Breaking down Amos Mills Caverly’s brickwall.

Preponderance of Evidence Supporting the who Amos’s parents were.

After years of searching it finally looks like I have broken through the brickwall of finding Amos Mills Caverly’s parents. It appears his parents were peter Caverly and Jemima Mills.

I now feel confident enough to include Jemima Mills as a wife pf Peter Caverly. They would be my 4th great grandparents, parents to my Amos Mills Caverly.

POSITIVES

1 quitclaim deed in 1785 Peter Caverly (ship carpenter) and wife Jemima. This refers to a transaction in the Mills family which would indicate Jemima is a Mills. It would also suggest she is the dau. of Amos Mills b. abt 1723.

DNA shared with a Mills descendant suggesting our relations is back 7 generations.

FTM program indicating the DNA Mills match is a 6th cousin 1x removed. Peter Caverly & Jemima Mills are 6 generations back to me.

This explains where the name Amos Mills (Caverly) likely originated. Jemima’s father was named Amos Mills.

Historic naming patterns suggest a 2nd son would be named after the mother’s father.

My earlier yDNA matches to Caverly men who have been researched and found to go back to the Long Island, New York Caverly’s.

Caverly family trees worked on by several genealogists showing the ancestor line for Paul R. Caverly.

The use of the middle name Mills in several generations of the descendants of Amos Mills Caverly. The given name Amos has also been used by descendants and relatives.

DNA match with a descendant from Joseph Peter Caverly’s line (Amos Mills Caverly’s brother) indicating we are 5th to 8th cousins. (I need to try and get more DNA details to see how much DNA I share with this descendant.

Although Peter Caverly does come to Ontario there is no record of a date. The USA census of 1790 & 1800 suggests Peter was still in Ulster County. In the 1800 census it does not appear Peter has a wife (only 1 family member over 25 which is likely Peter). Peter does not show in 1810 census suggesting he had left the area, possibly going to Canada.

Land info indicates Peter Caverly was resident of Thurlow Twp., Hastings County, Ontario, Canada in 1811. This would also prove Peter Caverly left NY State possibly after 1800.

Suggestion the Jemima Mills died young, abt 1795, since census records show no female over 16 living with Peter Caverly in Ulster County, NY. Est. of Jemima’s b as 1755 in NY State. No death or cemetery records show up.

Probate document indicating Elizabeth Nugent (Canniff) was the late widow of Peter Caverly. She renounced the right to administrate the estate and requested John P. Caverly of Sidney Twp. Be the administrator. How does John P. Caverly fit in?

Additional Problems and Issues

No documents for Amos Mills Caverly (1786-1857) were found showing the name of his parents.

Amy Wyatt (Caverly). She married Nathaniel Wyatt abt 1795. In a book written by one of her sons, Rev. Wm Wyatt, is states Amy had brothers Amos, John & Joseph or Peter. Research indicates Amy Caverly was likely the dau. of John Caverly & Mary Mercy Carpenter. Trying to prove how these names fit or if this Amy is a sister to Amos Mills Caverly.

Amy & Nathaniel Wyatt left the New York areas with possibly Amos & John Caverly. They likely came to Canada from 1797 to 1812 where Nathaniel Wyatt was linked to the possibly the Methodist Church.

Amos & his brother appear in Ontario as young teens with no parents.

Research Problems:

-          Lack of documentation. Lack of Canadian census records before 1851.

Research questions:

-          The name John P Caverly and Joseph Peter Caverly are I question. One record in Canada indicates Joseph Peter Caverly changed his identification to Peter Joseph Caverly. Could John P. Caverly and Joseph Peter Caverly have been the same person?

-          No Canada records found where Amos Mills Caverly and Peter Caverly would show a connection. Peter Caverly died 1831 but Elizabeth Nugent (Canniff) widow of Peter Caverly names John P. Caverly as administrator of Peter Caverly’s estate. You would think Amos’s name might be mentioned in the probate but, I have not found the probate record.

-          1800 census for NY Sate Has Peter Caverly in Marlborough, Ulster, New York. Family consists of 4 people: 1 male over 45, 2 males ages 10-15 and 1 female under 10.

Peter born abt. 1763 would be 37.

Amos born abt 1786 would be 14

Joseph Peter born abt 1787 would be 13

Female under 10. Who was she? Can’t be Amy Caverly who married Nathaniel Wyatt because she would be 28 in 1800. So, it has to be someone born between 1790 & 1800.

-          In 1790 census Peter Caverly in Marlborough, Ulster, New York with family of 10.

2 males of 16, one would be Peter himself. Who was the other male?

3 males under 16. Amos would be 14, Joseph Peter would be 13 and another (possibly a John)?

5 females. Jemima and 4 more. One might be an Amy.

-          Naming patterns for children. Suggestions for Peter Caverly & Jemima Mills.

Father’s father – Peter

Mother’s father – Amos

Father – Peter

Father’s oldest brother – John

Mother’s mother - ?

Father’s mother – Ann?

Mother – Jemima

Mother’s oldest sister - ? (suggestions of Abigail & Eitisha (could this be Elisha? This is usually a male name.)

Jemima Mills name has only been found in one record (the quiteclaim deed) and the other names in the deed may be her siblings: Silas, Isaac, Abigail, Elitisha, Amos, Zebadiah.