| Notes |
- Found at an Olmstead web site http://www.geocities.com/cohommel/Doreen_Dolleman_5_2.htm
Doreen Dolleman who does very good research says:
GIDEON OLMSTEAD
AND
LURANA OLMSTEAD SURDAM
I am feeling brave enough to tackle two Olmstead ancestors that as far as I know have never been researched thoroughly by anyone else. Gideon and Lurana Olmstead were the children of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Litten Olmsted. The records on Gideon and Lurana are scarce so once again I will try to separate the facts from my speculations. Gideon is only briefly mentioned in the Olmsted “Red Book” with just a birth date. You will not find Lurana in there at all. My research on these siblings began years ago when I found them in the records of the Dutch Reformed Church of Schaghticoke, NY. The births of several of their children were recorded, giving the names of both parents, including maiden names of the mothers. The Olmstead’s were not Dutch Reformed but both Gideon and Lurana had Dutch spouses. This was the beginning of a difficult search that would take time and perseverance. It intrigued me that Gideon and Lurana Olmstead seemed to always be in close proximity of each other throughout their entire lives. If I found a record of one in a particular place, I did not have to look hard to find the other. For this reason I am including them both in this article. My quest for information on these families is still really only in its beginning stages, but it is time to share in hopes that it will trigger some response from others. Here are the very few facts known about Gideon:
1. He was born 17 July 1747 in Ware, MA, the son of Jeremiah Olmsted and Elizabeth Litten.
2. He married Annaka Van Deusen according to the Dutch Reformed Church records of Schaghticoke, NY. Annaka was the daughter of Harpman Van Deusen and Margrieta Dykman, and was born 28 April 1748 in Salisbury, CT. The Van Deusen’s lived for a time in Berkshire County, MA.
3. Son Jeremiah Olmsted was born 12 Nov 1773 DRC records.
4. Son Jabe Olmsted was born 17 Oct 1775 DRC records.
5. Gideon was an enlisted man in the 14th Regiment of the Albany County Militia (Schaghticoke), Revolutionary War.
6. In 1788 he was recommended as an officer to form a new regiment within the district of Hoosick and Stephentown, Rensselaer County, NY. Battallion officer: Gideon Olmtead, ensign.
7. In the 1800 census of Aurelius, Cayuga County, NY, Gideon Olmstead is enumerated as over 45 with one male 10-16, one female over 45 and one female 10-16.
These are the only records I have found for Gideon. Everything from this point on is guesswork. I believe that once Gideon married Annaka (most likely in Berkshire County, MA), they settled somewhere in the area of Hoosick, Pittstown, or neighboring White Creek, NY. The church in Schaghticoke where I found their records was the only Dutch Reformed Church in the area, but I am certain they did not live there. We met with the Schaghticoke town clerk a few years ago and searched the early records of settlers, taxpayers, landowners, etc. and the Olmstead’s and Surdam’s were not there. The entire Surdam clan did live in Hoosick and to this day there are descendants of the siblings of Lawrence still living there. By 1800 Gideon and family had moved to Cayuga County, NY and Lurana and her family around the same time. The possible children of Gideon and Annaka, including the two that were recorded were:
1. Elizabeth born 3 Dec. 1769, died 2 Feb. 1852 Northampton, Fulton County, NY. She married Joseph Brown the 2nd in Feb of 1788 in White Creek, Washington County, NY. The name of Joseph Brown, lieutenant, was listed next to Gideon Olmstead in the new regiment formed in Hoosick and Stephentown in 1788. The children of Joseph and Elizabeth were named in Revolutionary War pension records and Joseph’s will: Susannah, Samuel, Joseph Jr., Anna, John, Elizabeth, Martha, Gideon Olmstead, Thomas, Edward and Truman.
2. James born around 1771, died between 1845-50 Oakland Co, MI. He married Elizabeth Shepard of Pittstown, NY and Anna Warren Day in Canada. He was the topic of my last article and I mentioned that he could either have been the son of Gideon and Annaka or the son of Jabez and Miriam. His children were Hazael, Anna, James Jr., Harley, Mrs. Harry Smith, Mrs. Hydea Cooper and possibly Evalina (Cole).
3. Jeremiah born 12 Nov. 1773 Schaghticoke, NY. He was enumerated in Scipio, Cayuga Co, NY in 1800, age 17-25, one female 17-25 and 3 females under 10. In 1810 he was in Cato, Cayuga County with a young male under 10 added to the family. Jeremiah Olmstead and wife Thankful are in a land record in 1812 in Cayuga County. In 1820 he was in Rushford, Allegheny Co, NY with his wife, 3 sons and 3 daughters. His neighbor was Peter Surdam, a first cousin. I have no proof as to what became of him, but believe he was the Jeremiah of the 1830 and 1840 Clark Co, IN census. He was 50-60 in 1830 with a wife, one young female and 3 young males. In 1840 he was 60-70 and alone. The IN marriage records of that area and time period indicate that Nancy Olmsted (m. James Walls in 1832, had a son Jeremiah), Hannah Olmstead (m. William Alcorn in 1827, had a son Jeremiah), and Eliza Umstead (m. Isham Burwell in 1822) could have been possible daughters of Jeremiah.
4. Jabe born 17 Oct. 1775 Schaghticoke, NY. No further information.
5. Aaron married Laura Fish. She was the daughter of Nathan Fish and Elizabeth Pitcher of Cayuga Co, NY. Aaron only appears in land records of Aurelius, Cayuga County in 1813 through 1815. He died by 1820 and Laura married Ebenezer Handy. My main reason for placing him in the Gideon/Annaka line is because of his location in Aurelius and the fact that he is not in the family tree of any of the other Cayuga County Olmstead’s.
