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BETSEY NEWTON (1805 - 1872) By Myron L. Newton, Jr (ver 2017)
Betsey Newton was the second child born to Reuben and Eunice Manly Newton. According to Newton Family Bible records (see references) and Ermina Newton Leonard’s, Newton Genealogy – A Record of the Descendants of Richard Newton, Betsey was born December 13, 1805. The History of the St. Croix Valley noted that she was born in 1804 in Onondaga County, New York and the cemetery where she is buried gives the year of her birth as 1806. No official records of her birth have been discovered so the Newton Bible record provide the best date available. Betsey’s birth location may be narrowed down to Truxton, New York since that is where her brother, Lyman, was in 1807 according his short bio in the History of Cattaraugus County, New York. Truxton is in present day Cortland County, however that county was not created from Onondaga County until 1808. The Truxton mentioned in Lyman’s bio was probably referring to the Town (Township) of Truxton and not the small hamlet of the same name. Betsey can be accounted for as a member of the Reuben Newton household in the 1810 and 1820 U.S. New York censuses for the Town of Marcellus, Onondaga County, New York. These censuses, as well as the 1830 and 1840 censuses, only recorded the name of the head-of-household, i.e. Reuben Newton. The rest of members in the household were recorded as numbers in age group columns. The History of Cattaraugus County, New York reported that around 1824 Reuben and Eunice Newton moved from the Town of Marcellus to the Town of Cecilus (later renamed Mansfield), Cattaraugus County with seven of their eight offspring. It was probably the oldest child, Nathaniel, who did not move with the family since he was married in Onondaga County in late 1826. Betsey Newton married Manly Healy in 1825, probably in Cattaraugus County, New York, although no official record of their marriage has been found. The 1830 U.S. New York Census enumerated the Manley Healey family in the Town of Little Valley, Cattaraugus County. In the household there was one male and one female, ages 20-30, and one male and one female each under the age of five. This represents Manly and Betsey, and their two children, Roxeana and Lyman. The Town of Little Valley, Cattaraugus County is immediately south of the Town of Mansfield (named the Town of Cecilius in 1830) where Betsey’s parent’s resided. Note that the term “Town of ____” refers to what is commonly called a Township. At various times Manly Healy’s first and last names have been spelled with an “e” preceding the “y”, i.e. Manley and Healey. This biographical sketch will use the spelling Manly Healy unless referring to a document that uses a different spelling of his name. The decision for this usage is on based on the spelling of his obituary and his grave stone, which appear as Manly Healy. According to a short biography on Ezra and Lyman Healy found in the History of the St. Croix Valley, Manly Healy was born in Vermont on January 2, 1801. Part of this record reads:
The father, Manly Healy, was born January 2, 1801, on the shores of Lake Champlain, in the state of Vermont, and became a witness of the War of 1812. During his early life he was a contractor and later in life followed farming. He helped in the construction of the New York & Erie road, the first railroad laid in New York State. The building of the mile which he undertook as his share of the work required the services of forty men and forty teams nearly an entire winter, and the pay which Mr. Healy received was just $40. He married Betsey Newton, daughter of Reuben and Eunice (Manly) Newton, who was born in Onondaga County, New York, in 1804, and passed away in 1872 on the old homestead in River Falls Township. Manly Healy passed away in 1875, also on the old homestead. His father’s name was Ezra Healy. His stepfather was named Morgan. He was a soldier in the Revolution and the family still preserves as a relic of that great conflict a powder horn about a foot long, which will hold a pound of powder. (History of the St. Croix Valley, page 643.)
