, Shropshire, England. However it is unlikely that was the same person; as the parish register indicates that Eleanor Palfrey was 86 years old (or born circa 1732).

A different possibility is that John Palfrey had died (perhaps the John Palfrey buried in Aston on April 4, 1800) and that she was the Elinor Palfrey who married John Pugh on December 8, 1807 in Ludford (adjacent to Ludlow). Then, she was possibly the Elinor Pugh who was buried on January 5, 1819 in Cusop Parish, in a different part of Herefordshire, at the age of 64 (born circa 1755).

A third possibility is that she was the Eleanor Palfrey who was buried on April 2, 1828 in Llangynllo Parish in Radnorshire, Wales. That Eleanor was described as 83 years old (born circa 1745) and living at "Ty-r-y-graig" which is exactly where her son Thomas Palfrey was living when his daughter Jane was baptized in Llangynllo in 1826.

1	William Palfrey was baptized on February 24, 1782 in Wigmore, Herefordshire, England 12. He died on June 5, 1865 in Knighton, Radnorshire, Wales 15. He married Elizabeth*. She was born circa 1782 in Shropshire, England and died on February 11, 1848 in Llanbister, Knighton District, Radnorshire, Wales 15. They had the following children: Elizabeth Palfrey (1804-???) This person was baptized on February 12, 1804 in Llanfair Waterdine - and was thus the daughter of the William Palfrey who married Elizabeth Davies (who was probably this William, see note below). It is possible that she was the Elizabeth Palfrey, daughter of a William, who married John Turner on May 7, 1840 in St. Julian, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Mary Palfrey (c. 1807-1880) It is possible that she was the "Mary Pallfre", baptized on May 31, 1807 in Clunbury, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (perhaps a typo for William - there is no record that a Thomas Palfrey was ever in that parish - and Mary's baptism is otherwise missing from the parish register). Sarah Palfrey (1809-1861) md. John Butcher William Palfrey (1811-1838) Many online family trees claim that this William was married to Jane Meredith, however that person was actually his father's cousin, who was one year older than him (see above). Ann Palfrey (1813-1894) md. Edward Reese Jane Palfrey (1816-1854) md. David Brick John Palfrey (1820-1897) md. Mary Ann Davies After his marriage, William and his wife settled in Clunbury Parish in Shropshire - where they lived until at least 1841. Sometime during the 1840s (between 1841 and 1848), they moved west to Llanbister in neighboring Radnorshire in Wales. Then during the 1850s, he moved again to nearby Knighton in Radnorshire. * Most family trees indicate that William was married to Elizabeth Bevan on September 16, 1805. Yet confusingly enough, William's uncle William Palfrey also married to an Elizabeth at around the same time. I think it is more likely that this William was the one who married Elizabeth Davies on August 11, 1803 in Llanfair Waterdine Parish, Shropshire, England (Llanfair Waterdine was much closer to Clunbury and Knighton where William and Elizabeth later lived).
2	Mary Palfrey was baptized on February 8, 1786 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. She was died on June 22, 1851 in Downton, Herefordshire, England 15. She was buried on June 26, 1851 in Downton, Herefordshire, England 13. She married John Jones on May 6, 1815 in Clunbury, Shropshire, England 14. He was born circa 1781 in Burrington, Herefordshire, England and died sometime between 1861 and 1871. They had the following children: Jane Jones (1817-1820) John Jones (1820-1821) Elizabeth Jones (1822-1823) William Jones (1823-aft. 1871) md. Sarah Howells Mary Jones (1827-1830) Bessey Jones (1829-1831) Jane Jones (1829-1830) Mary was described as a resident of Clunbury Parish when she married John Jones from the parish of Downton in 1815 in Clunbury. After the marriage, they settled in Downton, Herefordshire, where all of their children were baptized and Mary lived there until her death in 1851. John later lived with their son William in neighboring Leintwardine, where he probably died.
3	John Palfrey was baptized on January 18, 1789 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. He died on June 4, 1864 in Llanadevy, Clunbury, Shropshire, England 15. He married Eleanor Evans on July 18, 1829 in Clunbury, Shropshire, England 14. She was born circa 1794 and died on May 13, 1877 in Llanadevy, Clunbury, Shropshire, England. They had the following children: Ann Palfrey (1830-1835) Margaret Palfrey (1832-1867) md. Edward Edwards John Palfrey (1834-1894) Thomas Palfrey (1836-aft. 1861) William Palfrey (1841-1912) md. Ellen Davies John's whereabouts before his marriage in 1829 (at the age of 40) are unknown. But since his siblings William and Mary had been documented in Clunbury as early as 1809, my guess is that John was also there living with them. John and his wife settled in Llanadevy in Clunbury Parish, Shropshire; where they both resided until their deaths. John was a farmer.
4	Ann Palfrey was baptized on September 1, 1791 in Aston, Herefordshire, England 10. It is possible that she was the Ann Palphrey who was buried on November 28, 1803 in Aston, Herefordshire. However because the register did not include an age or other details, it is impossible to know for sure - that Ann could have been her paternal grandmother, Ann Weaver Palfrey. A different possibility is that she was the Ann Palphrey who was buried on June 21, 1813 at the age of 20 in Llanfair Waterdine in Shropshire. Her brother William was documented in that parish in 1803 and 1804.
5	Thomas Palfrey

