Continuing from part 1.
Joseph (born 1780- died 1843), and Joanna (born 1780-unknown exact death), were married in Canada and had a son, named Francis, who was born in Quebec, Canada in 1798. Francis would be the descendant, who brought our family to Vermont, where many still reside to this day. When Francis was 20, he married Margaret and they had their first child, a son named John, in 1821.
Many of the Minor families never stayed in one place for long. They were always seeking a better life for their families.
In 1825, Francis and his family were living in LaColle, Quebec, Canada. They then moved to Dunham, Quebec by 1831. It was then, that they had their second son, named Samuel. He would be their last child born in Canada.
Times were tough in Quebec in the 1830's. They had a Cholera outbreak in 1832, which killed 6,000 people. Then they had to deal with the growing pains as Britain began to set up a new government. The people were originally allowed to continue living their French ways of life, but then England wanted more control (seems the gov started trouble early on). This caused the people to revolt a few times, in 1837. We believe this to be the event, that caused Francis to move his family to Vermont.
By 1840, the family is living on a farm in Fairfield, Vt. The US is also in the midst of an economic depression, known as the Panic of 1837. Francis and Margaret's son John, falls in love with Lorintha, and gets married in 1840 while in their 20's.
Francis moves his family to Lincoln, Vt and they have their first daughter, Maxey, in 1848. Then another son, Willie, is born in 1853. Francis was 63 when the Civil War broke out, in 1861.
Maxey marries Lorenzo Dow, in Jan 1865. She was Francis's second child to marry during an East Coast winter (brrr). Lorenzo fought as a Union Soldier in some famous battles, before marrying Maxey.
In 1880, due to old age, Francis and Margaret move in with their bachelor son, Samuel. The reminder of living with his parents, and no wife around must have worked. At the age of 47, Samuel married Mary Sears, who was 29 and from Johnson, Vt. They would marry the day after Christmas, in 1880.
Records show, that Francis had at least 12 grandchildren by the time he died in 1882. He was buried in Johnson, Vt.
(original photo of their tombstone)
Margaret lived with Samuel and his wife for a little while. Back then, nursing homes and assisted living homes were not a thing.
The only option families had for those they cannot care for, was a place called Poor Farm. This was the communities solution to the poor, mentally ill, or elderly. They would convert old barns and buildings to homes, and the people would then work the land, till they died.
Margaret worked and lived at the Poor Farm, between Stowe and Morristown, Vt. She died in 1892, and was buried next to Francis. She had succumbed to Dysentery, which was common in Poor Farms.
All photos from pixabay except tombstone, which is a family photo.
Stay tuned for part 3 :-)
