FINDING SUSANNA

George and Susan (Sherwood) Ashdown

In going through old family photos from the Sherwood family, I came across this photo of a man and woman. On the back of the photo it says that this is George and Susan Ashdown and that she is Richard, James and John's sister.   I knew that Richard, John and James were the Sherwood brothers who had come to the United States in the mid-1850's along with their father, Samuel, from Kent County, England.  I had known of the brothers for many years and have a few letters about them in the stacks.  This was the first indication that there had also been a sister. She has been a bit of a mystery. 

 

I recently traveled to Salt Lake City on the sad occasion of Homer Sherwood's death.  Homer was a beloved first cousin to my parents.  Attending the service marking the celebration of his life also provided an opportunity to connect again with many cousins from several generations.  I got to catch up on some of their lives and also to introduce some of them to our interesting shared family history.  Another blessing was also that I got to meet and visit with another Vandervort distant cousin with whom I am friends with through the internet. This very hospitable family also works at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake.

I only had a little time to spend at the Library but was able to document a little more information about the distant great aunt who is pictured above.  I knew that Richard, James and John had come to the US from Kent County, England in the mid-1800's.  I also knew that Richard and John had fought for the Union during the US Civil War. But I had never heard anything of the sister until this photo surfaced.  Being at the FH Library, I was able to access international records which I can't do from home since I don't want to pay the extra fees.

 Richard William Sherwood 1829-1889 - 1 of the 3 brothers of Susanna Sherwood Ashdown.

As I have worked my way through the various census and family records, it appears that what happened is that John, the oldest brother, was the first of the three brothers to emigrate to the US.  He must have emigrated in late 1846 or very early 1847 as on September 19th of that year he married Ann Williams in Palmyra, New York.  Their first child, a girl, was named Harriett.     

Richard Sherwood, John's brother, married Mary Ann Gulvin on January 3, 1851 at the East Sutton church in England, ceremony performed by Rev. George William Watson.  They left for America four months later and it appears that the younger brother James moved with them.  Samuel Sherwood shows up in the 1851 as a widower.

  William Richard Sherwood 1859-1929 - son of Richard William Sherwood, nephew of Susan  Sherwood Ashdown and brother of Susannah Sherwood Pratt.

Susanna Sherwood Ashdown had a niece, Susannah Sherwood, born in America, who it appears was named for the Susanna who stayed behind.  The younger Susannah, who went by Susie, married Arthur Pratt of Johnstown Center, Wisconsin.  Due to her chronic illness (consumption?) she only lived to her early 30's and had no children.  The link above will take you to a letter that she wrote to her step mother (and aunt) talking about her life.  Her husband Arthur was reported to be a loving and thoughtful man who later married again and had several children from that marriage. Susannah had one sister older than herself, Esther, named for her maternal grandmother.   Esther and Susannah were born in Marion Township, NY which was just a few miles from Palmyra.  When the Richard Sherwood Family joined the John Sherwood family in America, they stayed for 4-5 years in New York.  During the spring of 1856 the Sherwood Families moved to Lemonweir, Wisconsin and after the Civil War they moved to the farm just outside of Kendall where members of the family continued to own the land for about 150 years.

I found that the 1841 English census is the last time the family is seen together.  Samuel, the father and the two older children, Susannah and John, are shown living in Cucumber Hale cottage.  Harriett and the two younger children, Richard and James, are next door at what looks like Ransom Park cottage.  I know that when the census takers came around they listed people wherever they happened to be at the time.  So perhaps Harriet worked next door for the homeowner and the younger children were with her. 

1841 census with all known family members.

Harriett doesn't seem to appear in the 1851 census and Samuel is listed as a "widower" so this seems to be why she did not emigrate with the other family members.  Having to take care of estate details could also be the reason that Samuel did not leave at the same time as his sons.  Susanna doesn't show up in the 1851 census although George appears to be listed as married but no wife is named at that residence. We do not know if Susanna Sherwood Ashdown was married before she married George Ashdown and had grown children that had homes of their own at later census takings, or whether they simply had no children.  So far I haven't found her in the 1851 or 1861 English census and by the time she shows up in the 1871 and 1881 censuses, married to George, a lot of time has passed since she is last found in the 1841 census.   