6. Martha (Patty) born around 1787 NY, died 20 Feb. 1853 Cass Co, MI married Robert Salisbury, son of Benanuel and Grace Spaulding in Cayuga Co, NY. They moved to Huron County, OH around 1820-21 and then to Cass County, MI in 1833. Their children were Hamilton, Harpman, Harriett, Benanuel, William, Alva, Alfred, Meranda, Anna, and Pod. The obvious reason for Martha’s placement in the Gideon/Annaka line is their location in Cayuga Co. and the naming of a son Harpman (Annaka’s father).
7. John Olmstead born around 1790, died in Oct. of 1849 in Fulton Co, IL He married Almeda Salisbury, daughter of Benanuel and Grace Spaulding, in Cayuga Co, NY. Their children were Warren, Anna, Lydia, Amanda, and Hiram S. John’s possible connection is because of his locations in Cayuga County, NY and Huron County, Ohio, the same as Martha Olmstead and her husband Robert Salisbury. There were also numerous land transactions between the family of John and the family of Robert.
I have more concrete information on Lurana Olmstead than on her brother Gideon. She is not listed in the Ware, MA birth records with the other children of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Litten Olmsted. When I told Carlton Hommel that she was their daughter, he did some digging himself and came up with a record of her baptism. It is great when we work together on our Olmstead’s! Here are the recorded facts about Lurana:
1. Lurana was baptized 11 August 1751 in Ware, MA and was the daughter of Jeremiah Olmsted and Elizabeth Litten.
2. Lurana married Lawrence Van Surdam (name was later shortened to Surdam). Lawrence was born 1 October 1749 in Salisbury, CT. He was the son of Peter Van Surdam and Elizabeth Younglove. The Van Surdam’s were in Berkshire County, MA during the same time period as the Jeremiah Olmsted family and later moved to Hoosick, NY.
3. The births of five of Lurana and Lawrence’s children were recorded in the Dutch Reformed Church of Schaghticoke, NY between 1773 and 1782.
4. Lowrana Van Sordam (Sirdam) was enlisted in the same 14th Regiment of the Albany County Militia (Schaghticoke), Revolutionary War, as Gideon Olmsted.
5. In the 1790 Hoosick Town, Rensselaer County, NY census Lawrence V. Surdam was recorded as male head of family with 4 males under 16 and 6 females in the household.
6. In the 1810 Scipio, Cayuga County, NY census Larence Sedam was over 45 with one male 26-45, one female over 45, one female 16-26, and one female under 10.
7. There are land records for Lawrence Van Surdam in Scipio in 1803 and 1807.
8. Lurana died 16 November 1818 and is buried in rural Fleming Hill Cemetery, Aurelius, Cayuga County, NY. Her age was 67 years, 5 months and 9 days, which would make her birth date 7 June 1751. Her tombstone is large and is flat on the ground. Next to it is a smaller stone with the initials L.S. and no other writing. I assume it could be her husband’s tombstone. A grandchild, John W. Surdam, is also buried nearby.
The known children of Lurana and Lawrence were:
1. Elizabeth born 24 February 1773 recorded in DRC of Schaghticoke.
2. Peter born 22 February 1775 recorded in DRC of Schaghticoke. He married Ruby Gould, daughter of Thomas Gould and Ruth Bateman. Peter, Ruby and children were in Rushford, Allegany County, NY in 1820 on the same page as cousin Jeremiah Olmstead. Peter and Ruby settled in Geauga County, Ohio. Their children were Bateman, Orpha, Sally, Lawrence, Anthony and Caroline.
3. Teunis (Anthony) born 11 May 1777 in DRC of Schaghticoke. Anthony was in the 1810 Scipio, NY census with a probable wife of the same age bracket. He is still there in 1820 and 1830.
4. Jeremiah born 29 October 1779 and recorded in DRC of Schaghticoke, NY. He was enumerated with his wife Mary (10 people in household) and next to his brother Anthony in the 1820 Scipio census. He was still there in 1830. It is their son John W. Surdam who was buried by the Surdam grandparents in Fleming Cemetery. By the 1840 census he was in Shelby County, IL. Their children were John W., Charles, Mary, Eliza, Nathaniel, Sarah, and Bateman.
5. Andris born 12 April 1782 and recorded in DRC of Schaghticoke, NY.
6. Charity born 5 November 1786 (recorded in the Chapin Genealogy). She married 14 February 1805, Luther Chapin, son of Samuel Chapin and Sybil Joslyn. She died 15 April 1840. There are land records for both Charity and Luther in Aurelius, NY in 1808. They later lived in Livonia, Livingston County, NY. Their children were Abel Joslyn, Lurana, Samuel L., Corridon C. and Luther Jr.
In winding up the details of Gideon and Lorana I have to mention the possibility of another Olmstead sibling also being in the same proximity throughout their lifetime. Their sister Elizabeth married Isaac Richardson 26 Oct. 1759 in Sheffield, Berkshire County, MA. I have no further information on her except to note than an Issac Richardson was also enlisted in the same 14th Regiment of the Albany County Militia as Gideon Olmstead and Lowrana Van Sirdam. An Isaac Richardson was also in the 1800 Hoosick, NY census and yes, there are records of Isaac Richardson in Cayuga County as well. I spent some time reviewing those records in Cayuga County, including probate, but was not able to come up with anything conclusive. When it comes to researching our Olmstead’s it seems that the work is never finished!
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1754 - 1841 (87 years)
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