Vermont birth records viewed at Familysearch.org noted that Manley Healey was born in Underhill Township, Chittenden County, Vermont on January 2, 1802, to Ezra and Lydia (maiden name not listed). Although the year of birth is different by one year, the birth location matches that noted in the History of the St. Croix Valley. Chittenden County abuts Lake Champlain and Underhill Township is about ten miles inland from that body of water and the city of Burlingame. These same records show that Manly had a twin sister, Amanda, who died on June 11, 1802. Manly Healy has not been positively identified in the 1810 and 1820 U.S. Censuses, both of which would not have contained his name, but only the name of the head-of-household. The closest match for Ezra Healy, his father, in 1810 was the census for Worcester, Otsego County, New York. There was an “E. Healy” enumerated in a household that had 1 male and 1 female under age 10, and 1 male and 1 female between the age of 26-44. The under-10 male could be Manly but that is only speculation. There was not a good match for Ezra, the father, in the 1820 census, but a Nathan Healy was enumerated in Marcellus, Onondaga County, New York. Perhaps this was a family member who was acquainted with the Newton family who were also in Marcellus in 1820. There also was a Thomas Morgan who lived in Camillus, Onondaga County, which is directly north of Marcellus. Perhaps this was Manly’s stepfather, but it is just speculation if either the Healy or Morgan families mentioned were directly connected to Manly. Manly Healy appeared as the head-of-household in the 1840 U.S. New York Census for the Town of Coldspring in Cattaraugus County. Since a total of thirteen persons were enumerated it appeared that more than one family resided in the Healy household, thus making it difficult to determine the makeup of his immediate family. In the History of the St. Croix Valley it was noted that Ezra Healy, the son of Manly and Betsey, moved to Beloit, Rock County, Wisconsin in 1844 and to Pierce County, Wisconsin in 1851. Since this information was found in a short biographical sketch it was probably obtained directly from Ezra. In 1844 Ezra would have been age seven and age fourteen in 1851, hence his recollection might not be totally corrected on the dates or locales. The 1850 U.S Census enumerated the Healy family in Roscoe, Winnebago County, Illinois, which is within a few miles of Beloit, Wisconsin. The census recorded Betsey and Manly, who was a farmer, and seven children: Roxeana, age 23; Lyman, age 21; Mary, age 19; Manley (Jr.), age 17; Amelia, age 15; Ezra, age 13; and Emily, age 10. Betsey and all the children were noted as being born in New York State, and Manly was born in Vermont. Also living in the household was Hannibal Felt, the future (or possibly present) husband of their daughter, Roxanna. The 1855 Wisconsin State census enumerated Manly Healy in Delavan Township, Walworth County, Wisconsin. Only his name was recorded, followed by the total number of males and females in the household. The census page is difficult to read but it appears that five males and four females were recorded. This would be a correct number for the males if Hannibal Felt were still part of the household, and the female count seems correct since Helen had died in 1851. Delavan is only a few miles from Rock County, Wisconsin and Winnebago County, Illinois. It’s probable that the actual migration of the Healy family was from Cattaraugus County, New York to the Illinois-Wisconsin border near Rockton, Illinois and Beloit, Wisconsin in 1844; to Walworth County, Wisconsin by 1855; and then to Pierce County, Wisconsin in the mid-to-late 1850s. Amelia Healy’s obituary states that the Healy family arrived in Pierce County on July 4, 1856, and Ezra’s obituary states 1857. This seems a reasonable time frame for the arrival of Manly, Betsey and most of their children into Pierce County. Some of Healy sons may have arrived as early as 1851 and certainly by the summer of 1854 when Manly Healy, Jr. made his first land purchase in Pierce County. Lyman Healy, per the History of the St. Croix Valley, indicated he arrived Pierce County in 1851 and purchased 80 acres of government land in Section 5 of River Falls Township, however no record of Lyman Healy (or Healey) making any land purchase was found in the search of BLM records. Lyman was probably referring to the two 40-acre land purchases made by Manly Healy, Jr. in 1854 and 1856. A search of land records and probate records at the Pierce County Courthouse may provide further insight into who exactly owned what land in Section 5. A map of River Falls Township, Pierce County indicates that Section 5 is east of State Highway 65, which runs north-south on the eastern edge of the city of River Falls, and is immediately south of the Pierce - St. Croix County line. The 80 acres that Manley Jr., purchased, i.e. the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 5, would be near the intersection of present day State Highway 29 and 900th Street. The small South Fork Kinnickinnic River is on the south edge this property.
