David Eugene Cross was born in North Bloomfield, Ohio in 1849. His parents were Abisha Cross Jr. and Mary Howe Penniman. Granddad already has a great synopsis of David's life but little is known about beyond that.
Abisha Sr. (also Abysha or Abishai) was born about 1776 in Poultney, Rutland county, Vermont. At some point he married Susan Grant who was born in 1777, in New York, New York. The earliest census to pick them up is the 1800 census where they are located in Poultney, VT. In 1800, Abisha's family consisted of just him, his wife, a daughter (under age 10) and an unnamed female between the ages of 25-45. We don't know who the other woman was although it was probably either Abisha's mother or, even more likely, Susan's mother.
It was here in Poultney that Abisha jr. was born on November 13, 1807. But they did not stay in Poultney long. The 1810 census places the family in Rutland, New York. By this time there were 3 sons under age 10, one daughter under the age of 10, plus Abisha and Susan. The family was still in Rutland in 1820 where by that time there was Abisha (now over the age of 45), Susan (still under the age of 45), 3 boys under the age of 10, 4 boys aged 10-16, 2 girls under the age of 10, 1 girl aged 16-26, and 5 people in the household engaged in the trade of agriculture.
From here the journey of the family is unclear. I haven't been able to search the U.S. censuses from 1820-1860.
In 1860, Abisha Jr.'s family is located in Bloomfield, Trumbull county, Ohio. Abisha Jr. married Mary Howe Penniman in 1835. By 1860 Abisha has only two children left at home: Mary and David ages 15 & 11 respectively. He is listed as a cooper (barrel maker) with 700$ of real estate value. Also living with the family is a Mary Penniman, age 72 (born in New Hampshire as was her husband). But living in the same town with a different family is Mary Cross, age 16, born in Ohio.
In 1870, only Abisha and Mary were left at home, although Lydia (age 23) was in Warren (a nearby town) going to nurse's school.
In 1880 Abisha and Mary lived with their daughter, Gertrude Cross Pond and her family. Abisha died on May 26, 1896 in Warren, OH. He was buried in North Bloomfield. Mary Howe Penniman Cross died on June 18, 1913 in Marion, Iowa.
But his tombstone is not on any of the records in North Bloomfield. It could be that his marker has just deteriorated or that he was buried some other place. Ahhh, the mysteries...Kinda gets you excited to figure it all out!
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