| Notes |
- "There has been considerable discussion as to James Rumsey's wife. H. C. Duryea, grandson of Phineas, stated that James married Rachel Miller, widow of Joshua Miller; also J. S. Mapes of Syracuse, Nebraska, in a letter dated February 17 1894. Mapes referred to close acquaintance with their oldest daughter, Mary, and he wrote: 'James Rumsey met, wooed, and won the handsome widow and married her, I think, during the year 1780...[at age 18? - JR].
"In the Summer of 1782...James took his wife and two children and went to Nova Scotia. (The children were Julia Miller, daughter of Joshua, and their first child, Mary Rumsey.) The King gave a bounty of a hogshead of sea biscuit, a barrell each of rum and sugar to such as would settle in Canada or Nova Scotia. They remained until the year 1786...They embarked on a small sloop during the month of October, 1786, and after an exceedingly rough and stormy passage, arrived at Newburgh, where Phineas Rumsey and the Tookers, James's mother's folks, met them with wagons and brought them to the Rumsey homestead.'
"Some members of the family have stated that this James married Rachel Smith nee Miller. Such a marriage is to be found in the records of the Presbyterian church [of Goshen - James Rumsey m Rachel Smith, Aug 1783]. There were, however, several James Rumseys at this time." (VES)
The Goshen church record does not show the name Miller. But the year 1783 conflicts with the birth date for Mary and is a tight squeeze for Jerusha. But both, as shown above, are correct according to their ages at death, as well as in the 1850 census. Mary would have been a babe in arms when they left for Nova Scotia. The 1850 census gave Jerusha's birthplace as Ulster Co, like that of her husband and first children, but that probably should be Orange Co if not Nova Scotia. The fact that James and Rachel named a son James Smith Rumsey would lead one to believe that Rachel's maiden name had been Smith.
In his Early History of the Mapes Family (1895), as quoted by Lester Dunbar Mapes in 1941, Rev. A.E. Allaben said that Rumsey Mapes married Mary Rose Rumsey, daughter of James Rumsey and Rachel Miller, nee "Gilmour", introducing another conflict. Her gravestone gives only: "Rachel, wife of James Rumsey." Obviously, much work is needed to resolve this problem. (See further below.)
The 1790 census shows James Rumsey in New Cornwall, Orange Co, with 1 male over 16, 3 males under 16, and 4 females.
In 1800 James Rumsey was found in Shawangunk, Ulster Co, NY, his family consisting of 2 males and 2 females under 10, 3 males 10-15, 1 female 16-25, and James and his wife between the ages of 25 and 44.
In 1810 he was again listed in Shawangunk, with 1 male and 1 female under 10, 1 female 10-15, 3 males and 1 female 16-15, and both parents over 45.
In 1820 in Shawangunk the household had 1 female 16-25, 1 male 19-25, 4 males 26-44, and 1 male and 1 female over 45.
The only deed found indexed in Ulster Co for James Rumsey of Shawangunk was for land in the Thomas Ellison patent, conveyed to him by Jane Murrey and Jane Colden of Coldenham, Montgomery Tp, Orange Co, on 2 Dec 1824, (LR 32:539, rec 1828).
On 6 June 1826, two weeks after his death, heirs of James Rumsey of Ulster Co appointed Selah Otis and Jacobus H. Van Keuren administrators of his estate. The paper was signed by Ephraim Niver, Philetus Rumsey, George Rumsey, Jerusha Van Keuren, Wm.(his mark) Rumsey, and Joseph Scott. (PR Box 34)(This omits Mary Mapes, William Rumsey, Roger Rumsey and James Smith Rumsey.)
Following this there were numerous transfers of property between the heirs: James S. Rumsey and his wife Nancy of Ithaca Tp to Abraham Jansen and William McCreery of Shawangunk, 17 Jan 1828; another parcel from James S. and Nancy to Cornelius P. Brink (LR 32:542, 546); George, Philetus and William Rumsey, Joseph Scott and Ila Ann, James S. Rumsey of Ithaca, Jacobus and Phebe Van Keuren, Elizabeth wife of Ephraim Niver of Crawford, Sylvester and Jerusha Van Keuren of New Windsor, Orange Co, all to Elizabeth Niver (LR 32:573). James S. and Nancy Rumsey sold to Severine Terwillegar; in anothers to Joseph Scott, and to Ila Ann Scott (LR 33:718, 720, 722). Also Philetus and William Rumsey to Phoebe Van Keuran; James and Nancy Rumsey to Charles Decker, and to Benjamin Dickerson (LR 34:17; 36:491). On 4 March 1830, William Rumsey sold to Daniel Crance (LR 40:473). (Mary Mapes transfered her rights later.)
