Clarissa Patchin

  Noted events in her life were:

• Baptism: Internet posting at NYGENWEB, 19 May 1799, Ballston Spa, Saratoga, New York. Records of Christ Church (Episcopal) at Ballston Spa, New York
Volume One (1793 - 1853)

273 Clarissa Gray born April 7, 1773, and was baptized May 19, 1799.
Spons. David Gray

274 David D. Gray born May 25, 1798, and was baptized May 19, 1799.
Spons David & Clarissa Gray

• Residence: From 1820 Census, 1820, Oswego, New York. Claracy Gray
1 male over 10 and under 16: Harvey
1 male between age 16 and 18: Jesse
3 males over 16 and under 26: David, George, and Jesse
1 female under age 10: Clarissa
1 female over 10 and under 16: Abigail
1 female over age 45: Clarissa

• Land: Oswego Land Record Search web page. Note: There are other entries with Clarissa Gray but they include William H. Gray as a co-grantor, so this is assumed to be a different Clarissa Gray or William H. Gray is actually her son, Harvey Gray.

Year Grantor(s) Grantee(s) Book Page Film Reference
1824  Egbert Benson Clarissa Gray  D  53  FHL US/CAN 1012257 
John Lawrance
1832  Clarissa Gray Joseph Sparks  M  449  FHL US/CAN 1012261 

• Residence: From 1830 Census, 1830, Oswego Town, Oswego, New York. Also lists family with the following ages:

1 male 20 to under 30 years of age (Harvey)
1 male 30 to under 40 years of age

1 female 15 to under 20 years of age (Clarissa)
1 female 50 to under 60 years of age (Clairissa)

• Residence: From 1840 Census, 1840, Oswego Town, Oswego, New York. Age is listed as 60 to under 70.

• Will: SAMPUBCO NY-38-F-43, certified Jan 12, 1854, 13 Mar 1848, Oswego, New York. The Last Will and Testament of Clarissa Gray of the town of Oswego, County Oswego, and state of New York.

I, Clarissa Gray, considering the uncertainty of this mortal life (blessed be almighty God for the same) do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is to say, first I give and devise unto my son Harvey Gray all of the real estate which I now own and possess, being the farm on which I now reside in said town of Oswego expressed to contain sixty-two acres be there more or less.

Secondly, I will and bequeath to my son Jesse Gray two hundred dollars $200.00 the said two hundred dollars to be paid to the said Jesse by Harvey Gray within one year after my decease.

Finally, I will and bequeath to my two daughters, Clarissa now the wife of Edmund Payne and Abigail now the wife of Elisha H. Shepard each one equal half in value all the household furniture and wearing apparel that may belong to me at my decease. (?) which household furniture and wearing apparel to be delivered to them in manner above specified immediately after my decease. And lastly, I do hereby appoint Harvey Gray (?) executor of this my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the thirtieth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty eight.

Clarissa Gray {L. S.}

The above instrument consisting of one sheet ___ now have and subscribed by Clarissa Gray, testatrix in presence of each of us and was at the same time declared by her to be her last will and testament and we at her request sign our names hereto as attesting witnesses.

Moses Whitney, residing in the town of Oswego, Oswego County
Seth Morrisson, residing in the town of Oswego, Oswego County

• Residence: Living with Harley/Harvey Gray, 1850, Oswego, New York.

• Residence: From 1855 New York State Census, Page 135, 26 Jun 1855, Oswego Town, Oswego, New York. She is living with her son, Harvey. Age of 82 makes her birth year about 1773, consistent with Patchin-Patchen Genealogy date. She is listed as a resident for 42 years, making her arrival in Oswego about 1813, which is consistent with Oswego History information of 1812.

Dwelling #212: framed, $200

Harvy Gray, 46, born Onondaga, married, res. 22 yrs., farmer, native, owner
Lucy Gray, 35, wife, born St. Lawrence, married, res. 20 yrs.
Charles Gray, 18, born Oswego (no occup.)
Laura M. Gray, 6, born Oswego
Mary E. Gray, 4, born Oswego
Ida Gray, 1, born Oswego
Clarissa Gray, 82, born Columbia (Co.), widow, res. 42 yrs.
Sylvester Gibbs, 18, nephew, born Oswego, farmer

• Probate: Albany NY Evening Journal - Legal Notice, 1856. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK to George Gray, residing in Sandusky county, state of Ohio; Jesse Gray and William L. Gray residing in the town of Oswego, Oswego county, N.Y.; Orrin P. Gibbs, Elisha H. Sheppard and Abigail his wife, residing in Oswego City, N.Y.; and A. H. Sawyer, residing at Fulton, N.Y. special guardian for Warren S. Gibbs, Isabella M. Manger, Frederick D. Gray, Mary L. Gray, and Nathaniel T. Gray, minors, heirs and next of kin of Clarissa Gray late of the Town of Oswego in the county of Oswego, deceased, send greeting.

