Sarah (Buttrick?) Jenners Blood (1752? - 1831)

June 2019 Update:  Please see Sarah Buttrick update post.


Yesterday, I wrote about my frustrations involved in finding some sort of proof of the maiden name of Sarah who married David Jenners and Phineas Blood, Jr.  Part of what makes that research so frustrating is that there is a wealth of information available for Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, where Sarah lived, but I just can't seem to locate the missing piece of the puzzle.

Anyway, today I will sketch out what I do know about Sarah and also what is not yet proven.

As I said in yesterday's post, both the published research on the Buttrick family (Butrick, Butterick, Buttrick in the U.S.A. 1635-1978 by Richard P. Butrick, 1979) and undocumented family research by an unidentified family member state that David Jenners' wife was Sarah Buttrick, daughter of Joseph Buttrick and his wife Sarah Brown, born in Concord, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts on 16 April 1752.   I have found this Sarah's birth record in the published Concord vital statistics.  And her age at death on her tombstone, in her 80th year, works for that birth date.

I have not found a marriage record for David Jenners and his wife, Sarah.  Given the birth of their son, Abiel, in January 1774, I estimate that Sarah and David were married 1770-1773.

The Concord vital statistics show Abiel Jenners' birth:  "Abial Jenners, son of David Jenners & Sarah his wife, was Born Jan.ye 5th 1774."  The birth of daughter, Hannah, is listed:  "Hannah Jenners, Daur. of David Jenners & Sarah his wife, was Born September ye. 17th, 1776."  Daughter, Mary, was born 28 July 1779 (per her tombstone).



By January 1777, David Jenners had joined the Revolutionary Army.  By 1780, David was on a list of deserters.  And in 1789, son, Abiel, who was older than 14, selected as his guardian, Joseph Buttrick, because David Jenners had "absconded."  Guardians were usually close family members, but the documents don't state Abiel's relationship to Joseph Buttrick.  I believe Joseph was Abiel's grandfather, Sarah's father, but cannot yet prove it.

I thought perhaps there would be other court documents or probate papers for Joseph Buttrick or something like that to give me Abiel's or Sarah's relationship to Joseph, but so far, no luck.

So, Sarah's husband absconded leaving her with three young children.

Sometime after Abiel's guardianship was filed (1789) and before 1792, Sarah must have moved to Carlisle, Massachusetts, a town about 6 miles from Concord.

On 19 February 1792, Sarah Jenners married Phineas Blood, Jr. in Carlisle, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts.  I have found their intention to marry as well as two records of their marriage.  These documents all state that Sarah and Phineas are both "of Carlisle."

from Carlisle Massachusetts records: Intention to Marry

Marriage record: Phineas Blood to Mrs. Sarah Jenners

Marriage record: Phineas Blood to Mrs. Sarah Jenners

Nine months later, on 30 November 1792, Sarah (who was 40 years old) gave birth to a son, Silas Blood.  Another son, Phineas, was born 15 June 1796.

On 22 May 1794, Sarah and David's daughter, Hannah Jenners, married Eliphalet Fairbanks in Concord.   I have not found a death record for Hannah, but her husband remarried in 1801, so she was probably deceased before that.

In 1795, when he was 21, Sarah's son Abiel, moved to the Washington, D.C. area.

On 12 September 1799, Sarah's daughter, Mary Jenners, married Peter Winn at Carlisle, Massachusetts.

On 6 September 1818, Sarah and Phineas's son, Silas, died.  He was 25.  Silas died without a will.  He was unmarried and had no children.  His father, Phineas, relinquished his right to administer Silas's estate on 9 September 1818.

On 26 September 1824, Sarah's son, Abiel, died in Waterford, Loudoun Co., Virginia.  His mother's family did not learn of his death for several years.

On 13 April 1830, Sarah's husband, Phineas Blood, made his will.  In it, he mentions his wife, Sarah.

Phineas Blood died 29 April 1830.  He is buried in Green Cemetery, Carlisle, Massachusetts.

Tombstones of Silas, Sarah, and Phineas Blood in Green Cemetery, Carlisle, Massachusetts.

