|
a.
|
Note: Notes Rec Stanbery; widow of Professor Finley
Death of the Mother of the Hon. Wm. Stanbery, at the Age of 102 Years.
Died, in Newark, New Jersey, on the 7th of July, 1871, Mrs. Francis [sic] Finley, at the great age of 102 years. Her maiden name was Winans, of the New Jersey family of that name, a relative to Ross Winans [1-9-1-1-1-7], of Baltimore. She was born in 1768, and was married in 1783, to the late Dr. Jonas Stanbery (who died in Zanesville, Ohio), and afterward to Professor Finley, of Princeton College. Hon. William Stanbery, of Newark, Ohio, now 83 years of age, is her only surviving child, and made her a visit a couple of years ago.
Mr. [sic] Finley was a lady of strong intellect and cultivated mind, assisting Professor Finley in his studies. She was personally acquainted with General Washington, DeWitt Clinton, Washington Irving, Robert Fulton, and many others of the great and distinguished men of her period. Her father's house was frequently the resort of Generals of both armies in the Revolution, and she had a vivid memory of all the stirring events of that period in her vicinity. She was 8 years old at the commencement and 16 at the termination of the war, and was probably the last link that connected the present with the revolutionary history of New York and vicinity. Newark (OH) Advocate, 21 July 1871
Find A Grave Frances Winans Findlay Birth Jan 1766 Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey, USA Death 7 Jul 1871 (aged 105) Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, USA Burial Evergreen Cemetery Hillside, Union County, New Jersey, USA Plot Unknown Memorial ID 182226305 ยท View Source
From two sources of Essex County data (uncle's will, brother's guardianship record), combined with a word-of-mouth story, I have determined that Frances Winans was born circa January 1766 in Elizabeth Town, which was then in the Borough of Elizabeth, Essex County, Colony of New Jersey. She was the daughter of nineteen-year-old Jonathan Winans and unknown mother. (The name Sarah Spinning has been proposed. The Spinnings did own property next to her grandfather, so this is possible, but nothing further in known.) A younger brother, Elias, was born circa 1768-9.
Frances's father died of smallpox on 22 Feb 1771, and her mother was either also deceased or financially incapable of supporting her children. Therefore, in all likelihood, she and her brother went to live with their uncle, Elias Winans, for approximately 13 years, until his death on August 26, 1784. Elias was either widowed or a bachelor, and a cooper by trade, from a family of wealthy and educated landholders. He was the son of Samuel and Hannah (Ogden) Winans, and a great grandson of family patriarch John Winans of Holland, who was himself the son of Dutch landscape painter Jan Winants.
During the years between her father's and uncle's deaths, as Frances's obituary would later describe, "She was personally acquainted with General Washington ... and many others of the great and distinguished men of her period. Her father's house was frequently the resort of Generals of both armies in the Revolution, and she had a vivid memory of all the stirring events of that period in her vicinity. She was 8 years old at the commencement and 16 at the termination of the war, and probably the last link that connected the present with the revolutionary history of New York and vicinity." By the time she related this information, she was about 105 years old, so possibly her memory of events was distorted. Or possibly the events were modified in the retelling, before the story was written down and published in an obituary. At any rate, her father was deceased as of 1771, therefore it must have been her uncle Elias's home she was recollecting, and she would have been about 9 at its start (19 Apr 1775) and 17 at its end (3 Sep 1783).
Misfortune struck Frances and her brother again in 1784 when their beloved uncle Elias got sick. He must have realized he was dying, because he executed a will on 26 Apr 1784, in which he left property to two sisters and several nieces and nephews, including Frances and Elias. The will was proved on 4 Oct 1784. Elias Winans was buried on 28 Aug 1784 in the First Presbyterian Churchyard in Elizabeth Town.
Frances's brother was mentioned in the will as being under the age of majority: "...but if he die before he is 21..." (The age of majority was 18 for women and 21 for men.) This is supported by a guardianship record for Essex County Ward Elias Winans, "son of Jonathan Winans," on 23 Mar 1785, in which he chose William Halstead as his legal guardian.