Whereas, Harvey Gray, of the town of Oswego, in the county of Oswego has lately made supplemental ___ ___ our surrogate of the county of Oswego, to have a certain instrument in writing, relating to real and personal estate, duly proved as the last will and testament of said Clarissa Gray, deceased; you and each of you are hereby cited and required, personally to be and appear before our said surrogate, at his office in the Town of Fulton, in said county of Oswego on the 12th day of January. 1857 at 1 o'clock in the afternoon of that day. Then and there to attend to the probate of this instrument as the last will and testament of said deceased.

In testimony whereof, we hare caused the seal of our said surrogate court of the county of Oswego, to be hereunto affixed. Witness. Aaron G Hull surrogate of the said county, at the village of Fulton, in said county, the 22nd day of November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty six.
A. G. HULL. Surrogate of Oswego County.

• Death: Patchin Genealogy and web page shows her dying on 28 Jan 1787. Note: This is believed to be incorrect as the 1790 Census records indicate there are four women living with her father, Jesse.

• Cemetery: From Rural Cemetery Records, 24 Oct 1856, Oswego Town, Oswego, New York. Her gravestone gives October 24, 1856 as her date of death. The cemetery records show October 2, 1856. The gravestone date is assumed to be correct.

Age at death listed as 83. Also states she is the wife of David Gray. Given her date of death, her birth year is about 1773 which is consistent with the Patchin genealogy birth year.

• Monument: Side parallel to individual stones. Inscription

David Gray Died June 6, 1813 Age 43 yrs
Clarissa Gray Died Oct 24, 1856 Age 83 His Wife
Jesse Gray Died Dec 27, 1894 Born Jan 3, 1803
Thyrza Beckwith Died Sep 23, 1905 Born Aug 10, 1802

• Parents: Supporting information. William Gray is quoted in the Palladium as saying “My father's mother, Clarissa Patchen, was born in Saratoga county and on being left a widow in the woods of Oswego Town, had need of all the wisdom and executive ability she possessed to provide for the wants of her family. My father had the misfortune of being born with only one (his left) hand. At about the age of two years his brother, George, aged four, accidentally cut the first finger of his left hand off and the middle one so badly that it was always stiff. Being thus handicapped in the race, the, outlook would seem to be a poor one for a boy stumped as he was, and his mother decided to send him to school. She accordingly fitted him out as best she could, and sent him back to Ballston Spa, in 1813, to live with his grandmother and attend school. He did not want to go, but his mother fairly forced him from her, and used to tell years afterward how she cried when he had gone.”

So, we know that Clarissa's parents were from Ballston Spa, Saratoga, New York. The only Patchin/Patchen listed in the in the 1810 Census in the Ballston Spa area is Jesse Patchin in the Town of Milton. Ballston Spa, the county seat of Saratoga county, is the principal village in Milton, though a part of the corporate limits of the village extend into the town of Ballston. The village is located in the extreme southeastern part of the town. The village was incorporated March 21, 1807. Ephraim Patchen is listed in Ballston but he is too young to be Clarissa's father as he was born in 1779 according to the Patchen Genealogy.

The only Clarissa in the Patchin-Patchen Genealogy book is reported to have died in 1787. It is assumed that this is an error and that she married David Gray. The Grays and the Patchins-Patchens knew each other in Connecticut as David's sister Lucy married Clarissa's uncle, William Patchen.

The 1790 Census lists Jesse Pathcin in Ballston Spa, New York. The record lists one (1) male, 16 years or older (Jesse), two (2) males under 16, (Jesse, Jr. and Azor), and four (4) females (Abigail, Clarissa, Sally, and Zerviah). This indicates that Clarissa is still alive in 1790, contradicting the Patchin-en Genealogy listing that she died Jan 28, 1787.

The baptism record for Clarissa and her son, David D. Gray, shows her birth as April 27, 1773 which is identical to the birth date listed in Patchin-en Genealogy for Clarissa, daughter of Jesse and Abigail Patchin.

Clarissa married David Gray, son of Hezekiah Gray Sr. and Abigail Waterbury. (David Gray was born in 1770 in Bedford, WestChester, New York and died on 6 Jun 1813 in Oswego, Oswego, New York.)