Thomas Palfrey was probably born before March 8, 1795 in Aston, Herefordshire, England. He was baptized on March 8, 1795 in Aston, Herefordshire, England ¹⁰. (His tombstone indicates he was born in 1796 ¹). He died in 1875 ¹ in Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. He is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.

Probable Father: John Palfrey
Probable Mother: Eleanor Corbett

There is no definitive proof of Thomas' parents or his origins within England. He is first found in records in 1816, when he married in Radnorshire, Wales. Later US census records suggest that while his wife and children were born in Wales, Thomas was born in England. If true, it is most likely that he came from a western English county, near the border with Wales.

It is most likely that he was Thomas Palfrey, son of John Palfrey and Eleanor Corbett, who was baptized on March 8, 1795 at Aston (also referred to as "Pipe Aston" and "Aston near Ludlow") in Herefordshire, England. Aston is only about 20 miles from the places in Wales where Thomas lived as an adult. To add to this, this Thomas' brother William later lived in Radnorshire, Wales and his sister Mary Palfrey was married to a John Jones (when Thomas Palfrey married Jane Jones, a John Jones was one of their witnesses). Although this connection is not (yet) proven by any known records, it is strengthened by DNA evidence. I currently have four autosomal DNA matches with descendants of people closely related to John and Eleanor Palfrey: two are descended from John and Eleanor's son John Palfrey (1789-1864), one is descended from John's brother William Palfrey (1763-1834) and one is descended from Eleanor's brother William Corbett (1758-1824).

Thomas was married to Jane Jones on June 24, 1816 in Llanyre Parish, Radnorshire, Wales. Since their first child was baptized only three months later, it might have been something of a "shotgun wedding." Although we do not know exactly when Thomas or Jane were born, most known records agree that Jane was older than Thomas. At the time of the marriage, Thomas was about 20 and Jane was about 26. Over the next ten years, Thomas and his family lived in Radnorshire in central Wales, but moved frequently within the county. In 1816, they were at Wern-Hyre in Llanyre Parish. After this they moved to nearby Llangynllo Parish, where they lived in a variety of locations. In 1819 they were at "Bays's or Pantppunon", in 1821 they were at Neuaddvach, in 1823 they were at Llangynllo Village and in 1826 they were at Tyrygraig. (Bay's, Neuaddvach and Tyrygraig were all in a similar location, in a rural location northeast of the Llangynllo village). During this time period, Thomas' occupation was listed variously as farmer, laborer, bailiff and flour dealer.

Sometime after 1826, the family moved away from Llangynllo Parish and probably lived elsewhere in Great Britain for a few years. Their son Thomas was born in about 1828 at an unknown location in England or Wales. In about 1829, they left Great Britain permanently and moved to Canada. Their daughter Mary was born in October 1829. Most sources indicate that she was born in England, yet one source (the 1920 census of her son) specifically indicated that she was born "at sea". If that's true, then an emigration in the autumn of 1829 would fit well with other records that suggest they left Great Britain at about that time. However when his son William applied for citizenship in 1846 he indicated that he moved to the United States in May 1829. But since the family definitely lived in Canada until at least 1831, he might have been referring to when they migrated to Canada, or he might have been simply mistaken. Or, maybe he moved separately from his parents.

