Notes for: Isaac Bodine

Here is some census info that must refer to this Isaac. It comes from Cathy (Bodine) Shumway. Some guesses as to the identity of each these people follow in each line.

1810 Census, Mifflin Twp., Lycoming Co., PA:
Head of household - Isaac Bodine - Males
males under 10, 3: Ellis 1801, Fred 1803, Isaac, Jr 1808
males 16 to 26, 1: Unknown
males 26 to 45, 1: Isaac Bodine, Sr. [b. about 1775, 35 years old]
***** females under 10, 1: Margaret, 1805
females 10 to 16, 2: Ann 1797, Sarah 1799
females 26 to 45, 1: Catherine (Casper) Bodine [b. about 1775, 35 years old]
Both Isaac and his wife may be buried in the Pine Creek Cemetery about a mile west of Jersey Shore, Lycoming Co., PA (also known as the Dr. Davidson Cemetery). Catherine is definitely there. Her tombstone says "Catharine Bodine wife of Isaac Sr." Cathy (Bodine) Shumway says the birth and death dates for Isaac and Catherine (Casper) Bodine come from their tombstones; however, they have never found Isaac's grave themselves. [Maybe this date comes from an earlier transcription of the cemetery.] She said, "The old cemetery is closed now; nobody is supposedly allowed in because of sunken graves or sites where bodies were moved and not filled in. It must have been the original Jersey Shore or Pine Creek cemetery along the river where Pine Creek dumps into the Susquehanna River." Cathy's sister has tracings of a stone or stones from there.

Here is another message from Cathy about the cemetery:

From: tlcshumway at epix.net
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Subject: Ellis Bodine history

Dave,

...You may have noticed that we do not know who Isaac's father was. Also, we have located his wife, Catherine Casper's grave in the old Jersey Shore, Pa. Cemetery ... we have never found his grave. We did walk across an area that made our hair stand up. When we looked down we were standing on the spot that is the final resting place of all the white settlers that were massacred at the end of the 1700's ... in that little river settlement. Their remains are all buried in a cemetery on the east side of the river, overlooking the Susquehana. I believe that must have been the sight of their "last stand." The stones are flat to the ground, at the edge of the woods and beside a corn field. It was quite by accident that my daughter and I found it. The stones were unread! ...

Cathy Bodine Shumway

Here's a message from Cathy:

From: tlcshumway at epix.net
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Subject: Bodine history, Susquehana Valley & Tioga Co.

Hello Dave,

I have quite a bit of history on our branch of the Bodine family which I have taken from "OTZINACHSON", printed 1889. That was the Indian name for the Susquehana River ... Just up from the Susquehanna and Williamsport, off of Route 15, onto Route 414 is a small village by the name of Bodines. I don't have any history on the origin of the settlement ... just haven't had time to get there. Also, we can trace our roots to Isaac Bodine who settled in Jersey Shore (about one hour south of here). His son Ellis Bodine eventually made his way up Pine Creek, which was one of the main waterways for the Indians between the Lake Country and the Susquehanna River. He settled just outside of Wellsboro, Pa. in Tioga County. Ellis was the only one of Isaac's children that came this way. Other branches of the family moved toward the Lake Country (Finger Lakes) in New York State, about one hour north of here. There is a wealth of documented information in the book that I have mentioned above. I have tried to sort out the Bodine history contained in this book. Hope you can find some of the information helpful in your search.

Sincerely,
Catherine Bodine Shumway
tlcshumway at epix.net

There is a Sarah Erwin listed in the household of her sister (sic), Mary Bodine, in the 1880 Census of Mansfield, Tioga Co., PA. She is 79 and born in PA (father PA, mother NJ). She may be the same Sarah (Bodine) Erwin mentioned in Isaac's will. Mary Bodine, also mentioned in the same house as Sarah Erwin, would very likely be Sarah's sister-in-law (widow of Frederick Bodine).

If Catherine is the mother of that Sarah (Bodine) Erwin, then Catherine was most likely born in New Jersey - just as Ellis Milton Bodine noted in the 1880 Census of Wellsboro, Tioga Co., PA. Sarah listed her father as born in PA and her mother in NJ (1880 Census, Tioga Co., PA). However, Ellis said both his parents were born in NJ. This means that Isaac's birth place is in doubt. Sarah said PA and Ellis said NJ. It must be one of the two. I would lean toward New Jersey, but that is only a guess.

I believe Isaac must be related to Abraham Bodine, husband of Mary Paxon and Barbara Cruze. Isaac's wife, Catherine Casper, is buried in the Pinecreek Cemetery, Porter Twp., Lycoming Co., PA (with her son Isaac, Jr.). Abraham had a grandson named Casper Bodine. This Isaac was born about 1775. That Abraham was born in 1779. They don't appear to be brothers, but maybe cousins.

Joan Best found an Isaac Bodine listed in the 1800 Tax Lists of Mifflin Township in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. He was 25 years old and his occupation was a carpenter. In the same township was a Frederick Bodine, 34, also a carpenter.

Joan also said, "These two are found next to each other in the census and are most likely brothers. I don't think they are connected to Cornelius. It is likely that this Frederick is the Rev. War Frederick born Jan 29, 1764 who lived in Lycoming during this time - according to his pension petition. The age is off by 2 years, but could be attributed to misreading of the documents. I think that Frederick and Isaac may have been the sons of the Isaac whose will was probated in 1787 in Northumberland, this area being part of Northumberland at that time."

Catherine Horman wrote up some notes from his will. I believe it was in Lycoming Co., PA Will Book #2, p. 454 and that it was proven on Nov. 9, 1859. The notes say the will names Catharine Martin, dau; Ellis M. bodine, son; Frederick Bodine, son; Margaret McMurray, dau; Ann Saub (sp?), dau., deceased when the will was written; Sarah Erwin, dau; Isaac Bodine, son; Molly Caldwell, dau; Richard M. Bodine, son; Catherine Bodine, gdau (child of Ellis M.). William H. Miller and Christian Shaup were named executors of this will. [Note from DB: Notice that son John is not mentioned in this will.]

The birth dates for their children come from, mostly, a handwritten slip of paper that was among some genealogical research done by Henry Ellis Bodine, Cathy (Shumway) Bodine's father. She thinks these dates came from some book, but she's not sure now. To me, they look like something that would have come from a family Bible. This would be good to find out. About these genealogical papers, Cathy said, "The papers on Isaac Bodine are "very" old. They are handwritten, possibly by Ellis M. Bodine. I suspect this because they were found with another paper which was the same hand which states (not verbatim, I have to get the paper from Janet) ... "We, Ellis M. Bodine and Lawsha Bodine (that would be his son), promise to give up tobacco ..."

Here is some info taken from "The History of Tioga County, Pa., Volume #2", found in the Green Free Library, Wellsboro, Pa.; dated 1897. My appreciation to Catherin (Bodine) Shumway and Janet (Murtland) Bodine for this information.

Ellis M. Bodine was born in Jerey Shore, Lycoming county, Pa., January 3, 1801, a son of Isaac and Catherine Casper Bodine. His father came from New Jersey with the Mannings in the last decade of the Eighteenth century, settled in Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, where both he and his wife died.

And here is some information on the possible origin of these Bodines:

Obituary, the Huntingdon Daily News of 30 Oct 1940 and the Wellsboro Agitator of 6 Nov 1940.
Alfred Wells Bodine... was bom in Tioga county on April 10, 1883, a son of William T. and Etta (Wilkins) Bodine... On the maternal side Mr. Bodine was a descendant of Welsh ancestors. His father's antecedents were French, having emigrated to America from Normandy more than two hundred years ago.

