Family/Spouse: Gottlieb Waltz. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Orrin married Abigail Case on 22 Sep 1853 in Troy Twp., Bradford Co., PA By Rev. Calvin Dodge. Abigail (daughter of Abraham Case and Sarah Williams) was born on 26 Jan 1833 in Troy Twp, Bradford Co., PA; died after 25 Apr 1903 in Avis, Clinton Co., PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Abraham married Sarah Williams about 1815 in Troy Twp., Bradford Co., PA. Sarah (daughter of Caleb Williams and Abigail) was born between 1790 and 1794 in VT; died on 4 Feb 1877 in Williamsport, Lycoming Co., PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

See: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mdtmgug/case000t.htm
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Found at: http://www.geocities.com/cohommel/Doreen_Dolleman_4_2.htm
My intent for this article was to cover an entirely new topic, but due to some incredible discoveries on our recent trip to Washington County, NY, my plans have changed. I will be returning to the subject of my May 2000 article to tell you ?the rest of the story? about Aaron Olmstead (son of Jabez and Miriam). I spent a lot of time researching Aaron and his family and felt I had been reasonably thorough and was pleased with the results. I had mentioned that Aaron?s last appearance in the Washington County records was the court case charging him and several others with armed robbery. I had assumed that he might have been run out of town or run off on his own, leaving his wife and children behind. I could discover no further record of him, but it appeared that his two children, son Aaron Jr. and probable daughter Miriam were enumerated with their grandfather Jabez Olmstead in the 1800 Hebron census. With the help of the new Washington County archivist I was able to solve the mystery. He is in the process of microfilming all the records and getting more information into their computer system. He has made great progress. What I am about to tell you was not even available when we were there one year ago. This time I was able to view on film the daily court records that started in the year 1793. It was a slow process and I wish we could have stayed longer, but we did amazingly well for only one day.

I found the trial of Aaron and his partners in crime, which took place on the first of June 1798. He was sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in the state prison in New York City. The other members of the gang received lesser sentences. Daniel Osborne ten years, Samuel Case two years, Sherman Manville one month in the Salem gaol, and Reuben Case was found not guilty. My next step was to search the old issues of newspapers from Washington County. In the 8th of January 1798 edition I found the following article:

On Saturday last, was committed to the gaol of this town; Daniel Osborne, Reuben Case, and ___Case of Hebron; and Aaron Umstead of Hampton; for having committed many outrageous robberies in almost every town in this county, one of which was a trunk of dry goods, amounting to 900 dollars, belonging to Mr. Apollus Austin of Orwall in VT; which was taken off a wagon in Granville at Capt. Lee?s Inn. It is with singular pleasure we inform the public, that a considerable part of the goods has already been found, and the villains having confessed the fact, it is hoped no great loss will accrue. It must be a pleasing circumstance to every honest man, particularly the inhabitants of this county, that the nest and gang of such a daring set of rascals is entirely broken up.?

In the February 19th newspaper I found a wonderful advertisement: ? STOP THE VILLAINS. Broke the gaol of the County of Washington, on the night of the 13th inst., REUBEN CASE, about five feet eleven inches high; dark complexion; had on when he went away, a blue coat and light colored clothes. AARON OLMSTEAD, about five feet nine inches high, about thirty years of age, and has a remarkable turn with his eyes; had on when he went away, a blue coat, red vest, and dark coloured overhalls (sic); and ABIEL LINDSEY, about five feet ten inches high, about twenty two years of age; had on light coloured clothes when he went away. The above Case and Olmstead was committed for repeated robberies; and Lindsey for burglary. Whoever will apprehend and return the above runaways shall receive THIRTY DOLLARS Reward ? ten dollars for each of them, and all necessary charges paid by ABNER STONE, Gaoler of Washington County. Salem, February 17, 1798.? Just to let you know the significance of the reward money, I saw many other ads for runaways with the reward only being a penny or two! Aaron must have been apprehended at some point as he was back in jail in time for the trial.