The children of Manly and Betsey Newton Healy:
Mary Healy is the only child not covered in a separate biography. Although the History of the St. Croix Valley stated that she was born in 1831 and died in 1852, her actual date of death was February 7, 1854, at age 23, according to a listing of burials in the Forest Hills Cemetery (a.k.a. Manchester Free Church Cemetery) in Manchester Township, Boone County, Illinois, and from a photograph of her grave marker posted on Findagrave.com (Memorial #11626259). In graves adjacent to Mary are Orden Manley and Martin C. Manley who are the sons of Jesse Manley, Jr., the brother of Betsey’s mother, Eunice Manley Newton. The 1860 U.S. Census found the Healey family in River Falls Township, Pierce County, Wisconsin. Lyman Healey, the eldest son, was listed as the head of household. Manley and Betsey were enumerated next, although Betsey’s name was erroneously interchanged with her daughter, Amelia. Also listed were Ezra, Emily, and eight-year-old Helen who was the only child born in Illinois. By 1860 Manley Jr. had married Sophia Adams and Roxeana had wed Hannibal Felt. Both those families continued to reside in River Falls Township. The 1870 U.S. Census for River Falls Township enumerated Manley Healy at age 69 and Betsey at age 64. Also residing in the household, all under the Healy surname, were Roxeana, age 47; Lyman, age 39; Manley Jr., age 34 (sic); Amelia, age 32; Ezra, age 30; Emma (Emily), age 28; Helen, age 18; and Alena, age 11. Roxeana may have been divorced by 1870. The youngest person enumerated, Alena Healy, must have been Alma Felt, the daughter of Roxeana. Manley Jr. was enumerated a second time in the 1870 census for River Falls Township where with his wife and five children. Betsey Newton Healy died on March 16, 1872, and Manley Healy died on February 19, 1875. Both passed away at their homestead in River Falls Township and are buried together in the Greenwood Cemetery, River Falls, Wisconsin.
References:
1810 U.S. New York Census, Onondaga County, Town of Marcellus. Roll M252-34, p.48 1810 U.S. New York Census, Otsego County, Town of Worcester 1820 U.S. New York Census, Onondaga County, Town of Camillus 1820 U.S. New York Census, Onondaga County, Town of Marcellus. Roll M33-67, p.122 1830 U.S. New York Census, Cattaraugus County, Town of Little Valley; p. 194 1840 U.S. New York Census, Cattaraugus County, Town of Coldspring 1850 U.S. Illinois Census, Winnebago County, Town of Roscoe 1855 Wisconsin State Census, Walworth County, Delavan Township. "Wisconsin, State Census, 1855," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MMM5-75C : accessed 13 Jan 2014), Manly Healy, 1855. 1860 U.S. Wisconsin Census, Pierce County, Township of River Falls; p. 75 1870 U.S. Wisconsin Census, Pierce County, Town of River Falls, p. 21
BLM land records. Manly Healy Jr., warrants 6262 and 14425. Sect 5, T27, R18W, (Pierce County, Wisconsin). Viewed Jan 2014 at www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx
Easton, Augustus B. History of the St. Croix Valley, pp 642 – 644
Ellis, Franklin. History of Cattaraugus County, New York, Philadelphia, L.H. Everts, 1879, Press of J. B. Lippincott & Co., p.457 and facing page.
Findagrave Memorials, viewed online at Findagrave.com Betsey Newton Healy, Memorial #55574382, www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55574382 Manly Healy, Memorial #55573397, www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55573397 Mary Healey (sic), Memorial #11626259, www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=46778782
Forest Hill Cemetery (a.k.a. Manchester Free Church Cemetery) burials. Viewed January 2014 at http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/boone/cemeteries/foresthills.txt. Re Mary Healy.
Greenwood Cemetery: St. Croix County, River Falls, Wisconsin. sites.rootsweb.com/~wistcroi/GreenwoodCem/GreenwoodCemH.htm Healy, Betsey; b. 1806, d. 1872. Block 4, Lot 75. Notes: w.o Manley. Died or buried 16 Mar 1872. (Photographed by M. Newton, Sept 2009. GPS N44 51.852, W092 36.852) Healy, Manley; b. 1801, d. 1875. Block 4, Lot 75. Notes: h.o. Betsey. Died or buried 19 Feb 1875. (Photographed by M. Newton, Sept 2009. GPS N44 51.852, W092 36.852)
Leonard, Ermina Newton. Newton Genealogy – A Record of the Descendants of Richard Newton, De Pere, Wisconsin, Bernard Ammidown Leonard, 1915. p.682.
Manley Healey, born January 2, 1802. Parents: Ezra Healy and Lydia (no maiden name). "Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954," index and images, FamilySearch. Viewed Jan 2014 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XFVC-XJJ. "Vermont, Births and Christenings, 1765-1908," index, FamilySearch. Viewed Jan 2014 at https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F8LN-4Q9.
Newton Family Bible records: Small Newton Family Bible [Holy Bible]. Myron L. Newton, Jr. collection. As of January 2014 image may be viewed at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~reubnewt/MiscDocs/ReubChildren/ReubsChildr.htm
Phipps Family Pages at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~walkersj/Healy.htm. Contains lineage and children of Manley Healy.
River Falls Township Map. Viewed January 2014 at: http://riverfallstown.com/town-of-river-falls-map
Thomas, Diane Healy. Descendants of Manley Healy
Myron L. Newton, Jr September 2017
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