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Rathbun Lineage

From Stephentown Genealogy: Roots & More

Written by Tina Ordone

Francis Louisa Rathbun was born on May 16, 1918 in Stephentown, NY; d. March 6, 1998 in Stephentown. She was the daughter of Perry Rathbun and Clovis Carr. (She is pictured in Stephentown Historical Album #2, page 29, holding Francis Louisa) She married #1 Arthur W. Staples. (He appears in Stephentown Historical Album #1 on the last page with a county road crew, including my grandfather, Nelson Sweener). Arthur was born 1912, and d. 1964 in Stephentown.

Notes for Francis Louisa Rathbun:

She was a graduate of Berlin High School. She was employed in the cafeteria of the Stephentown Elementary School, and at the Columbia-Rensselaer Telephone Company, now the Taconic Telephone and the Berkshire Farm for Boys in Canaan where she was the switchboard operator. She retired in 1991. She was the founder of the Stephentown Fire Belles. Burial in Garfield Cemetery, Garfield, NY

Obit: March 8, 1999, Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA.

Notes for Arthur W. Staples:

He is buried in Garfield Cemetery, Stephentown, NY. He was the fire chief in Stephentown. Buried in Garfield Cemetery. Arthur b. January 20, 1912 and d. 1964, was the son of William Otis Staples and Jenny Martin. Jenny, was born on August 4, 1892 and died December 28, 1912 was the daughter of Dewit Martin and AdaBelle Wheeler. AdaBelle later married Wilson Sweener, son of Pascal and Sarah Carr Sweener.

Following Jenny’s death, Will Staples married Anna Mary Sweener (1893-1958), daughter of George Sweener and Mary Hunt. George was the son of Pascal and Sarah Carr Sweener.


Generation 2

Perry Rathbun, b. October 3, 1877 in Hancock, Berkshire, MA; d. March 1966 in Garfield. He was the son of Norman Orlando Rathbun and Diane Wightman. He married Clovis Carr, b. December 12, 1880 in NY; d. 1948. She was the daughter of Melville Carr and Frances Goodrich.

Notes for Perry Rathbun:

Perry owned and operated The Jewel Tea Company in Stephentown Center, NY. Birth Certificate: Mass. Births Book 286 Page 42

Buried in Garfield Cemetery.

Federal Census: 1900 Williamstown, MA

More about Clovis Carr:

Buried in Garfield Cemetery Genealogy: The Carr Book page 442

Children of Perry Rathbun and Clovis Carr:

1. Ashley B. d. bef. August 10, 1988 in Stephentown

2. Harold P. b. August 3, 1902 in Cheshire, MA; d. November 3, 1954; m. Wealthy Southard; b. Stephentown; d. October 9, 1931 in Pittsfield, MA. Both buried Garfield Cemetery.

3. Casper C. b. January 18, 1904 in Hancock, MA; d. May 4, 1970 in Pittsfield; m. Hazel Hassan on June 5, 1922 in Rensselaer County, NY; b. July 14, 1904 in NY; d. May 23, 1976 in New Lebanon, NY (Note: Birth Certificate: Mass. Births Book 542 Page 65) Buried Garfield Cemetery. Picture of Hazel in Vol. 1 Stephentown Historical Society Album. (Note from Tina: my grandmother Florence is in the picture as well with her brother Roy and sister Adelaide)

4. Amos Forrest b. November 17, 1906 in Rens. Cty., NY; d. February 14, 1984 in Northampton, MA. Buried: Garfield Cemetery. Note: He was a retired employee of the NY Depart. Of Transportation at his death. He was an Army veteran of World War I.

5. Hazel D. b. 1910 in Ren. Cty., NY ; married Ralph Barrett March 17, 1932 in Rens. Cty., NY. He was b. September 5, 1909; d. May 1985 in Stephentown.

6. Francis Louisa b. May 16, 1918 in Stephentown; d. March 6, 1998 in Stephentown; m. Arthur W. Staples

7. Wesley L. b. May 29, 1923 in Stephentown; d. December 1987 in Stephentown; m. Bertha Gundrum, in Stephentown. Note: He was a veteran of World War II serving as a marine in the South Pacific. He was part of the first Marine landing party in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the dropping of the atomic bomb. He was a amphibious tank mechanic and later worked from 1948 to 1963 as a independent milk trucker for Sheffield Farms in Chatham, NY. He also worked for the Plumbers and Steam Fitters local in Latham, NY.


Generation 3

Norman Orlando Rathbun b. June 7, 1841 in Stephentown; d. November 12, 1923 in Hancock, Berkshire, MA. He was the son of Norman Rathbun and Emelia D. Babcock. He married Diane Wightman b. December 1846 in Hancock; d. 1923 in Hancock. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Washington Wightman and Hannah F. Perry. Note: Federal Census 1880 Hancock, Berkshire, MA. Diane was living with Perry in 1920.