The final article regarding Aaron Olmstead was dated June 4th 1798. It gave a summary of the convictions and sentences of each man and then the following about Aaron: ?This morning Osborne and Case were conducted from the gaol on their way to the state prison. Olmstead chose to evade his punishment, by a voluntary murder of himself, which he executed last night, by strangling himself, with the assistance of two silk hankerchiefs (sic) and a napkin. The Coroner?s inquest was immediately held, and found to be suicide; a striking instance of the horror of imprisonment, when a man, in the prime of life, prefered (sic) a cruel death to twelve years confinement. While the crimes of the miserable culprit excite detestation; the sympathetic bosom cannot restrain the sigh of sorrow at the melancholy event.? Can you imagine a reporter today using such flowery prose, especially to describe such a gruesome event? My husband, Bill, wondered if maybe Aaron had a little ?help? with his strangulation from the prison warden. I guess we?ll never know the answer to that
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From Susan Johnston's web site:
1. Aaron2 Case (Philip1); born say 1768 in Berkshire Co., MA;1,2,3 married Abigail Olmstead circa 1788 in Washington Co., NY; he died 4 January 1821 in Troy Twp., Bradford Co., PA;4,5,6 buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Troy, Bradford Co., PA.7

Direct evidence relative to the life of Aaron Case and his family is very sparse. Most of the material written about this family appears to have been taken from two sources: the Erastus Ely Case manuscript in the Connecticut Historical Society Library and the biography of Aaron Case and his family in Clement F. Heverly's two volume work Pioneer and Patriot Families of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, 1770-1825. The latter reference appears to suffer from what a forensic pathologist would term "cross-contamination," as it tries to blend statements from all prior secondary sources into a cohesive history of this family. No information on the birth of Aaron Case appears in Heverly. It simply calls Aaron Case " an enterprising Yankee from VT."8 According to the Case manuscript, Aaron Case, son of Philip Case, was born in Hebron, Washington Co., NY, in 1770.9 Dr. Case extracted this information from a December 1903 letter of Simeon U. Case, Aaron's grandson. Simeon Case was born in 1828, seven years after his grandfather's death, and he was 75 years of age when his letter to Dr. Case was written. Therefore, information found on Aaron Case in the Case manuscript must be carefully verified.

First, any researcher who has glanced through various census indexes will find a large number of Aaron Cases. Fortunately, direct evidence found in a Tioga County, NY, land record, shows that Aaron Case of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, is identical to Aaron Case, the son named in the will of Philip Case of Candor, NY : "Indenture between Aaron Case of the town of Springfield, County of Bradford, PA of the first part and William Case of Spencer... of the second part... for $140... "Whereas Philip Case of the Town of Candor in the County of Tioga and State of NY deceased did by his last will and testament bearing date the ninth day of July 1811 devise to the said aaron Case son of the said Philip Case deceased the one equal undivided seventh part or thereabouts of all that certain lot of land in the said town of Candor known by Lot # 7 in the 2nd tier of lots. . . 11 acres. . ."10

Contrary to the statement in the Case manuscript, it is not likely that Aaron Case was born in Hebron, NY. His parents were married in 1757 in Sheffield, Hampshire Co. (now Berkshire Co.), Massachusetts. The family is known to have been in the newly created town of Alford, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts in 1775 when Aaron's brother Timothy enlisted in the Continental Line.11 Therefore, Aaron and most of his siblings were probably born in what is now Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, not in Hebron, NY.

Aaron's 1770 birth year found in the Case manuscript is also suspect. Census data shows that Aaron Case was probably born between 1755 and 1765.2,1,3 However, Aaron is the fourth son named in his father's will, so his birth date should follow that of older brother Reuben, supposedly born 26 December 1766.12 Aaron's first child, Moses Case, was born circa 1790, so Aaron was probably born no later than 1768. The say date of 1768 is used here only because it fits the family birth pattern and all census data except that found in the 1810 federal census enumeration.1 Evidence may appear in the future which will push the date back to about 1765. Aaron's older brother Timothy served in Captain William King's Company in the Continental Massachusetts Line from December 1775 through January 1777.11 The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has approved membership through descent from Aaron's father Philip, who served in Captain Sylvanus Wilcox's Company, Colonel John Ashley's Berkshire County Regiment in July 1777.13 Heverly also credits Aaron Case with Revolutionary War service as a private in Capt David Olmstead's company, Colonel Roger A. Enos's regiment, Connecticut State troops from 3 June 1778 to 1 September 1778.8 Given the probable range of birth years for Aaron, this identity is unlikely as he would have probably been no more than fifteen years old at this time and might have been as young as ten. Further research is necessary to verify this statement.14

Aaron Case appears as the head of household in the 1790 U.S. census of Granville, Washington Co., NY.15 His family consists of one male over 16 years of age, presumably Aaron himself, one male under 16 and two females. He is enumerated next to his brother Timothy Case. Although this is Aaron's earliest appearance in Washington Co., NY, records found to date, it is likely that he moved with his father's family from Berkshire Co., Massachusetts, to New York perhaps as early as 1780. An undated tax list for Black Creek District, Charlotte Co., NY, includes Philip, Timothy and Abraham Case.16 As Charlotte County was renamed Washington County in 1784, this list places the family in New York prior to 1784.