William5 Rumsey, son of James, wrote his will 9 Oct 1830, and it was witnessed by N. Hardenburgh and Joseph B. Williams of Shawangunk. He left to his brother George his chest of clothes, and his bed and bedding. To his brother-in-law Joseph Scott he left all the money owed by him, and his gun and accoutriments, and the residue of his personal property. Named as executors were Joseph Scott and his brother George Rumsey. In the Petition for Probate, presented by Joseph Scott on 14 Dec 1830, it states that William died at Shawangunk on 19 Nov 1830, that he had no parents as heirs, but his brothers and sisters were: George Rumsey, Philetus Rumsey, Jerusha wife of Sylvester Van Keuren, and Ila Ann wife of the petitioner, all of Shawangunk; Phebe wife of Jacobus H. Van Keuren, and Elizabeth wife of Ephraim Niver, both of Crawford, Orange Co; and James S. Rumsey of Ithaca, Tompkins Co, NY. (PR Box 34)
Philetus5 Rumsey died in Shawangunk township 15 July 1839, according to his probate. Petition for probate was entered by Selah Otis of Shawangunk, 26 Aug 1839. The list of heirs was almost the same as for William. (PR Box 34)
On 14 March 1840, Rumsey Mapes and his wife Mary of Blooming Grove, Orange Co, gave a quit claim to all interest in land in Ulster Co of which James Rumsey had died seized, to James S. Rumsey of Ithaca, Joseph Scott, Jacobus Van Keuren, Sylvester Van Keuren, George Rumsey and Ephraim Niver (LR 54:326).
In the estate of Peter4 Rumsey in 1843, the children of his deceased brother James Rumsey were listed as: Smith Rumsey, and Elizabeth wife of Ephraim Niver, their addresses unknown; George Rumsey, Ila wife of Joseph Scot, both residents of Shawangunk; Mary wife of Rumsey Mapes of Monroe; Jerusha wife of Sylvester Van Keuren, and Phebe wife of Jacobus Van Keuren, both of Crawford, NY.
It is interesting to note that Mary Mapes was not listed among the surviving sisters of either William or Philetus Rumsey, but was included among the heirs of her uncle Peter Rumsey. This suggests the possibility she was a half-sister of William and Philetus. It will also be noted that she was not included with the other heirs in any of the earlier deeds, only in 1840 when she sold to them.
Could James Rumsey have married first, before May 1782, Rachel Gilmore (per AEA), widow of Joshua Miller, who was the mother of Mary Rose Rumsey, and then in August 1783 married Rachel Smith in the Goshen Presbyterian Church, the mother of the other children? This would make his stay in Nova Scotia, as reported by J.S.Mapes of Nebraska, only one year at the most. If the marriage in 1783 was to the widow of Joshua Miller, why was she called Rachel Smith instead of Rachel Miller unless they were divorced? These suppositions would explain the birth of Mary Rose Rumsey a year before the marriage of James Rumsey to Rachel Smith, and the absence of Mary Rose (Rumsey) Mapes from the estates of her younger (half?) brothers. But further evidence must be found before accepting this theory as fact.
There was only the bare mention of Roger as a son of James, in my notes made from the Rumsey papers of Victor E. Shelford. If he belongs in this family he obviously died before all the above probates and deeds, in which not even his possible son Zenus born 1816 is named. There is a listing of a grave stone in the cemetery at Shawangunk for a "George" Rumsey who died 13 Jan 1825 aged 31.10.0, which gives him a birth date of about March 1793. Since there was already a George in the only Rumsey family in Shawangunk, it seems possible this was Roger. [2]
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1763 - 1826 (62 years)
[3, 4] 
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