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Note: Charles Howland was the only male child of Cook Howland. He was born in 1751 either in Dartmouth, Mass., or Little Compton, R.I. or in the Beekman patient, Duchess county, New York. The uncertainty of his birth place is due in part to its not being recorded anywhere, and my uncertainty as to when his parents came to Duchess county. The family tradition states that Charles was so small in infancy as to have been able to be put in a two quart mug and have the lid shut down. (This statement leads me to believe that his birth may have been premature, and perhaps his mother's pregnancy was the reason for Cook and Ruth's marriage.) His sister Lydia is married in Quaker Meeting in Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey where Charles inherited some land from his father after his will was proved on April 11, 1788. Likewise, his sister Deborah was married in the Oblong Meeting, Duchess County, New York. I seems very likely that he was also raised Quaker. However, Charles was married on 7 11th month, 1770 in Beekmantown, Duchess County, New York to Lavinia Mosher by the Rev. Samuel Waldo, a Baptist minister. Lavinia was the daughter of Jonathan Mosher and Sarah Tripp also of Beekman, who were formerly of Dartmouth. Lavinia was born 16 9th month, 1750 and died 9 Aug 1822. The Moshers were also member of the Quaker meeting in Oblong and Dartmouth in earlier generations. Charles, like his father, was a farmer and manufacturer of spinning wheels. His residence was always in Duchess county as much as I can tell. He initially appears to be in Beekman. He appears in the 1800 census on page 25 in Fishkill, and finally moved to Poughkeepsie. In June of 1797, Charles was sued in the Duchess Common Pleas Court by Amos Peck for the amount of 20 pounds or $50.00, an amount he had borrowed two years before. A judgement was reached whereby Charles would pay Amos Peck the money owed by 1 May 1797. (Duchess County Ancient Documents #14028) Charles Howland maintained an active correspondence with all his children. The photocopies of his letters in my possession show a beautifully clear cursive handwriting. The form is always the same, acknowledging the receipt of a letter, a statement of health, and then down to business. His entire letter dated 16 Oct 1807 follows: "Dear Son (Seneca), I received your letter the 10th of July by which you have informed me of your good health, which I was happy to hear. I must inform you that I wrote on to Charles (Seneca's older brother living in Laurens, Otswego Co., NY) immediately and let him know your necessity, but I have now answer from him as yet. I shall send your Iron by Gen. Van Wyck, (Seneca was acting a Gen. Van Wyck's land agent in Danby at this time) if he will consent to carry it. I must inform that I was taken very bad with the piles on the 26th June and continued very bad until the 12th of July, when i got better, but was very weak till the 16th of July, when I was attacked with the palsy in my right arm, thigh and leg which made me quite a cripple for five or six weeks, but since then I have been gaining in strength so as to be able to write and so some other business, but I am fearful that I never shall get perfectly well again. I don't expect to be able to come and see you this year, but if I should get my strength, so as to be able to come there another season, I may think myself happy. Your Mammy and sister (Deborah had T.B.) is very well at present, and all the rest of your brethren hereabout. I wish you to write by the bearer hereof (Judge Brooks) in order to let us know of your health and condition. I write no more at present, but remain your loving and affectionate father. Charles Howland to Seneca Howland Spencer Town" The letter was addressed: Howland Seneca Howland Spencer Town, in Tioga County Charles died in testate in Poughkeepsie on 21 Dec 1808 and his estate was administered by his son Benjamin. The papers are on file with the Surrogates Court in Poughkeepsie, New York, #533.
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