The record of Aaron's marriage has not been found yet. The date is approximated from the 1790 birth of the couple's son Moses, apparently their first child. There is no entry in the Washington Co. land records showing the purchase of land by Aaron Case. However, a land survey found among the records of the Washington County historian shows Aaron Case on land in North Hebron bordered on the north by the Granville boundary, on the west by land of Daniel Bulless, on the east by Mt. Tom, on the south by land of Samuel Salsbury, and whose southwest corner is shared by land of Jabez Olmstead. This survey is dated September 1794, P. Bishop, Surveyor. Its provenance is unknown, but the date is supported by a comparison of the landholders with the 1790 census enumerations of the area. Many of the names do not appear on the enumerations of Hebron or Granville. The Olmsteads appear on the 1790 census of Rutland Co., VT, actually taken in 1791. Apparently, this survey was made after 1791.

Shortly before 1800, Aaron Case followed his brother Reuben to northern Pennsylvania, settling his family in what would become Bradford County and erecting a grist-mill on Sugar Creek.8 Aaron is found enumerated next to Reuben Case on the 1800 U.S. census schedule for Wysocks Township, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania. His household includes two males under ten years of age, probably sons Abraham and Philip; two males age 10 to 16, son Moses and an unknown male; Aaron himself, age 26 to 45; three females under ten years of age, probably daughters Miriam, Elizabeth and Lucinda; and one woman age 26 to 45, probably his wife Abigail.2

Aaron's new home was in land claimed by both Connecticut and Pennsylvania. 17 In November 1801 a petition from the "Connecticut claimants" was sent to Congress. The signature of Aaron Case appears on the petition sheet numbered 30 following that of Reuben Case. This petition also contains the names of Aaron's three sons, Moses, Philip and Abraham, and the name of Reuben's second son, Rufus. The signature of Elihu Case, Reuben's oldest son, appears on petition number 31.18

The land claim of Aaron Case was apparently settled by an indenture dated 1 May 1809 in which "Aron Case of Springfield Twp., Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania" purchased 118.8 acres of land in Springfield Twp. from Henry Drinker the Elder of the City of Philadelphia for the sum of five shillings.19 As the geographic boundaries in this area changed, Aaron's land, originally located in Luzerne County, came under the jurisdiction of Lycoming County, then Bradford County, the present jurisdiction. The 1810 U.S. census enumeration of Burlington Twp., Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania, probably gives the most complete picture of the Aaron Case family, catching the family after all children had been born, but before any had married. The family was composed of one male over 45 years of age, probably Aaron himself, and one female over 45, probably his wife Abigail; two males under 10, probably son Aaron and an unknown child, possibly son William; four males aged 16 to 26, sons Moses, Philip and Abraham and an unknown male; two females under 10, daughters Martha and Eunice; and three females aged 10 to 16, daughters Miriam, Elizabeth and Lucinda.1 The much smaller family enumerated on the 1820 U.S. census of Springfield Twp., Bradford Co., Pennsylvania, is composed of one male and one female over 45 years of age, Aaron Case and his wife Abigail, one male age 10 to 16, probably son Aaron, and one male age 26 to 45, son Philip, who never married. Apparently three daughters still reside at home: one age 10 to 16, probably daughter Eunice; one age 16 to 26, probably daughter Martha, and one age 26 to 45, possibly daughter Lucinda, who married in 1821.3 This is the last federal census in which Aaron Case appears. ( Census summary)

Heverly calls Aaron Case "one of the first Baptists on Sugar Creek."8 On Saturday, 31 December 1808, the members of the newly united Baptist Church of Christ at Burlington "proceded to here the Experience of Br. Aaron Case & Wife who were cordial Rcd. unto the Chh."5 From this point on, Aaron appears regularly in the minutes of the church, serving as moderator, on the council and on several committees. The church minutes are filled equally with reports of baptisms and misconducts. Even Aaron Case did not escape censure. The minutes of 23 August 1810 report:
Isaac Wheeler sends a complaint to the Chh in writing against Br. Aaron Case as follows: To the Baptist Chh of Christ in Burlington. . . Beg leave to inform the Chh that Aaron Case a member of sd Chh has by deceit & falshood Injured & cheated the Complaninant out of his Labour to the Value of $1.50 . . . Sd. Aaron did . . . assume upon himself & faithfully promise to pay the Complainant $2.00. . .5

