Notes for: Moses Bartlett, Jr.
From Find A Grave:
Moses was born in New York per the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1910 census. The death certificate shows born in Vermont.
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“Moses Bartlett Jr, son of Moses Sr and Persis (Ranney) Bartlett, was born 03 Apr 1819 in Sempronius, Cayuga Co, NY, where his parents had married on 01 Feb 1801. The Bartlett family moved from New York State to Washtenaw Co, MI Territory in around 1836. (Moses Bartlett Sr is shown as a resident of Sempronius, Cayuga, NY in the Federal Census record of 1830 and a resident of Lodi Twp, Washtenaw Co, MI in the l Census of 1840). By 1845, Moses Bartlett Jr was living in Bridgewater Twp, Washtenaw Co, according to the MI State Census of that year. The Federal Census records for 1850/60/70/80/1900 & 1910, all show Moses Bartlett Jr as being born in NY, even though his death certificate shows his birthplace as Vermont, and lists the birthplaces of both his parents as unknown. Both the 1900 & 1910 Federal Census records show Moses Bartlett as being born in NY, and both his parents as being born in MA. In the case of his daughter Sarah (Bartlett) Stevens who lived with Moses the last several years of his life, she is shown as being born in MI – her father in NY – and her mother in Ireland. (Sarah provided the same information on the 1920 Census as well). From the preponderance census data showing Moses Bartlett Jr. as being born in NY and his parents being born in MA, we can only conclude that his death certificate, death record in Book # 9904 / pg 16 in the Lenawee County, Michigan Courthouse, and his obit in the 02 Jan 1912 edition of the "Tecumseh Herald" newspaper in Tecumseh, Michigan are all incorrect, and that the informant at the time of his death – his daughter Anna (Bartlett) Eccles - was mistaken. This is difficult to explain, given that in the Federal Census of 1910, Anna Eccles – who was also living in Clinton, Lenawee Co, MI - identified the birthplace of her father as NY and the birthplace of her mother as Ireland – inconsistent with the information she gave on her father’s death certificate a year later.
Sometime prior to 1848, Moses Bartlett Jr married Anna English, a native of Ireland, daughter of John English, mother unknown. To their union were born two known children, daughters Sarah (Bartlett) Stevens (1849-1942) and Anna (Bartlett) Eccles (1858-1921).
It is noteworthy to mention that in the years leading up to the Civil War, Moses Bartlett was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. In the book The Underground Railroad From Slavery to Freedom by Wilbur W. Siebert, The Macmillan Co, NY, 1898 - referring to Appendix E entitled “Directory of Names of Underground Railroad Operators - on pg # 413, Moses Bartlett is identified as an operator in Washtenaw Co, MI.
Moses Bartlett Jr farmed in Bridgewater Twp, Washtenaw Co until 1861 when he moved into the village of Clinton, in Lenawee Co, adjoining Washtenaw Co to the south. In the 1880 Census, he was identified as a “speculator” – land speculator - real estate agent in today’s terminology?
Following his wife’s death, Moses Bartlett lived the last few years of his life with his daughter Sarah Stevens. He died in Clinton on 28 Dec 1911.”
(provided by Gary Bartlett, no relation, 6/15/2017)