On 2 March 1831, Sarah's granddaughter, Adeline Winn, wrote to her cousin, Mary (Jenners) Braden.  Since I quoted the complete letters in yesterday's post, I will just highlight parts in this one.  Adeline said this about her grandmother:  " Dear Grandmothers health is not very good  she is very old and has had so much trouble that she has become as a child.  She has buried her husband and all her children except my dear Mother and Phinehas Blood."  

On 20 November 1831, Sarah Jenners Blood died.  She was buried between her second husband, Phineas, and her son, Silas, in Green Cemetery, Carlisle.  She was 79 years old.

A death notice appeared on 07 Dec 1831 in the Boston Patriot and Daily Chronicle, Boston, Massachusetts that read: "DIED.... In Carlisle, Mrs. Sarah Blood, 80."

On 28 January 1832, Mary (Jenners) Winn wrote to her sister-in-law, Deborah (Young) Jenners (widow of Abiel):  "My mother is gone to the world of spirits, she expired the 20 of November.  She had lived to a good old age & her senses were very much impaired, but if she had been spared a little longer she might have been a comfort to her children."

I hope I can eventually find proof that Sarah Jenners Blood was actually Sarah Buttrick.

Sarah ?Buttrick?, b. 16 Apr 1752 at Thursday at 8:00 a.m., Concord, Middlesex Co., MA, d. 20 Nov 1831 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

+David Jenner, b. before 21 May 1753 at Middlesex Co., MA, m. circa 1773, d. before Feb 1792

├── Abiel Jenners, b. 5 Jan 1774 at Concord, Middlesex Co., MA, d. 26 Sep 1824 at 6 p.m., near Waterford, Loudoun County, VA

│   +Deborah Young, b. 15 Apr 1773 at near Bladensburg, Prince Georges Co., MD, m. 17 May 1796 at Washington, DC, d. 14 May 1842 at Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN

│   ├── Henry Martin Holbrook Jenners, b. 25 Apr 1797 at Washington City (now Washington, D. C.), d. before May 1844

│   ├── William Morduit Jenners, b. 9 Nov 1798 at Washington City (now Washington, D. C.), d. 19 Aug 1863 at the residence of Jenners Bradfield, Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN

│   ├── Sarah Jenners, b. 3 Jun 1800 at Washington City (now Washington, D. C.), d. 27 Jun 1801 at Washington City (now Washington, D. C.)

│   ├── David Jenners, b. 23 Jul 1802 at near Broadrun, Loudoun Co., VA, d. 26 Feb 1881 at at his home, Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN

│   ├── Sarah Y. Jenners, b. 16 Mar 1804 at Broad Run, Loudoun Co., VA, d. 10 Oct 1846 at Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN

│   ├── Mary Dulin Jenners, b. 19 Feb 1807 at "Hamilton Farm", Loudoun Co., VA, d. 5 Sep 1863 at Jefferson, Clinton Co., IN

│   ├── (--?--) Jenners, b. 19 Feb 1807 at Hamilton Farm, near Paolian Springs, Loudoun Co., VA, d. 19 Feb 1807 at Hamilton Farm, near Paolian Springs, Loudoun Co., VA

│   ├── James Saurin Jenners, b. 26 Jun 1809 at Hamilton Farm, Loudoun Co., VA, d. 2 Jan 1879 at Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN

│   ├── (--?--) Jenners, b. 26 Jun 1809 at Hamilton Farm, Loudoun Co., VA, d. 26 Jun 1809 at Hamilton Farm, Loudoun Co., VA

│   ├── Alba Jenners, b. 15 Jan 1811 at Hamilton Farm, Loudoun Co., VA, d. 27 Feb 1880 at at the home of his son-in-law, Charles Wallace, Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN

│   └── Ann D. Jenners, b. 18 Apr 1813 at Hamilton Farm, Loudoun Co., VA, d. 5 Mar 1844 at Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN

├── Hannah Jenners, b. 17 Sep 1776 at Concord, Middlesex Co., MA, d. before 1801

│   +Eliphalet Fairbanks, chr. 13 Sep 1772 at Dedham, Norfolk, MA, new. 19 Apr 1794 at Middlesex Co., MA

└── Mary Jenners, b. 28 Jul 1779, d. 17 Nov 1872 at Concord, Middlesex Co., MA

    +Peter Winn, b. 17 Mar 1776 at Wilmington, Middlesex Co., MA, m. 12 Sep 1799 at Carlisle, MA, d. 31 Jul 1865 at Concord, Middlesex County, MA

    ├── Mary Winn, b. 18 Mar 1800 at Carlisle, MA, d. 2 Mar 1877 at MA

    ├── Sarah Winn, b. 26 Jan 1802 at Concord, Middlesex Co., MA

    ├── Abiel Jenners Winn, b. 30 Mar 1805 at Concord, Middlesex Co., MA

    ├── Eliza Ann Winn, b. 14 May 1807 at Carlisle, MA, d. circa 1828

    ├── Adeline Winn, b. 19 Sep 1809 at Carlisle, MA, d. 11 Aug 1831 at Lowell, MA

    ├── Abigail Winn, b. 10 Jan 1813 at Carlisle, MA, d. 7 Aug 1831 at Lowell, MA

    ├── Joseph Winn, b. 9 Jul 1816 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

    ├── Alden Winn, b. 19 Nov 1818

    └── Lucy Janette Winn, b. 22 Sep 1822 at Concord, Middlesex Co., MA

+Phineas Blood, b. 30 May 1749 at 981 Bedford Rd., Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA, m. 19 Feb 1792 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA, d. 29 Apr 1830 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

├── Silas Blood, b. 30 Nov 1792 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA, d. 6 Sep 1818 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

└── Phineas Blood Jr, b. 15 Jun 1796 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA, d. 22 May 1832 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

    +Rhuhannah Proctor, b. 8 Oct 1798, d. 14 Sep 1841

    ├── Silas Buttrick Blood, b. 2 Nov 1819 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

    ├── Amariah Blood, b. 4 Apr 1820 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

    ├── Charles Blood, b. 8 Oct 1821 at Carlisle, MA

    ├── Sarah Ann Blood, b. 3 Jan 1824 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA, d. 16 Jul 1840 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

    └── Hannah P. Blood, b. 13 Sep 1826 at Carlisle, Middlesex Co., MA

 

A Particularly Frustrating Puzzle: Sarah (Buttrick?) Jenners Blood

June 2019 Update:  Please see Sarah Buttrick update post.

I have not yet written a bio of Sarah who married the mysterious David Jenners and who was the mother of Abiel, Hannah, and Mary Jenners and Phineas and Silas (or is it Simon) Blood.  I had been planning on it, but recently have had to rethink my research on her and so have not really been ready to write that post.

Another researcher has been helping another descendant of Abiel complete an application to the DAR.  I've been helping as much as I can.  But it has come down to this:

Where is the proof that Sarah and David Jenners were married?  Where is the proof that her maiden name was Buttrick?

I have been banging my head on various brick walls trying to find some proof documenting that the Sarah who was the wife of David Jenners was indeed, Sarah Buttrick.  To say I am frustrated is to put it mildly.

While I have found birth records for Sarah and David Jenners' children in the published records for Concord, Massachusetts, stating they are the children of David Jenners and Sarah, his wife, nothing lists her maiden name.

I have looked repeatedly at the sources available to me on-line, as well as at the Allen Co. Public Library in Fort Wayne, and have not found a marriage for David Jenners to Sarah.  There are probably other resources out there, but so far I have not discovered them.

I reviewed my research and saw that my sources for her surname are only secondary.  IF she is Sarah Buttrick, there are records of her birth that show her as the daughter of Joseph Buttrick and his wife, Sarah Brown.  But how to prove (or disprove) it?

An unidentified, anonymous note in family research papers states, "Sarah Butrick was sister of Major Butrick who led the first charge in the Battle of Revolution and was the Mother of my grandfather Jenners making her my great grandmother and your great-great grandmother ["Annie Horn" written above the words "great-great grandmother"] on your mothers side.  For many years I thought Sarah Butrick was a daughter of Major Butrick but in Bancrofts history of the United States there is given an account of him and his antecedents - it says he never married and so it was his sister Sarah who married a Jenners.  Venie [?] and Anna Jenners found the books about Major Butricks life.  The first battle of the Revolution was fought at the Concord bridge, Mass. at that time a rude one near Major Butrick's house and the latter was standing a few years, but no doubt a new one is there now.  Our kin on the Jenners side were originally were [sic] from Mass.  Grandma Young her kin were from Maryland and Va."    Not sufficient evidence, of course, but a good clue for starting.