Secondary sources place Aaron's death as circa 1827, probably due to this description of Troy in 1827 taken from Craft: "The only house on the west side of Elmira street, in 1827, was the frame house of Aaron Case's widow, where Mrs. Hull now lives."20 However, a small note written in the margin of the Baptist Church minutes for the year 1821 places his death several years earlier: "Jany 4th Br Aaron Case was killed by being caught in his Mill."5 Supporting this earlier date is the fact that Aaron's name never again appears in the Baptist Church records. Daughter Lucinda (Case) Cowles's 15 February 1894 also supports this date: "Her parents afterward moved to Troy, Pa., where Mr. Case was engaged in the milling business, where in 1820 he was caught in the machinery of the mill and killed."6

Aaron Case's will, dated 15 August 1817, was not probated until 15 September 1835, more than 14 years after his death. The estate file contains nothing more than this will with the probate record written on the back.
Aaron Case of Springfield Twp . . .I give and bequeath to my son Phillip Case thirty acres of land lying on the East side of my farm Beginning at the North East corner at a hemlock tree, thence West forty perches to a post, thence South twenty five degrees East untill it crosses the Creek thence Southardly along the Bank of said Creek untill that course crosses the South Branch of Sugar Creek thence westardly along the Bank of said Creek twenty perches to a post, Thence South to the South line of my farm, thence East thirty three perches to a post and stones it being the south East corner of my farm thence north on the East line of my farm two hundred perches to the place of Beginning containing twenty five acres . . . together with a certain piece of land which I bot of Samuel Conant.

To my Beloved Wife Abigail Case the use of all the Remainder and Remainders of all my Property Real & personal so long as she remains my Widow after Which is to be divided amongth my Children as follows (viz) all my male Children to have Double to my female and in Case any my Boys should die his heirs to share the same as my Daughters.

N.B. in case my Beloved Wife Abigail should marry I do give and Bequeath one third of all my Real and personal Property to her excepting the thirty acres of Phillip. . . .
[No executor was named in the will.]
Wit: Chll Barnes, Sally Barnes
Sig: Aaron Case21

The distribution of Aaron's estate appears to have been accomplished by one deed executed 4 May 1831 and recorded 28 March 183219 and two deeds of release executed 30 October and 24 November 1829, both recorded 7 May 1833.19 Unlike his will, these three deeds name all his heirs: Abraham and Sally Case of Troy, Elon and Lucinda Cowles and James and Miriam Vorhis, all of Spencer, Tioga Co., NY; Simeon F. and Martha Utter, Moses and Rachel Case, Joseph and Abigail Wills, William and Eunice Gifford, Philip Case, and Ansel and Betsey Williams, all of Bradford Co., Pennsylvania. The first deed sold Abraham Case's share in the estate of Aaron Case deceased to James Hickok for eighty dollars. The two deeds of release were made in favor of Aaron Case, probably the youngest son of Aaron and Abigail. It is likely that Heverly took his listing of Aaron's children from these documents and his assumption that the term "heirs" referred to children has led to some confusion. He added a daughter, Abigail, wife of Joseph Wills, to the family group.8 However, the Abigail Wills named in the second deed of release was Aaron's widow, not his daughter.

In March 1809, Aaron Case had been one of a committee appointed to "Serch [sic] for a Proper Place for a Graveyard"5 and it is likely that he was buried in the resulting cemetery, Glenwood. However, no tombstone has been found for him. Three illegible, crumbling stones are found in the lot containing the burial plots of Aaron's daughter Elizabeth and son Philip. One of these probably marks Aaron's place of burial, but direct evidence to support this has not been found.7

Abigail Olmstead was born between 1760 and 1765. She married (2) Joseph Wills between 15 February 1829 and 4 November 1829 in Troy Twp., Bradford Co., PA.19 She died after 19 July 1842 the date on which she was examined in reference to a deed made between her husband and herself and Edward C. Williams in Troy, Bradford Co., PA.22

The identity of the wife of Aaron Case is still in doubt. Her given name was "Abigail" as shown in all land records of Bradford County, Pennsylvania.19 She is called "my Beloved Wife Abigail Case" in Aaron's 1817 will23 and Abigail is the name given for Aaron's wife by her grandson Simeon U. Case in the Case Family manuscripts.24 Abigail Case appears in the Baptist Church records at the same time Aaron Case appears.5 However, none of these sources list a maiden name and no sources predating the 1808 Baptist Church records have been found. An examination of land, probate and court records of Washington County, NY, did not yield evidence as to the maiden name and antecedents of the wife of Aaron Case. Her identity as "Abigail Olmstead" appears to rest on two sources. First, an interesting manuscript written by Adelia (Vorhis) Bidlack, circa 1870, was transcribed by her daughter Blanche (Vorhis) Lawton: "A little sketch of my G. Grandfather Case family as told by my mother Miriam (Case) Vorhis."
Aaron was born about the year 1768 and married in the year 1788 to one Abigail Olmstead of Hebron. They lived about Hebron until 1800 when they moved into Troy Township, Bradford Co., Penn. with (6) six children and left one (1) buried.
They had (5) five more after moving into Penn.25 The second bit of evidence is the death record of daughter Lucinda (Case) Cowles in which her mother's name is entered as "Marion Olmstead."26 Sadly, this entry in the death register shows that Lucinda's parents' names were altered. Unfortunately, death records of all other children are nonexistent or contain no information as to Abigail's identity.

