Genealogy of the Olmsted family in America : embracing the ...

276 Olmsted Family Genealogy
I
(4982) SILAS OLMSTED, Jr., Galesburg, 111. b. on Ward's Island, East
River, New York, Aug. 20, 1814; d. at Galesburg, lU., where he lies buried,
Apr. 29, 1884; m. at Geneseo, 111., Sept. 1, 1842, Emily Ward; b. at Stone
Church, Genesee County, N. Y., Nov. 10, 1825; dau. of Abner and Huldah
(Sykes) Ward.
*"
Mr. Olmsted was one of the pioneer settlers of Illinois. He started for
the West from New York City for the first time in August, 1835, and was, at
different times, a Miller and a Merchant. He was extremely fond of music
and, when a young man, belonged to the
New York City. He played both the flute
Handel and Haydn Society, of
and the cello, and for a long time
was first tenor of the choir of the Congregational Church (First Church of
Christ) of Galesburg, of which he was a member. He was a man of a
deeply religious
dark hair.
nature, of medium height, thick set, with hazel eyes and
Mrs. Emily (Ward) Olmsted started from Bergen, N. Y., about the middle
of April, 1837, for Illinois, in company with, and under the guardianship of
Mr. John C. Ward; b. Sept. 6, 1800; d. June 18, 1868, and his wife Mary
(Kellogg) Ward; b. Apr. 17, 1808; d. Jan. 21, 1892; friends, neighbors and
third cousins of her fathers. She was accompanied also by her elder brother,
Henry Joy Ward. The journey was made in a covered wagon, and it was
about the first of June, when they reached their destination, Geneseo, Henry
County, 111. Here it was that she met Silas Olmsted, Jr., whom she married.
They settled near Monmouth, 111., where he had a flour rmll. Here they
lived until after the birth of three daughters, then moved to Galesburg, where
their fourth child, a son, was born. Emily Ward Olmsted was for some
twenty years the leading soprano in the " First Church " choir, to which
church she also belonged. She was somewhat below middle height, with blue
eyes and dark hair.
6375, Ophella +, 6376, Flora Emma; b. at "Olmsted's Mill," near
Monmouth, 111., Apr. 25, 1847; m. Sept. 1, 1866, at Galesburg, 111., John
Thomas Avery; b. Dec. 25, 1841; d. Aug. 11, 1905; son of George and Seraphina
Princess Mary (Phelps) Avery. They have no children of their
own, but on May 7, 1892, they adopted Estelle (Johnson) called "Avery";
b. Aug. 14, 1888. They are members of the Congregational Church.
6377, Ella Adele +. 6378, Everett Ward +.
The Ancestry of Emily Ward
I. Andrew Ward, the pioneer (from Gorlston County, Suffolk, Eng.; came
probably with Winthrop in 1630; will, Fairfield, Conn., June 8, 1659).
He was one of the five judges commissioned to govern the infant
colony of Connecticut. He married Esther (or Hester) Sherman
(d. 1665); dau. of Edmond and Joan Sherman. Of nine children
the fourth was:
11. 4, Andrew Ward, Jr., of Killingworth, Conn. (b. 1647; m. 1668, Trial
or Tryal Meigs [dau. of John Meigs, and granddau. of Vincent Meigs,
who was b. in Devonshire, Eng., about 1583; d. East Guilford, Conn.,
Dec, 1658]. Andrew Ward, Jr. d. about 1691). Of ten children, the
fifth was:
III. 5, Capt. Peter Ward, of Killingworth, Conn. (b. Oct. 14, 1676; m. Mar.
30, 1699, Mary Joy [b. Sept. 17, 1680; dau. of Jacob Isaac Joy and
Elizabeth]; d. Dec. 18, 1763). Of six children, the second was: