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Subject: Re: ELLEN A. BLACK m. THEOPHILUS GROUT & connection to the JACOB SMITH family of Galveston & JUDITH ADELINE SLEEPER
Date: 12 Nov 2004 20:16:11 -0700

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.

Surnames: BLACK GROUT SOMERVILLE SLEEPER etc.
Classification: Query

Message Board URL:

http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/JNE.2ACIB/3275.1.1

Message Board Post:

I would love the 1850 census record for this family.

Here is what I have collected. She married into a noted family in Newport VT. See biography next of her husband:

Biography of Theophilus GROUT

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, p 168
(portrait p 168)

Theophilus GROUT, of Newport [Orleans County, Vermont], was born 03 September
1848 in Compton, Province of Quebec, Canada, son of Josiah and Sophronia
(AYER) GROUT. Early education received in the public schools of Concord,
followed by an academic course at the institutions at St. Johnsbury
[Caledonia County], Newbury [Orange County] and McIndoes Falls [Caledonia
County], after which, as he had resolved to adopt the legal profession as his
life work, he commenced his studies in the office of Bisbee & Grout; admitted
to the bar of Orleans County at the September term in 1871; commenced
practice in the town of Newport; with the exception of one year he spent in
Galveston, Texas [the 1880 census of the family of Theophilus GROUT in
Newport, Orleans County, Vermont, indicates his wife, Ellen, was born in
Texas], he continued his professional career in Newport, having some of the
time been in partnership with his brother, Josiah and C. A. PROUTY, Esq., but
chiefly by himself; in 1878 was made state's attorney; has been connected
with many important cases in the county; in 1880 represented Newport in the
state Legislature, in which body he served with marked ability on the
committees to which had been entrusted the revision of the statutes and the
rules.

Mr. GROUT has always taken an active interest in educational affairs; and has
acted as superintendent of schools and trustee of Newport Academy. In these
duties his early experience must have been of service, for he had been an
instructor in his youth, having taught in several educational establishments
in the northern part of the state. A member of the Protestant Episcopal
church, in which he is a warden and lay reader and is active in the work of
the Sunday school. A 32nd degree Mason; is acting prelate of Malta
Commandery No. 10, of Newport. When he withdrew from professional practice
in 1891 he became editor and proprietor of the "Newport Express and
Standard," which journal he continues to publish until the present time. On
25 November 1873 he [Theophilus GROUT] was married to Ellen A., daughter of
Charles and Mary (STUBBS) BLACK of Galveston [Galveston County], Texas, and
of this union there are issue: Charles T. [age five in the 1880 census] and
Addie Lou [age one month in the 1880 census].
=========
My 2 great grand aunt JUDITH ADELINE SLEEPER SMITH SOMERVILLE is buried with ELLEN and her family in their family plot in Newport as is her husband, REV. SOMERVILLE. I will share the obituary of her next (mentions ELLEN A. BLACK)

JUDITH ADELINE SLEEPER SMITH SOMERVILLE
BORN: 19 Mar 1818, Stanstead, Quebec, Canada * DIED: 2 Nov 1904, Coaticook, Quebec, Canada