In about 1829 the family settled somewhere in Quebec, Canada. They did not remain there long because Thomas was "discontented" with Canada. In November 1831, the family moved to the U.S. through the port of Buffalo, New York ⁹. The family settled in Erie County, New York; where they were northeast of Buffalo. They lived in the southwest corner of the town of Newstead, where they were close to the village of Clarence in the neighboring town of Clarence. They purchased 59.5 acres there in June 1839. In the 1840 census, Thomas' eldest son John is head of a household with a total of four inhabitants (it is not known where the other 6 members of the family were at the time). It was while living in Erie County, New York, that their eldest daughter Anne died in 1844.

Thomas and his family decided to move once more. In March 1846, they sold their land in Erie County, New York. Then they traveled via the Great Lakes to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and then took teams inland to Winnebago County, Wisconsin, where they settled in the fall of 1846 and were among the original white settlers. Eventually, Thomas owned quite a bit of real estate in Winnebago County. He lived at various times in the towns of Rushford, Omro, and Nepeuskeun, as well as the village of Waukau. In 1867, Thomas' wife Jane died. The following year, in nearby Portage County, Wisconsin, he married a widow named Melissa Curtis. Interestingly, Thomas had known Melissa and her family many years earlier in New York; they were neighbors in 1840. During their marriage between 1868 and 1875, Thomas and Melissa lived together in the village of Waukau (although they have not been located in the 1870 census). In 1873, Thomas owned a house and vacant lots in the village of Waukau as well as about five acres of land outside the village. Thomas wrote his will on February 20, 1873. In his will he directed that his widow was to have use of his house and that she would be paid financial support out of his estate for the duration of her life. He left his Waukau real estate to be divided equally between his daughters Mary and Eliza, he left his 5-acre tract of land to his grandsons William and Grant Palfrey, and he left some other money to his surviving sons John, Thomas and Richard.

Thomas died sometime in 1875 according to his tombstone. He had definitely died before May 31, 1875 when his will was submitted in probate court. Most likely he had died in March 1875, and he was probably the "M R Palfrey" (i.e. Mr. Palfrey) in a transcribed index to Winnebago County newspaper items on March 11, 1875 with the citation that he was "buried last week."

Jane Jones was born circa 1787-1790, probably in Wales; but her origins are unknown. Based on the names of her children and traditional naming patterns, an educated guess is that she was the daughter of a William or John Jones and Eliza or Anne; although the names of all her children are candidates. A John Jones was one of the witnesses on her marriage record; perhaps a relative. A John Jones was also married to Mary Palfrey (probably the sister of her husband Thomas Palfrey) in 1815 in Clunbury, England. All of this is complicated by the fact that Jones is/was the most common surname in Wales; and that her family only used common given names for their children.

The simplest guess is that Jane came from somewhere in the vicinity of Llanyre, Radnorshire, Wales, where she married in 1816. If that is true, three guesses for her identity are a Jane Jones, daughter of John, who was baptized on July 12, 1789 in the nearby parish of Nantmel; a Jane Jones, daughter of Thomas, who was baptized on May 28, 1791, also in Nantmel; and a Jane Jones, daughter of John and Mary, baptized on August 9, 1789 in the parish of Cascob. There was also a spinster named Jane Jones who in March 1815 was named in the will of her brother John Jones in Nantmel (other siblings were Edward, Elizabeth, Margaret Powell, Anne Stephens and Thomas Jones).

Jane's date of death is unknown, but was sometime between October 31, 1867 and December 31, 1867. Her tombstone only records the year as 1867. She died sometime after October 26, 1867, when she signed a deed with her husband. She probably died in the town of Rushford, where she was described as a resident in the October 1867 deed.

