Saturday, October 27, 2012

James Cahoon of Wayne, Michigan

I hate it when I start obsessing.  Going over and over and round and round.  I can't seem to let go of Lucia Cahoon Drake, wife of John Stout Drake.  I'm researching her brothers and sisters and parents.  Sometimes you get a little random information that you can use, but most of the time I am banging my head against the wall.  Then I write it all out to see what I'm missing...which is everything.  Shoot, the people that are researching Lucia can't even agree on the spelling of the last name.  Is it Cahoon?  Cohoon?  Cahoone?  Calhoun? 

The 1840 United States Census shows James Cahoon living in Wayne, Michigan.  In 1840 Lucia would have been about 15.  There is 1 female recorded between 10-15.  In the 1850 United States Census all the households names are listed.  Comparing 1850 with 1840 -- in 1840 there is a female between the ages of 15 and 20.  1850 reveals that her name was Mary J.  Lucia names one of her daughters Mary.  There is another girl, under the age of 5.  Her name is Mellisee. There are also two boys in the house:  one that was born between 1820-1825 and another born between 1825-1830.  I am guessing that the oldest -- the once closest to the age of Lucia is James A.  There is a James A Cahoon business man in Hillsdale at the same time Lucia is there.  I believe the youngest boy is Albert. 

James Cahoon, the dad, has two wives.  The first is the mother to Mary J., Lucia, Mellisee, Albert and the other boy I think is James A.  James marries Jane Ann Sloan in 1838.  They have Alice, Florence, Flora, Robert and Cora.  There is a 7 year gap between Albert and Alice.  I'm guessing mom died, one year of mourning, a couple of years to find another wife, 2 years for the next baby. 

There seems to be two distinct Cahoon families.  There are the Cahoons from New York.  Most of these boys settle in Michigan and then there are the North Carolina Cahoons.

James Cahoon's parents were Joseph Cahoon and Nancy Parr.  And I will spell "Cahoon" as I've found it in other family trees -- just make note that these are NOT errors.  Their children are:

  • David Cohoon 1783-1858
  • Thomas Cahoon  1786-1858
  • Heman Cahoon  1788-
  • Stephen Cohoon  1789-1858
  • Henry Cahoon 1790 or 1796
  • William Cohoon  1791
  • John Cohoon  1791-
  • Charles R Cohoon  1795-1876
  • Samuel Cohoon 1797-
  • James Cahoon  1800-1872
  • Lidick Cohoon  -1802-1888
  •  There might be a girl added to this mix.