Assuming that the maiden name of Olmstead found on Lucinda's death certificate is correct, Abigail, wife of Aaron Case, has been assigned to the family of Ezekiel Olmstead and Lydia Hoyt of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and her birthdate appears as October 1766.27 Census evidence, however, supports a birth date occurring between 1760 and 1765.2,28,3,29,30 In addition, the Case family does not appear to be closely associated with the Olmstead family of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Evidence ties the family to three groups of Olmsteads. First, a 1761 quit claim deed from Jeremiah Olmsted of a place called the County Land West of Stockbridge to Philip Case of Sheffield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts;31 next, the enlisting of an Aaron Case, possibly Abigail's future husband, in the company of a David Olmstead;8 finally, Aaron Case's presence on land in Washington County, NY, adjoining that of Gideon, Jabez, and Jabez Olmstead, Jr., and near that of Aaron Olmstead.32 If the wife of Aaron Case was Abigail Olmstead, she will probably be found in the records of these families, not the Olmsteads of Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Abigail and Aaron Case were married circa 1788, probably in Washington County, NY. Their first child was born in 1790. The family apparently moved from Washington County to Luzerne County (now Bradford County), Pennsylvania, about 1800, probably soon after the birth of daughter Lucinda. Daughter Miriam's remembrance supports this date, but adds a complicating note to the family structure. Miriam states that the couple moved "with (6) six children and left one (1) buried. They had (5) five more after moving into Penn."25 According to this, Aaron's family consisted of eleven children; only ten have been identified to date. Abigail was admitted to the Baptist Church of Christ at Burlington, 31 December 1808, with her husband5 and, like her husband, she appears regularly in the church minutes as a member in attendance. Only once does she appear in the business minutes. On 14 Feb 1824, the members "voted to drop sister Abigail Case out of the tax book."5 Abigail had been widowed in January 1821 and perhaps was having financial difficulties.

The final appearance of Abigail Case in the Baptist Church records occurred 26 Apr 1828 when she is listed as present.5 Shortly after this date, members in attendance were no longer included in the church minutes. She next appears in a deed of release dated 4 November 1829 as Abigail, wife of Joseph Wills, one of the heirs of Aaron Case, deceased.19 Joseph Wills had been a neighbor of the Aaron Case family and was an elder in the Baptist Church. Joseph's first wife Mary had died 15 February 1829 after a long illness7 and so the marriage of the widow Abigail Case to her neighbor Joseph Wills took place between this date and the 4 November 1829 signing of the release. In fact, it is likely that the widow's remarriage precipitated this release as Aaron Case's 1817 will contained a clause bequeathing Abigail "one third of all my Real and personal Property to her excepting the thirty acres of Phillip" if she should remarry.21

The 1830 and 1840 federal census enumerations of Troy show the Joseph Wills household containing Joseph, born between 1750 and 1760 and a woman, probably Abigail, born between 1760 and 1770.29,30 The 1830 household, enumerated next to that of Simeon F. Utter, Abigail's son-in-law, also contains a young man born between 1800 and 1810, probably Abigail's son Aaron. The 1840 census is one of Abigail's final appearances in Bradford County records. Her name does not appear on the 1841 members list of the Baptist Church of Christ. However, she was living 19 July 1842 when she was examined in reference to a deed made between her husband Joseph Wills and Edward C. Williams.22 She may have died before 5 September 1846 when Joseph Wills executes a deed between himself and Alba Burnham. This deed was executed without the examination of a wife. Although she is probably buried in Glenwood Cemetery, her tombstone could not be found. One of the three illegible, crumbling stones found in the lot containing the burials of her children Elizabeth and Philip probably marks Abigail's grave site.7

Aaron married Abigail Olmstead in 1788 in Washington Co., NY. Abigail was born between 1760 and 1765; died after 19 Jul 1842; was buried in Prob. Glenwood Cemetery, Troy Twp., Bradford Co., PA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Caleb + Abigail. and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]