1	John Palfrey was born on about August 17, 1816 in Llanyre, Radnorshire, Wales. He was baptized on September 1, 1816 in Llanyre, Radnorshire, Wales 6. He died on September 8, 1888 in Rushford Twp., Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 1. He is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. He married first to Mary Monondana Drake on October 7, 1855 in Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 2. (She was born on May 2, 1838 in New York 1 and died on November 21, 1868 Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 1. She is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.) They had the following children: William Wallace Palfey (1856-1912) md. 1st. Harriet N. Perkins [divorced] md. 2nd. Agnes Stewardson John Palfrey (1862-1868) Henry Grant Palfrey (1864-1929) md. Sally Mae Burgner He married second to Eliza Jane Kimball on October 17, 1869 in Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 2. (She was born on May 4, 1833 in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., New York 1 and died on September 17, 1915 in Rushford Twp., Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 1. She is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.) They had no children. John is often listed with the middle initial "G", yet there is no evidence in any contemporary record that he had any middle initial or name. Perhaps someone might have confused him with John G. Palfrey, who was a nationally famous author and politician who lived in Massachusetts during the same time period. John was a farmer and also a miller. He first lived in the town of Omro, but then settled in the village of Waukau in the town of Rushford.
2	William Palfrey was born in about March 1819 in Llangynllo, Radnorshire, Wales. He was baptized on April 2, 1819 in Llangynllo, Radnorshire, Wales 7. He died on November 16, 1851 in Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 1. He is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. He was never married. He submitted his declaration to become a US citizen on November 14, 1846 in Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin. He indicated he arrived at the port of New York in May 1829, yet that was probably an error (see biography of his father, above).
3	Anne Palfrey was born in about November 1821 in Llangynllo, Radnorshire, Wales. She was baptized on December 1, 1821 in Llangynllo, Radnorshire, Wales 7. She died on June 1, 1844 in Erie Co., New York 8. She is buried in the Clarence Fillmore Cemetery, Clarence, Erie Co., New York. She never married.
4	Eliza Palfrey was born in about October 1823 in Llangynllo, Radnorshire, Wales. She was baptized on October 12, 1823 in Llangynllo, Radnorshrie, Wales 7. She died on February 24, 1907 in Rushford Twp., Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 4. She is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. She married to Oscar F. Wilson sometime between 1850 and 1860 in Wisconsin. (He was born circa 1822 in New Hampshire 3 and died on May 9, 1869 in Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.) They had no children. (But Eliza had one stepson, Oscar R. Wilson, from her husband's first marriage.) Eliza and her husband were living in Dartford (now Green Lake), Wisconsin in 1860. Sometime during the 1860s, they moved to Waukau, Winnebago County, Wisconsin; where Oscar died in 1869. In 1870, newly widowed Eliza was living with her sister Mary in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. By 1875 she had returned to Wisconsin. For the remainder of her life she resided in the towns of Winneconne, Oshkosh and Waukau. As a widow, she worked as a dress maker.
5	Jane Palfrey was born in about March 1826 in Llangynllo, Radnorshire, Wales. She was baptized on March 18, 1826 in Llangynllo, Radnorshire, Wales 7. She died on September 25, 1850 8. She is buried in the Clarence Fillmore Cemetery, Clarence, Erie Co., New York. She was never married. She apparently remained behind in New York when her entire family moved out west to Wisconsin in 1846.
6	Thomas Palfrey was probably born in June 1828 in England (or Wales). He died on July 14, 1907 in Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. He is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. He was married to Cindicea Coffman on April 12, 1855 in Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 2. (She was born in February 1836 in Pennsylvania 3 and died before February 7, 1913 in Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. She is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.) They had the following children: Jane E. Palfrey (1857-1935) md. Lester E. Chapelle Anna Gertrude Palfrey (1860-1921) md. Cecil Arthur Copeland Thomas was a farmer. As an adult he lived in the towns of Omro and Rushford, but was always in the vicinity of the village of Waukau.
7	Mary Palfrey
8	Richard Palfrey was born on June 28, 1831 in Quebec, Canada 1. He died on June 7, 1914 in Rushford Twp., Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 1. He is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. He married first to Mary Lowe on March 23, 1854 in Rushford Twp., Winnebago Co., Wisconsin 2. (She was born on February 5, 1837 in England and died on January 21, 1886 in Rushford Twp., Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. She is buried in the Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin.) They had the following children: William Henry Palfrey (1855-1933) md. Frances Adelaide Hawkes Charles Sumner Palfrey (1857-1898) md. Jennie W. Champlin Thomas L. Palfrey (1860-1887) md. Ernestine Griepentrog John Sherman Palfrey (1866-1946) md. 1st. Jennie W. Champlin, widow of Charles S. Palfrey md. 2nd. Mamie B. Laramore Ernest Lincoln Palfrey (1871-1952) md. Zilla S. Rolph He married second to Jennie Allen on September 25, 1888 in Winnebago Co., Wisconsin. (She was born in May 1844 in Scotland 3 and died before March 7, 1919 in Winnebago Co., Wisconsin). They had no children.

