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Hello.
I have a new interest in learning about the DYER families which lived in Westport, MA, for all of the 1800's. The 1820 census has 7 DYER families living there.
In particular, I am interested in a Mrs. Elizabeth (MANCHESTER) DYER, born in Westport ~1803. I'm told she had a first husband, Charles DYER, who died young ~1830. She then married Warren DYER in 1830's. I don't know if Charles and Warren were brothers or cousins. The 1860 census has Warren and Elizabeth DYER living in Westport, and they have 5 children living with them, Julia, Edna, Benjamin, Gideon or Mason, and James, born during 1840's and 1850's. They might have had children born there in the 1830's, as I think I saw Elizabeth having up to 10 children.
Elizabeth had a sister, Rhoda, b1800 in Westport, and they were the youngest of several children born to Gilbert MANCHESTER and Mary TOMPKINS. I have been researching Rhoda for at least 6 years. My "educated guess" is that I am descended from her. And, from newly received "old family photos" I am more convinced.
My grandmother's childhood is a long, complicated story. In 1892, as a young child, she was adopted by an older couple then living in Melrose, MA. They were John and Mary DEXTER who had come up from Killingly, CT. Mary was born in Westport, MA, in 1836 as Mary Anna CLARK, and she was the 4th child of Rhoda. Rhoda's full name was Mrs. Rhoda (MANCHESTER) (LAVARE) CLARK (aka Mrs. LAVARE). She had had 3 children from her first marriage, including 2 LAVARE sons.
When John and Mary adopted my grandmother in 1892, they renamed her to Mary Anna Clark DEXTER. My "educated guess" is that the little girl was her granddaughter. They had a married daughter back in Killingly, CT, named Mrs. Clara YOUNG. I believe that Clara had a pregnancy outside of her marriage in the summer of 1888. And I believe her parents moved to Melrose, MA, and took the baby girl with them.
~5 years ago I found a lady in CT who is descended from Rhoda, but she is descended from one of the LAVARE sons. So, we cannot participate in a "DNA test." But, I was reminded last week, that, IF I could find a living, female descendant of Rhoda's sister, Mrs. Elizabeth DYER, I could try to participate in a "DNA test" with her.
Thank you for your time.
Betty (near Lowell, MA)
(I've been researching on-line for 8 years, and mostly participate at www.rootsweb.com )
FYI: My grandmother seems to have lived with the DEXTER couple from her infancy until she was 10. In the spring of 1899, Mrs. DEXTER died, and the little girl was taken to an orphanage in Boston. Around Age 13, my grandmother went to live in "The Temporary Home" also in Downtown Boston. She remained there until she was 19 or 20.
While my grandmother lived with the DEXTER couple, they told her many "family stories." It turned out most of them were "lies." She overheard things which led her to believe that the DEXTER's "KNEW" who her real parents were. And, so did other people. But, they never told her who they were.
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