Federal census 1920 Rensselaer County, NY.

Children of Norman Rathbun and Diane Wightman:

1. Charles Earnest b. March 17, 1868 in Hancock; d. 1945 in Pittsfield; m. Nora M. Thomas about 1892; b. June 1878 in NY; d. 1937 in Pittsfield. Note on Charles: Birth Certificate: Mass. Births Book 205 Page 45. Federal census: 1900 Cheshire, Berkshire, MA.

2. Hannah D. b. October 6, 1871 in Hancock; d. May 7, 1873 I Hancock.

3. Alfred N. b. July 29, 1874 in Stephentown; d. December 30, 1938 in Hancock; m. Blanche May Carr on March 1, 1896 in Stephentown, b. April 18, 1874 in Hancock; d. February 18, 1949 in Hancock. Note: He was a farmer and is buried in Garfield Cemetery. Death Certificate: Mass. Vital Deaths Vol. 43 Page 190. Federal census: 1900 Hancock. MA. Notes for Blanche Carr: Her remains were taken to Stephentown where she was buried at Garfield Cemetery. Death Certificate: Mass. Vital Deaths Vol. 48 Page 447. Genealogy: The Carr Book page 442.

4. Perry b. October 3, 1877 in Hancock; d. March 1966 in Garfield; married Clovis Carr, 1901, daughter of Melville Carr and Frances Goodrich.

Children of Melville Carr and Frances Goodrich:

• Blanche May m. Alfred N. Rathbun

• Clovis m. Perry Rathbun in 1901

Generation 4

Norman Rathbun b. July 12, 1805 in Berlin, NY; d. May 15, 1897 in Berlin, NY. He was the son of John Rathbun and Elizabeth Babcock. He married Emelia D. Babcock about 1829 in Berlin. Emelia was b. September 12, 1911 in Berlin; d. February 13, 1882 in Berlin. Note: Boigraphy: January 1990, The Rathbun-Rathbone-Rathburn Family Historian Vo. 10 Page 14. Burial in Center Berlin Baptist Cemetery, Berlin NY. Federal census: 1850 Stephentown, NY

Children of Norman Rathbun and Emelia D. Babcock: 1. John Thomas b. April 1830 in Stephentown; d. 1914 in Berlin; m. Elizabeth P. Burdick in NY; b. August 1836 in NY; d. 1913 in Berlin. Note: He was listed as a laborer in the 1880 census of Berlin. Buried in Center Berlin Baptist. Census 1880 Berlin page 36 household number 351. Fed. Census 1860, Berlin. Note for Elizabeth: In 1880 her occupation was listed as “works on shirts”. Buried in Center Berlin Baptist.

2. Roger b. July 27, 1833 I Stephentown; d. August 12, 1842 in Stephentown. Buried in Center Berlin Baptist.

3. Orlo Howard b. February 22, 1839 in Stephentown; d. 1897 in Berlin; m. #1 Annie Shaw about 1858; b. December 2 1833 in NY; d. bef. 1873 in Berlin; #2 Ida Jane Ellsworth 1873; b. August 7, 1856 in NY; d. 1905. Note: Orlo was listed as a laborer in 1880 in Berlin. Buried Center Berlin Baptist. Census 1880, Berlin, Page 36, household # 353. Federal census 1880, Berlin. Note for Annie Shaw: In 1880 her occupation was listed as “works on shirts”.

4. Norman Orlando b. June 7, 1841 in Stephentown; d. November 12, 1923 in Hancock; m. Diane Wightman.

5. Phebe Sophronia b. April 16, 1843 in Stephentown; d. September 20, 1926 in Berlin; m. Charles Murray Saunders after 1860 in Berlin; b. June 25, 1840 in NY; d. December 24, 1918 in Berlin. Note: She was a home servant in 1860. Buried in Center Berlin Baptist. Federal census: 1860 Stephentown. Note for Charles: They lived in Berlin, NY in 1880. He was a cheese box maker. He served in Company 16th Regiment Mass. Volunteers. Buried Center Berlin Baptist. Federal Census: 1880 Berlin.

6. Henry Barber b. September 1845 in Stephentown; d. March 1, 1892 in Columbia County, NY age 46y6m6d; m. Clarissa M. Dymond about 1865; b. November 1848 in NY; d. July 12, 1917 in Rens. Cty. Note: Biography: July 1991, The Rathbun-Rathbone-Rathburn Family Historian Vol. 11 # 3 Page 40. (Hence referred to as TRRRFH) Buried Hillside Cem. Stephentown. Fed. Cen. 1880 Stephentown.

7. George R. b. August 30, 1847 in Stephentown; d. August 31, 1847 in Stephentown

8. George R. b. March 15, 1849 in Stephentown; d. August 31, 1849 in Stephentown. Buried in Center Berlin Baptist.