Melissa and her first husband Benjamin Curtis lived in both Erie County, New York (where they were neighbors of the Palfrey family) and in Westminster, Ontario, Canada. Sometime between 1851 and 1860, Benjamin died and the family moved to Portage County, Wisconsin. Melissa had at least 6 children: Lucy, Edwin, Robert, Abigail, Merritt and Clark Curtis.

During her marriage to Thomas Palfrey between 1868 and 1875, they lived together in Waukau, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. She was living there in June 1875, shortly after his death. In his will, Thomas directed that his heirs provide her with financial support. He also directed that she was to have use of his house in Waukau for the duration of her life. However, Melissa did not remain there and instead moved back to Portage County, Wisconsin; probably to live with one of her children. She was living there in 1880 and 1885. Melissa had definitely died sometime between 1885 and 1891, yet she probably died in 1889 or 1890. On September 28, 1891 Melissa's step-daughter-in-law Eliza Palfrey described Melissa as deceased when she went to court to finally close the estate of Thomas Palfrey, her deceased father-in-law. Her statement makes reference to paying Melissa's sickness and burial expenses in January 1890.

Mary Palfrey was born on about October 5, 1829 ⁵, apparently at sea, enroute from England to Canada. She died on January 20, 1882 in Garden City, Blue Earth Co., Minnesota ⁵. She is buried in the Garden City Cemetery, Garden City, Blue Earth Co., Minnesota.

Father: Thomas Palfrey
Mother: Jane Jones

Although most sources (census enumerations) indicate that Mary was born in England, the 1920 census of her son Henry indicates that his mother was born "at sea." It would make sense that she was born somewhere at sea, while her family was moving from Great Britain to Canada. We do not have any record of when exactly the family left England. Her older brother Thomas was born in England in about 1828 and her younger brother Richard was born in Quebec in 1831. Other sources also point towards an emigration in about 1829 or 1830. Mary spent the first few years of her life with her family in Quebec, Canada, but they did not remain there for long. In November 1831, she moved with her family to Erie County, New York. In 1846, her family moved out west to Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Mary did not remain unmarried for long and on March 30, 1848, at the age of 18, she was married to Henry Bixby. They were documented as being the first official marriage performed in the county. They afterwards settled on a farm near her family near the village of Waukau in Winnebago County, Wisconsin.

Mary and Henry had 6 known sons: Alvin, Herbert, Augustus, John, Henry and William. For unknown reasons, they did not remain in Wisconsin. In 1866, they moved west and settled on a farm near the village of Garden City, in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. (They might have briefly lived somewhere else in Minnesota before settling near Garden City). Although they farmed a variety of crops here, it seems that their primary agricultural holdings were sheep. Mary spent the rest of her life near Garden City, Minnesota. She died there on January 20, 1882 at the age of 52. Her cause of death is unknown, but given that two of her brothers died from the effects of diabetes, it is possible that she too had this disease. Her obituary indicated that she "possessed the most amiable of dispositions."

For information on their children, see his page.

1. Tombstone Inscriptions, Waukau Cemetery, Waukau, Wisconsin
2. Marriage records, Winnebago Co., Wisconsin
3. Assorted US Federal Census records
4. Wisconsin Deaths, 1820-1907. Ancestry.com
5. Tombstone Inscriptions, Garden City Cemetery, Garden City, Minnesota
6. Llanyre Parish Registers, Radnor, Powys, Wales
7. Llangynllo Parish Registers, Radnor, Powys, Wales
8. Tombstone Inscriptions, Clarence Fillmore Cemetery, Clarence, New York
9. Winnebago County, Wisconsin Petitions for Naturalization, Vol. 1, Pg. 76
10. Alton Parish Registers, Herefordshire, England.
11. Elton Parish Registers, Herefordshire, England.
12. Wigmore Parish Registers, Herefordshire, Englad.
13. Downton Parish Registers, Herefordshire, England.
14. Clunbury Parish Registers, Shropshire, England.
15. Original death records, 1837-present, General Register Office (UK).