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Note: REFN18 On September 5, 1857 Jerome sailed from New Bedford, Massachusetts on the
whaling ship "Hope". He returned on July 25, 1861.
He was a Civil War veteran. See his papers in Porritt geneology folder.
There is a Weaver St. in Arctic, Warwick, RI.
His nickname per Betty Jean Lees "Romey-Poley".
He is described on his discharge papers as 5'7", light complexion, grey
eyes, and brown hair.
He worked for 8 years at the Providence Machine Company's Works,
Providence. (From a newspaper obituary in Etta Porrritt's scrapbook.)
According to the 1865 US Census, Ida was 7 years old. According to the
1870 US Census she was 12 years old. This seems to corroberate a birth
date in 1858. If she was born on April 6, 1858, she must have been
conceived around July 1, 1757. Since Jerome did not leave on the
whaleship until September 5, 1957, he could be Ida's father.
My scenario: Jerome found out that Abby was pregnant so he took off on
the whaleship in September, 1857. He came back on July 25, 1861, saw Ida
(now three years old) and married Abby on March 7, 1862. He then enlisted
in the Army on May 26, 1862 and served on and off for three years.
Or---Jerome didn't know Abby was pregnant when he sailed away and didn't
find out about it until he got back. (Kind of far fetched!)
Abby must have been 13 years old when she became pregnant with Ida.
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