Mastering Genealogical Proof Chapter 7 Revisited

Thomas W. Jones, Mastering Genealogical Proof (Arlington, Virginia: National Genealogical Society, 2013). [Book available from the publisher at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/r/mastering_genealogical_proof , also availablein Kindle format through Amazon.com]

Chapter 7 RevisitedGPS Element 4 & 5 Resolving Conflicts and Assembling EvidenceThe Written Conclusion

We are suppose to use what we have learned and write a proof. It does not matter what kind of proof, just a proof. So I will do a proof summary. I will be doing some analyzing of information found in a Mother's Civil War Pension Packet.  A copy of the pension file can be found at http://bakerrootsresearch.weebly.com/wilson-l-starkey---mothers-pension-papers.html]

Would Wilson and Sarah Lambert have been old enough to witness the of marriage of Benjamin Starkey and Mary Ridgway?

In the Pension Packet we find the following statement:


That he [Wilson L Starkey] was the son of Benjamin Starkey. That said Benjamin was the first husband of Deponent [Mary Ridgway Starkey Lewis] and she was legally married to him by Elder Kirkpatrick November 27^th 1821 at the house of Wilson Lambert in Lambertsville Hunterdon County in the state of New Jersey. That she has not for about forty years known said Minister and she believes he is now dead as he was then an old man. That she never had any certificate of said marriage. That she knows of no public Record thereof and believes she cannot obtain any legal or church Record and that none was kept as she believes, after due inquiry: That she has not any family Record and that the [manor and ------?] or family Record was taken to one of the western states by her son.....

[and continued] That she is the same person who was married to said Benjamin Starkey as stated in the affidavit hereto annexed of Wilson Lambert and Sarah R Lambert.

  Mary C Lewis letter dated 12 June 1863, in Mary C Lewis, mother’s pension packet, Pension No. 90,060, for service of Wilson L Starkey (Corporal, Co. C, Reg’t 15, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Civil War); Pension Packet in possession of Betty-Lu Baker Burton [A copy of the  pension file can be found at http://bakerrootsresearch.weebly.com/wilson-l-starkey---mothers-pension-papers.html]

State of New York

Ontario County

On this 29^th day of May 1863, before me the subscriber, personally appeared, Wilson Lambert and Sarah R Lambert, residents of Geneva in said County who being duly sworn says That on the 27^th day of November 1821. Benjamin Starkey married Mary C Ridgeway at said Lamberts dwelling home then situate in the Town of LambertsVille County of Hunterdon in the state of New Jersey by Rev. Mr Kirpatrick

                             Wilson Lambert

                             Sarah R Lambert

Sworn to before me this 29 day of May 1863.

 Wilson Lambert and Sarah R Lambert dated 29 May 1863, in Mary C Lewis, mother’s pension packet, Pension No. 90,060, for service of Wilson L Starkey (Corporal, Co. C, Reg’t 15, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Civil War); Pension Packet in possession of Betty-Lu Baker Burton [A copy of the  pension file can be found at http://bakerrootsresearch.weebly.com/wilson-l-starkey---mothers-pension-papers.html]


So first, who are Wilson and Sarah Lambert? and how are they related to each other.
The 1860 US Census does not give relationships, but there is a 1865 and a 1875 New York State Census that does give relationships and they are listed as husband and wife.

	1855	1860	1865
Wilson Lambert age	68	73	78
Birth place	New Jersey	New Jersey	New Jersey
Est Year of birth	1787	1787	1787
Sarah Lambert age	58	63	68
Birth place	Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania
Est Year of birth	1797	1797	1797
Location	Seneca, Ontario, New York	Seneca, Ontario, New York	Rochester, Monroe, New York

Wilson Lambert would have been about 34 years old and Sarah Lambert would have been about 24 years old in 1821 when the marriage took place. So both Wilson Lambert and Sarah Lambert would have been old enough to have witnessed the marriage between Benjamin Starkey and Mary Ridgway, as the statement said. They would of also have been old enough to have been married to each other at the time of the marriage between Benjamin Starkey and Mary Ridgway, thus allowing the marriage to happen at their home as their statement said.

New York, State Census, 1855, Ontario County, Seneca, First election district, page 15, Wilson Lambert household (Lines 8 and 9); digital image, LDS FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 6 July 2015), image 8 of 46; count clerk offices, New York.

“1860 United States Federal Census,” database, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 3 July 2013); entry for Wilson Lambert, born in New Jersey, age 73, and Sarah Lambert, born in Pennsylvania, age 63,  Post Office Genoa, Seneca, Ontario County, New York, page 88, lines 37 and 38.

New York, State Census, 1865, Monroe County, Rochester, Fourth Ward, page 69, Wilson Lambert household (Lines 23 and 24); digital image, LDS FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org: accessed 6 July 2015),  image 47 of 64; State Library, Albany.

The next step would be to determine if Sarah Lambert is Mary Ridgway's older sister.