R Gilmore

R Gilmore

GAWP5 presents Robert Gilmore (1740-1796) from Pelham, MA / Cambridge, New York as the individual behind a R Gilmore toted molder dating to ca 1760. Since GAWP5 doesn't give an associated trade for Robert, a recent search was conducted trying to identify his trade. A 1764 Pelham deed was found for this individual, but his trade was given as a yeoman. 

 

Without a craftsman link, the search was expanded to include all of the New England states as well as NY and PA. This search(1) yielded a craftsman, Robert Gilmore of Jaffery, Cheshire Co., NH.

 

In Jaffery deeds dated 1805 and 1811 he was identified as a joiner and in deeds dated 1798, 1798, 1807 and 1812 he was identified as a housewright or house carpenter. A Robert Gilmore was involved in two recorded town building constructions / repairs dating to 1803 and 1806.

 

In seven other Jaffery deeds over the same date range, Robert's trade is given as a yeoman or husbandman. (In deeds, it's rather common for trades to bounce back and forth with an individual, with yeoman as the common default.)  In two back-to-back deeds dating to May 8,1798, he is listed as a housewright. In 1798 deed 30-166, he's id'd as Robert Gilmore and in 1798 deed 30-167, he's id'd as Robert Gilmore Jr.  In both deeds, Roger Gilmore is the witness. Do these thirteen deeds point to one individual or two? A review of Robert Gilmore's buying and selling of Jaffery properties from 1780 through 1820 did not fully answer this question.

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Several Robert Gilmore's can be documented in Jaffery over the1770 - 1820 timeframe.(2) One is Robert Gilmore III 1749 - 1816, a brother of Roger 1739 - 1807 and John 1737 - 1813 (3, 4), but he left Jaffery for Surry, NH in 1795. He was a farmer and a carpenter. (5) This Roger might have made the known plane before he left Jaffery, but he's likely too early for the plane. A second is Robert Gilmore b 1770, son of John b 1737. (Little else is known about this Robert.) A third is Robert Gilmore 1771 - 1839, the son of Roger Gilmore, 1739 - 1807. In the deeds where Robert 1771 is linked to his father Roger, he's id'd as a yeoman or husbandman. Roger's father was Robert as was his grandfather. Perhaps the Jr. refers to an elder / younger relationship rather than a father / son relationship?  In an 1809 deed, David Gilmore the second, housewright, is also id'd as the deceased Roger's son, thus verifying that David (Jr.) and Roger 1771 were brothers. Note that David, son of Roger is also referred to as Jr. in several period documents. (Identifying "younger's" as Jr. was not uncommon in 18thC NE.) 1771 Robert's grandfather Robert lived until 1782 so the elder / younger option is certainly a reasonable possibility. This third 1771 Robert was the only one of the three Roberts that we know of who married, had children and remained in town through at least 1815 ... the timeframe of the craftsmen linked deeds in question. By 1818, the third Robert moved his family to Oneida Co., NY where he died in 1839. 

 

In an 1801 deed, 41-259, Roger Gilmore buys a 9 sq. rod property. Of note, both a Robert Gilmore and a Robert Gilmore Jr. witness the deed, meaning that there were two Robert Gilmores in Jaffery after Robert Gilmore III left Jaffery for Surry in 1795. (Gilmore genealogy (3) identifies Robert 1770 and Robert 1771 as the two known Roberts in Jaffery ca 1770 - 1820.)

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Neither Robert 1770 or Robert 1771 are known to be the craftsman, noting that we know little to nothing about Robert 1770. However, deeds involving Jaffery Lot 13, ranges 6 and 7 seem to provide clues which when taken together, point to Robert 1771 as the craftsman. In 1769 and 1782 brothers John 1737 and Roger 1739 jointly bought Jaffery land in lots 11 and 12. On Dec. 1,1801 Roger sells John land in lots 11, 12, 13 and 16 while John sells Roger land in Lot 13 ranges 6 and 7. In 1801 Roger sells his son Robert 1771, 100A of land in Lot 13, ranges 6 and 7. In 1805 Roger sells Robert, joiner, 2A of land from Lot 13 range 6 (not a positive ID but the same lot and range). In 1818, Robert in Whitestown, Oneida Co., NY (Robert 1771) sells David and John Gilmore of Jaffery, land in Lot 13 ranges 6 and 7. Thus, the same land is traced from brother John to brother Roger to son Robert 1771 and Robert the tradesman and then finally to Robert 1771's probable brothers John and David. Note that this land did not trace from John 1737 to his son Robert 1770.  

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Robert 1771's brother David (Jr.) was a housewright. Might David be behind the DG initials burned into the heel of the known plane?

 

Hopefully, additional research will clarify any outstanding questions.

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(1) The search primarily used the "Full-Text" search tool on FamilySearch.com. This search tool locates matches from FamilySearch's online data bases (deeds, probates, taxes, etc.), local / regional histories and genealogies using entered names and/or professions and/or locations. The search tool can access text as well as images.

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(2) History of Jaffrey, NH, V 2, Albert, Annett and Alice Lehtinen, MCMXXXIV.

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​(3) John 1737, Roger 1739 and Robert 1749 were all sons of Robert Gilmore 1699 - 1782. Robert and James Gilmore Who Settled in Southern New Hampshire, and Their Descendants, by Frank Storey Osgood, 1925.

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(4) These three brothers took part in the second Jaffery town meeting, dated 9-28-1773. History of Cheshire and Sullivan Counties, NH

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(5) Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, edited by Newton Bateman and D. Paul Selby, vol. 2, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co., 1903