Another (still secondary) source for her maiden name is Butrick, Butterick, Buttrick in the U.S.A. 1635-1978 by Richard P. Butrick (1979).  He  says he got her birth information from a letter written by her father, "Thursday, April 16, 1752 at 8:00 a.m. in Concord, Massachusetts."  But again, this is not proof.  And this same book gives the marriage of Sarah Buttrick to David Jenner, but with no date.

I have found both the intention to marry and the marriage of Mrs. Sarah Jenners to Phineas Blood, Jr.   They were married in Carlisle, Massachusetts on 19 February 1792.    I have found the births of their two sons, Silas and Phineas, as well as their deaths and probate documents.  I have found the probate documents of Phineas Blood, Jr., naming his wife, Sarah Blood.  I have various primary documents recording Sarah's death, including a letter from her daughter, Mary (Jenners) Winn, mentioning it.

There are also the guardianship documents for Sarah's son, Abiel Jenners, stating that his father, David Jenners, had absconded and naming Joseph Buttrick as his guardian.  But it does not state Abiel's relationship to Joseph Buttrick.

I have looked for probate records for David Jenners (nope), Sarah Blood (nope), Joseph Buttrick (nope).  Or, at least the items I found are not for the David, Sarah, or Joseph I am seeking.

And then, there are two letters (originals lost, but copies exist at the Indiana Historical Society).  The first one is from Adeline Winn, daughter of Mary (Jenners) Winn.  Mary is Abiel Jenners' sister, so the grandmother mentioned, is Sarah (Buttrick) Jenners Blood. It is written to Mary (Jenners) Braden, Abiel's daughter.  But again, nothing here PROVES the grandmother's name:

                                                                        Concord Middlesex County, Mass.  March 2d, 1831

My dear Cousin, -

                I received your kind letter last month, and it was with great pleasure that I perused and reperused its contents.  I was sorry to hear that dear Aunt was so unwell.  I hope she will be able to write soon.  We heard of your fathers death last Dec.  Mother takes his death very hard.  she loved him as she did her life.  You wrote that he was willing and not afraid to die which I think must be a great consolation to you all.  You also stated that he left a good name behind which I doubt not for I have often heard people speak very highly of him.  All his friends would have been very much pleased to have seen him once more, but as it was not God's will that he should visit them again they must be still.  Dear Grandmothers health is not very good  she is very old and has had so much trouble that she has become as a child.  She has buried her husband and all her children except my dear Mother and Phinehas Blood.  I presume she would write if she was capable of writing for it pleases her very much to hear from you.  Father and Mother are well and send their kind love to you all.  They would be very happy indeed if you would visit them.  I think if I could afford to visit you as well as you could afford to visit us I should not hesitate a moment but start right off.  My oldest sister Mary was married to Samuel Forbush 7 years ago last November.  he is a farmer  they reside in Carlisle.  Sarah was married three years last Nov. to Reuben Farrar.  They live in Townsend 21 miles from here.  Mr. Farrar and Blood bought a large grist and saw mill there and they carry on the pencil business which is very profitable.  My oldest brothers name is Abiel Jenners and Mother says he looks very much as your father did at his age  he is a shoemaker and lives in Springfield about 80 miles from Concord.  Dear sister Eliza Ann was married to Josiah Beard 4 years ago last Sept.  he is a very amiable and worthy man.  They lived in Saco Marine  she had been married about two years when she had a daughter and in 9 months after she died.  We have reason to believe that she is now happy.  She came home about two months before she died  she said her health was not very good but hoped her journey would prove beneficial to her health.  Soon after she returned she wrote me that she was much better but the next news we received was heavy, dear sister was dead.  She had a kind and affectionate husband who sat by her bedside until she died.  He tried every thing in his power to save her life  he grudged neither cost nor labour [sic] but alas! it was all to no purpose, death called and she must obey.  She left a bright and promising child which resembles her very much in its looks.  Mother has it with her and thinks she could not part with her more willingly than she could with one of her own.  Soon after sister died the factory was burnt in Saco and Mr. Beard lost considerable property by the fire   I do not know exactly how much.  He still remains a widower and lives in Waltham 9 miles from here  he visits his little daughter often which appears to be a great comfort to him.  Sister Abigail lives in Lowell  Joseph and Alden and Lucy Janette live at home  They all wish to be remembered to Aunt and all their Cousins.  Please to tell Mr. Braden that I thank him for the kind letter he wrote me  I did not answer it because I thought you would see the letter I wrote and if you cared about ever hearing from me again you would answer it, which I see you have and I thank you kindly for it, and I hope you will receive and answer this.  Please to give my love to dear Aunt and all my Cousins and tell them we should be very happy to see them in Concord.  I remain your loving Cousin