1871 census with George and Susan Ashdown 

1881 census with George and Susan Ashdown

 All these old pioneering families are hearty souls who faced a myriad of trials in search of their goals.  I imagine that originally Harriet planned to travel with them.  Or maybe the loss of their anchoring wife and mother was the catalyst for the men seek better fortunes here in America.  The Sherwood sister Susanna stayed in England, but it's nice to be able to reach across the miles and the and the one and a half centuries and acknowledge her place in the family!

Great-great-Aunt Susie Sherwood Pratt

The flyleaf of this very small Bible (less than 3 X 5 inches) pictured below notes that it was a gift for Susie (Susannah Mary) Sherwood from her father just past her 11th birthday. I have not yet discovered what her health condition was, whether or not she simply had consumption, or if she had had some childhood illness like rheumatic fever that had left her an invalid. I don't know how she, living up in Monroe County, Wisconsin met Arthur Pratt who lived in Johnstown Center, in Rock County Wisconsin, but the connection seems to have been the (previously unknown to me) cousin Ella Wheeler who married a Wilcox.

The little note above the Bible was found inside and provides the connection. I think the note was added by Ella Jane Stevens Sherwood, mother of Susan Rosina Sherwood Weber who is the 2nd recipient of the tiny Bible . I am currently in possession of the Bible which belongs to my mother, but I like the idea that it has visited me, me whose middle name is Susanne (sort of in between the Susan of my grandmother and the Susannah of my great-great-aunt.

I like the letter that Susie wrote below and her description of Arthur makes me appreciate him so many decades later.

Johnstown Center [Wisconsin]
Oct 16, 85

Dear Aunt Grace,
It is some time since I received your last letter. I have been waiting so that I could tell you some news. I am keeping house! I thought maybe I never should, but I am, and have been now four weeks. I was a little fearful that I might not be able to stand the work and thought before writing I would make sure. I think I feel even better than when I was doing nothing. Through the summer I could be out with my flowers and help Arthur and my life was tolerable, but when I thought of passing another such winter as I did last, I could not endure the mere thought of it. If the Lord gives me strength and health for only this year it will pay me. I think I am better in all aspects by having my mind taken up with something. My work is not hard just for us two every thing is real handy for me. We have the west part of the house and I have a nice cupboard and my room has a carpet with oil cloth all around the stove. My flour barrel is just off the head of the stairs in the dark chamber and the cellar is no farther for me than it is for them. Arthur is just splendid about helping me and says I’m a boss cook. I used to often say if I should die Arthur wouldn’t miss me much for I never had any chance to make myself necessary to him. I tell him if it was not for that horrid trouble I should be perfectly happy, but it is not wise for us poor mortals to have no trouble. I only pray that I may have my strength a while longer and maybe then I could oversee and have it easier than I have done. I hope you are all well as usual. I would so much liked to have seen you all this summer but will wait now till next if we are all spared. I shall not go to Milwaukee either. I could have gone very cheap at one time, $2.75 there and return and a Ticket to the Exposition but we did not have the money and the Exposition’s closed now so will not go. I had a letter from Clara last week, she was real well and getting fat, she said. I have not heard from Grace but twice since she went home. I had lots of things to write to her but guess she don’t want to hear them. She has given up coming back of course, or would have been here before this. I saw Mrs. Kent Fair here (that was six weeks ago). She was very anxious then to hear from her as there were so many calling for Grace and she wanted to answer them but I presume Grace has seen to it. I have sent her Delinator to Kendall. I did not know where she was. I wrote and asked her to tell me where to send them, she must have known there was one due long since, but I kept waiting thinking I should hear from her. I have to repost them anyway so took it out for Mother to look at. The PM won’t forward them. I will now tell you why I did not write yesterday as I intended. I went over to see Edith. Al said he had written to Pa so perhaps told you that she had broken her arm about five weeks ago. It is broken right in the elbow and Tilly’s second one broke hers in the same place about ten weeks ago. Edith looks for thin and pale. I wanted to bring her home with me but Al had got to take her to the Dr. again today. I guess Uncle Billy’s folks are well but do not see any thing of them they are out with us. I’m sorry but can’t help it. Mattie has been very poorly awhile ago but is better now, was down to see me this afternoon but I had gone into one of the neighbors and she went back home. Myra is working down on the Prairie now at Mr. Godfrey’s. Give my love to Auntie when you see her and all the Elroy friends, with a large share for you all at home.

Your affectionate niece, Susie