Frances was not mentioned as being underage in her uncle's will. Nor was she included in her brother's guardianship hearing or given a hearing of her own. Therefore, I believe that she was at least 18 years old as of the date the will was executed. Numerous family trees give her birth month as January (although I don't know the source of this). Therefore, I have combined these for an estimated birth date of January 1766.
If her uncle Elias's intention in giving Frances property was to make her attractive to a potential husband, it worked. Jonas Stanbery (1761-1840), a physician-in-training and land speculator from another wealthy family, proposed to her soon after she received her property, and they were supposedly married in January 1785. Frances would have been about 19. She was Jonas's second cousin once removed, as her great grandmother, Zeruiah (Stanborough) Winans (c.1685 - 13 Sep 1737), was his great aunt, youngest sister to his grandfather, Recompense Stanborough (1672-1710).
According to a word-of-mouth story, Jonas and Frances lived happily for seven years, during which time they had four boys: Elias (1786), Hon. William Stanbery (1788), Job (1789), and Jonas Jr. (1790).
Jonas later filed for divorce ca. 1796, claiming that on the evening of 21 Aug 1791 he had returned late at night from a business trip to New York City, and had caught Frances asleep in bed with his own brother. Frances, on the other hand, claimed that Jonas had made up the story in order to divorce her and marry someone younger, while keeping her land. Not working in Jonas's favor was that fact that he had continued to live with her after the fateful date, and during the next 18 months two girls were born: Frances (1791) and Catherine (1792). I believe there may have been partial truths on both sides.
I also found evidence that the son born ca. 1790, Jonas Jr., may have been born with Down's syndrome, or some such condition in which he was unable to care for himself, as Jonas set up two trust funds in his will to care for the by-then-50-year-old man, and put children half his age in charge of them. Unlike the other children, he apparently never owned property or witnessed any deeds or wills. If Jonas, Jr. was, indeed, a special needs child, then perhaps it put a strain on the marriage.
If Jonas's goal had been to divorce Frances, take her property, and go tootling off as a carefree bachelor, the plan backfired. Perhaps the judge was swayed by Frances's argument. He did grant the divorce, purportedly in 1796. But he ordered Jonas to return Frances's property and pay her a yearly alimony. Additionally, Jonas was given custody of the children. (Bachelorhood, R.I.P.)
Frances, who was a very bright, well-spoken woman, went on to remarry a wealthy gentleman, Professor Thomas M. Findlay (c.1765 - c.1826) of Princeton College, who also served as headmaster of Newark Academy, one of the oldest private schools in the country. I am still searching for information or burial location for Mr. Findlay.
When she died in Newark, New Jersey, she was reported to have been about 102 years old. The last census on which she appeared was the 1870 census of Newark Ward 9, Essex County, New Jersey, on which she was reported as being 100 years old. (We know this can't be right, because in 1770, her father was less than a year away from death, and Frances had a brother who was younger by 2-3 years.) She lived so long that she outlived all but one of her children-Hon. William Stanbery of Newark, Licking County, Ohio.
Frances executed a will on 26 Jan 1769, with a codicil added 13 Jul 1769, in which she left $50 to son William, but left most of her money, furniture and possessions to a "half-niece" named Hannah (Winans) Pierson (Mrs. Albert M.), with whom she lived during the final years of her life. (Will Book R, Essex Co., NJ, p. 163, proved 18 Sep 1871) Hannah named a daughter Frances Findlay Pierson.
Because of her obvious closeness and relation to Hannah, I have buried her in the same cemetery. It's a mystery as to how Hannah was related to her, as "half-niece" implies a sibling with one different parent. Further research is needed.
Frances's Children with Jonas were:
Elias Stanbery (1786-1814) Hon. William Stanbery, Esq. (1788-1873) Job Stanbery (1789-1849) Jonas Stanbery Jr. (1790 to Aft. 27 Feb 1840) Frances Stanbery (1791- ) Catharine Elizabeth (Stanbery) Wise (1792- ) Family Members Parents
Jonathan Winans
1747-1771
Spouse
Jonas Stanbery
1761-1840 (m. 1785)
Children
Jonas Stanbery*
unknown-1849 William Stanbery*
1788-1873 Catharine Elizabeth Stanbery Wise*
1792 - unknown
|