From Ronny Bodine:

Isaac Bodine was baptised 12 June 1774 at Conewego Church, York County, Pennsylvania as Isac, son of ____ Bedyn and Maregrieta Smiet. He lived in that part of Northumberland County which was taken to form Lycoming County in April 1795. In 1800, Isaac Bodine, 25, carpenter and Frederick Bodine, 34, carpenter, appear on a list of taxables for Mifflin Township. However Mifflin Township was formed in 1803 from portions of Lycoming Township and the 1810 census lists both Isaac and Frederick Bodine now living in Mifflin Township. Isaac Bodine remained there the rest of his life. He was recorded as Isaac Bordine in the 1830 census of Mifflin Township. In 1850, Isaac Bodine, age 70, was living in Jersey Shore, Mifflin Township. His household included Elizabeth, 67 and Catherine, 12.

From: "The History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania" by John F. Meginness, Chicago, 1897, p. 673.
ELLIS M. BODINE was born in Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, January 3, 1801, a son of Isaac and Catherine (Casper) Bodine. His father came from New Jersey with the Mannings in the last decade of the Eighteenth century, and settled in Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, where both he and wife died.

The tax list of 1800 includes Richard Manning, age 72, Reuben Manning, age 69, Samuel Manning, age 33, and Reuben Manning Jr., 35, all farmers living in Mifflin Township.

From the "History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, "by John F. Meginness, Chicago, 1892, p. 1051.
ISAAC BODINE was born March 15, 1808, near Jersey Shore, son of Isaac and Catherine (Casper) Bodine, who were the parents of nine children: Ann, Sarah, Ellis, Frederick, Margaret, Isaac, Mollie, John T. and Richard.

The birth dates for their children come from, mostly, a handwritten slip of paper that was among some genealogical research done by Henry Ellis Bodine, Cathy (Shumway) Bodine's father. She thinks these dates came from some book, but she's not sure now. To me, they look like something that would have come from a family Bible. This would be good to find out. About these genealogical papers, Cathy said, "The papers on Isaac Bodine are "very" old. They are handwritten, possibly by Ellis M. Bodine. I suspect this because they were found with another paper which was the same hand which states (not verbatim, I have to get the paper from Janet) ... "We, Ellis M. Bodine and Lawsha Bodine (that would be his son), promise to give up tobacco ..."

The will of Isaac Bodine of Jersey Shore was written 24 Feb 1859 and proved 9 Nov 1859. Therein he named his children as Catherine Martin, Ellis M. Bodine, Frederick Bodine, Margaret McMurray, Anne Saub (deceased), Sarah Irwin, Isaac Bodine, Mollie Caldwell, and Richard M. Bodine; and granddaughter Catherine Bodine, daughter of his son Ellis. William H. Miller and Christian Shaup were named executors of this will. (Lycoming Wills, B: 454)

Catherine Bodine was buried in Davidson's Burying Ground, now Pine Creek Cemetery, Lycoming County. The stone reads Catherine Bodine, wife of Isaac, died 5.6.1818 in her 43d year. Likely Isaac was buried there as well, but the grave is no longer marked. Isaac Bodine was baptized 12 June 1774 at Conewego Church, York County, Pennsylvania as Isac, son of ____ Bedyn and Maregrieta Smiet. He lived in that part of Northumberland County which was taken to form Lycoming County in April 1795. In 1800, Isaac Bodine, 25, carpenter and Frederick Bodine, 34, carpenter, appear on a list of taxables for Mifflin Township. However Mifflin Township was formed in 1803 from portions of Lycoming Township and the 1810 census lists both Isaac and Frederick Bodine now living in Mifflin Township. Isaac Bodine remained there the rest of his life. He was recorded as Isaac Bordine in the 1830 census of Mifflin Township.

1850 Jersey Shore, Lycoming Co., PA: Isaac BODINE 70 NJ, Elizabeth 67 NJ, Catharine 12 PA.

Burials in Jersey Shore Cemetery, Jersey Shore, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
(For grave marker photo see Find A Grave Memorial No. 130242632)
ELIZABEH Wife of ISAAC BODINE Died Nov. 18, 1858 Aged 76 Y 1 M 28 D