THE EXPRESS AND STANDARD NEWPORT, VT., 4 November 1904 OBITUARY

Mrs. JUDITH A. SOMERVILLE, wife of the late Rev. WILLIAM C. SOMERVILLE, D.D., died at her home in Coaticook, PQ., on 2 November 1904, age 86 years, following a short illness.
Prayers & service were held at the home on November 3rd., Rev. WILLIAM STEVENS, rector Episcopal Church in Coaticook. On Nov. 4th, remains were taken to Newport, Vermont. Services held at St. Mark's Episcopal by Rev. Mr. MURCH, besides by Rev. WILLIAM STEVENS, of Coaticook.
JUDITH was the daughter of HEZEKIAH and HANNAH SLEEPER, the last one of a family of eleven children. Educated in Stanstead Academy. Went to St. Louis, Mo., about 18 years of age to visit her sister, (HARRIET SLEEPER and husband EBENEZER DAVIS) met and married after a short acquaintance, JACOB SMITH, a most estimable young man.
After a short residence in St. Louis, the couple went to Galveston, Texas, then a very small place and part of Mexico. She resided in Galveston from 1837 to 1859, when Mr. SMITH died and was buried in the city he loved so well. During that period she lived under three different governments: Mexico, Republic of Texas and State of Texas. She witnessed Galveston's growth from a little place of only a few houses to becoming the leading city of the "Lone Star State". These were stirring days in Galveston's history and Mr. and Mrs. SMITH were prominent figures and acted well their part in the building up of the city.
After her first husband's death she came to Coaticook, Canada to visit her brothers, the late LEWIS and WRIGHT SLEEPER, remaining during the Civil War. After the war she returned to Galveston, and on November 11, 1868 married Rev. WILLIAM C. SOMERVILLE, D.D., then pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Houston City, Texas. In 1870, she and her husband Dr. SOMERVILLE, accompanied by Miss ELLEN A. BLACK, to Stanstead and Coaticook to visit relatives. Soon after arrival, Dr. SOMERVILLE was called to be pastor of the Congregational Church at Newport, Vermont, remaining for four years and then to the Congregational Church at Coventry for 7 years. When he voluntarily retired after an active life as minister of the gospel for over 40 years, 1881, the deceased and her husband purchased a home in Coaticook, Quebec, Canada where they lived a quiet and happy life. Dr. SOMERVILLE died in 1899, and was buried in West Derby (known today as East Main Street Cemetery) and now !
she who was a most estimable wife and companion in life has passed on.
Mrs. SOMERVILLE was an educated, refined accomplished, Christian lady, whose chief delight was making her home cheerful & happy and spreading sunshine along the pathway of life. She was kind to the poor and needy and no one has left her door hungry or empty handed. She was the last of a noted family of 11 children and after a long well spent and happy life has gone to reap the reward of the faithful. She leaves nephews, nieces and a large circle of friends to mourn her loss. Of her it can be most truly said, that none knew her but to leave her, none named her but to please.
=======================================
NOTE: it turns out that ELLEN's husband is an AYER descendant who ties into AYER lines in my family so they both are in my FTM now.
------------------
1860 U.S. Census
BLACK, CHAS
TEXAS , GALVESTON, 1-WD GALVESTON
Age: 55, Male, Race: WHITE, Born: GA
Series: M653 Roll: 1294 Page: 454
HOUSEHOLD:
BLACK, CHAS age 55 occ: Carpenter (cannot make out where born)
BLACK, MARY age 45
BLACK, CHARLOTTE age 13
BLACK, ELLEN age 7
M. DUKES age 66
===================
1870 U.S. Census
GROUT, THEOPILUS
VERMONT , ORLEANS, NEWPORT
Age: 21, Male, Race: WHITE, Born: VT
Series: M593 Roll: 1623 Page: 229
(Boarding with HENRY ROOT merchant)
GROUT, THEOPILLUS age 21 - Law Student
===============
1880 United States Census
Theophilus GROUT
Male Other Information:
Birth Year <1849>
Birthplace CAN
Age 31
Occupation Attorney
Marital Status M <Married>
Race W <White>
Head of Household Theophilus GROUT
Relation Self
Father's Birthplace VT
Mother's Birthplace VT
Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's
Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Theophilus GROUT Self M Male W 31 CAN Attorney VT VT
Ellen GROUT Wife M Female W 27 TX Keeps House VA VA
Charles GROUT Son S Male W 5 VT CAN TX
GROUT Dau S Female W 1M VT CAN TX
Sarah J. HOWLAND Other S Female W 25 CAN House Work CAN
CAN
Victoria GROUT Sister S Female W 32 CAN VT VT
Source Information:
Census Place Newport, Orleans, Vermont
Family History Library Film 1255346
NA Film Number T9-1346
Page Number 474C
=================
1910 U.S. Census
GROUT, THEOPHILUS
MASSACHUSETTS , MIDDLESEX, 9-WD CAMBRIDGE
Age: 62, Male, Race: WHITE, Born: CANA
Series: T624 Roll: 596 Page: 129
HOUSEHOLD:
GROUT, THEOPHILUS head of household age 62 b. Canada-English both parents b.
VT occ: Special Agent U.S. Treasury
GROUT, ELLEN A. wife age 58 married 36 yrs. b. Texas father b. Virginia
mother b. Georgia
ROSEBERRY, ADDIE LOU daughter age 29 married 10 years b. VT.
ROSEBERRY, WILLIAM G. son in law age 35 b. Illinois both parents b. Illinois
occ: Teacher Private School
ROSEBERRY, ELLEN A. granddaughter age 3 b. Massachusetts
ROSEBERRY, THEOPHILUS grandson age 7/12 b. Massachusetts
LOONEY, DELIA servant age 22 b. Sweden
=================
I have shared both JUDITH and ELLEN's obituries with Galveston County Historical Museum
and hoped they might have something on JACOB SMITH who was supposed to have been a close friend of BLACK family and here is what they wrote back.

Re: Obituary of ELLEN A. BLACK GROUT sent to Sue Canup at Galveston County Historical Museum
11-3-04
Thank you so much for the obituary and the wealth of information associated with her and her family. We have in our collection, copies of letters written by James Black to his wife Patience during the Civil War. Patience Black was born at Henderson, Texas in 1842. James Black was native of Alabama. Her parents, however were Joel and Sarah Crain so there doesn't appear to be any connection with the families, especially since Patience Black died in 1869 and is buried in McLennan County in Texas. I will add Ellen and her parents to my data base and will let you know if I find any more information. Thank you for thinking of us! Sue
=========
11-03-04
It's very coincidental but the Smith name is also mentioned in the James and Patience Black history. There is a hand written chart with James B. Smith on top with lines drawn to Sara Smith Crain and Joel Burdette Crain and Patience appears to be their daughter, who then marries James Black. Hannah Smith Parker might be a sister to Patience. Again, probably no connection but I thought I would share that with you. We don't have access to the microfilms at our museum but the Rosenberg Library does have them. You can check with the Galveston and Texas History Center to see if they do the searches or if it is referred to another department. Their website is http://www.gthcenter.org/ They also have card index files by subject and name and might be able to give you some leads. Sue
=============
ALSO can you share what you have found on ELLEN A. BLACK's paternal grandparents?

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