Re: Esther Staats+John Callahan c.1784
-
In reply to:
Esther Staats+John Callahan c.1784
ken wardell 1/03/05
Ken,
I have taken a couple of notes from the Delaware records that seem respond to some of your questions (thanks, by the way, for the leads about Elijah and the Fayette Co. PA connection). As shown in these records, Esther (I don't know her maiden name) was the wife of John Staats. But who was he? According to me rough reconstruction (which, mind you, includes some speculations and best guesses), I figured he was probably the son of Jacob Staats Sr. (and your deed seems to confirm that!), who was one of the sons of the original Staats couple that settled in New Castle Co. Delaware, namely Abraham and Rachel (Taylor) Staats, originally from Staten Island. According to my reconstruction (and I haven't rechecked this scenario, it may involve some speculation), Jacob Staats Sr. had at least two sons, viz. Jacob (m. Sarah --- or Rachel ---) and John (m. Esther ---, the one you're asking about). Your deed indicates that Elijah was another son of Jacob, and evidently there was at least one daughter who married --- Irons.
Copied below are the Delaware records taken from the Will Books and Orphans Court Books:
John Staats, Adm. dat. 15 July 1782, Will Book L:290
Adm. widow Esther
Orphans Court Book F:305, dat. 6-7 April 1784
John Calahan and Esther his wife, late Esther Staats, Admin. of John Staats late of this county yeoman, decd. — Account £138.15s.
I'm convinced that it is this New Castle County Staats family that was responsible for a good number of the Staats who moved westward in the late 1700's and early 1800's, specifically to areas of West Virginia and Ohio and ...? But the paucity of good records in Delaware has hampered me from reconstructing the early generations with confidence. I'm curious -- I suppose the deed you refer to was found in the New Castle Co. records too, correct? (since it has to do with land undoubtedly located in New Castle County). Does anyone else have more light to shed on any of these families?