                                                                                                                Adeline Winn

 The second letter is from Mary (Jenners) Winn, mother of Adeline who has since died and is written to Abiel's widow, Deborah (Young) Jenners.

                                                                                                                                                               Concord  January 28, 1832

My Dear Sister,

                Your daughter's affectionate letter was handed to me about 3 weeks since, which was written to my daughter Adeline, who is now in the cold & silent grave.  My afflictions have been so great the past summer that I hardly feel myself able to address you, still I hope that you will excuse all errors & mistakes.  Last April Adeline was married to Franklin Farmer[?] of Lowell.  My son Joseph was taken very ill with a severe fever in June, we despaired of his life for several weeks, but soon he began to recover his health, & I felt very thankful that he was spared to his parents a little longer.  In the course of his sickness Adeline & Abigail came over from Lowell & spent a week with him.  Abigail left our house of a Monday morning, and in a fortnight from that day which was the 7th August, she was brought from Lowell a lifeless corpse, & the 11 of August my dear Adeline was brought home a corpse.  I was with both of them when they died.  Adeline was sick 3 weeks, but Abigail lived little over a week.  Oh! my dear sister, permit me to call you by that endearing name, can you imagine my feelings?  I trust that you could have sympathized with me, you having been repeatedly called to like afflictions.  It does not seem possible to me that my dear Daughters can be numbered with the dead, they were cut off in the [unreadable] of their days, from the full enjoyment of health & prosperity, but a few short days, laid them in the cold & silent grave.  My mother is gone to the world of spirits, she expired the 20 of November.  She had lived to a good old age & her senses were very much impaired, but if she had been spared a little longer she might have been a comfort to her children.  Death moves near us in the  deaths of our friends & relatives, & warns us to be also ready; And my sister should we consider ourselves immortal, when we see so many of our friends fall victims to this fell destroyer.  How often are my dear daughters, presented to my imagination, as the appeared when in health, now no more, even now I cannot realize that they are gone forever; How awfully solemn is death, what a change then takes place, when the spirit takes its departure, & the body sleeps a lifeless corpse:  how mysterious, how common, & how little thought of; I am astonished at my own want of thought & reflection on that day which will decide the fate of the immortal soul, it will then be fixed in a state of endless happiness, or appear before an angry judge & be banished from his presence forever.  Oh! I hope my daughters were prepared to meet death, & are happier than to be in this world of trouble.  Adeline appeared perfectly willing to die & rose up in bed a few hours before she expired and [said?] a prayer.  Abigail died without any sense of her situation.

                Although I have never had the pleasure of seeing you, still I feel myself considerably acquainted with you, you being united to my brother, whom I tenderly loved.  It would have given me a great deal of pleasure, if my brother & you had made us a visit before his death, & if it should ever be in your power, or your children to visit us, you may depend upon a very welcome reception.  It is not very probably we shall ever meet in this world, but we hope to meet in heaven.  We must take the bible [sic] for our guide, & lay aside those prejudices which [unreadable]in our world & seek for the one thing needful, "this pearl of great price," which is promised to those who diligently seek for it.  My husband & family join in love with me to you & your family.  Accept my friend my warmest wishes for your health and happiness; a letter from you will be received with emotions of grateful & sincere affection from you affectionate far distant sister.

for Mrs Deborah Jenners                                                    [Mary] Winn

So while these letters lay out a number of relationships, Abiel and Mary's mother is only mentioned as "mother" or "grandmother" and though her son, Phineas Blood, is mentioned, still nothing to prove her family line.

I am still fairly confident that David's wife, Sarah, is indeed Sarah Buttrick, but I am out of ideas of where to search to prove it.  Anyone have any ideas?