Beman Dewitt Bailey 
1856-1931

Beman Dewitt Bailey  was born 29 Nov 1856 in Springwater, Livingston Co., NY.  He moved to Michigan when he was about 20 years old and farmed in the Alma, Perrinton, and Maple Rapids areas of Gratiot Co, MI.  He married Emma Berlin 22 Nov 1882 and they had 3 children, 2 daughters and a son who died in infancy.  He died in 1931 from an unhealed broken leg.  

Ina, Beman, Emma and Blanch (seated
Photo of deceased Leon Bailey

Beman was a talented carpenter and loved to work with horses.  He's pictured above with a pair of Percherons that he used on his farm.  The Baileys were known for their optimistic personalities and Beman for his wonderful sense of humor.

His parents were Job and Mary Amanda (Deniston) Bailey.  Amanda's parents were David P Deniston (1772-14 May 1854) and Olive Chilson (b 1784, Saratoga, NY - d after 1875, Conesus, Livingston, NY).  Amanda Deniston was born 24 April 1824 in Conesus and died 4 Aug 1893, Gratiot Co, MI.  The David P Deniston family is listed in the 1820 census for Dryden, Tompkins Co., NY and the 1810 census for Kortright, Delaware, NY.   David is buried in the McMillan Cemetery, center of town, Conesus, Livingston, NY  Age 82 on the stone.

Children of David P Deniston and Olive Chilson:

• James (abt 1805 NY - 25 Mar 1880 Conesus) married Jane McNinch (abt 1805 NY - 5 Mary 1872 Conesus) and had 2 children: Lenard 1835 and Rosanna 1839.

• Jane (Sept 1808 NY - after 1900 Newburg, Cass, MI) married Darius Fosdick (1820 NY - Before 1900, Newburg, MI) they had 3 children: Theodore 1847, George 1848, Chancey 1851).

• Daniel (Apr 1812 NY - 8 Nov 1883 Groveland, Livingston, NY) married Martha (Patty) McNinch (1809 NY - 3 Sept 1863 Groveland, NY) They had 3 children: Nancy 1837, Irus 1840, Rachel 1846.

• John Nathaniel (4 June 1819 Dryden, Tompkins, NY - ?) married Welthy Fosdic (abt 1826 - 1852 Conesus) and had 2 children: Philip 1846 and John Nathaniel 1850.  Married 2nd Nancy J. Dickerson  (1836 - 1868/70 Conesus) They had 7 children: Amy Ann 1855, David T. 1857, Thomas H 1858, Laura Ann 1859, Frank 1862, Homer 1868, George 1873

• Polly married Hesther Allen

• Hannah (abt 1823 NY - ) married Luke Davis (abt 1804 VT?)  illegible census of 1850 lists 3 children, Nelson 1834 PA, Layfette 1845 NY and Jeremiah 1849 NY)

• Amanda married Job Bailey

• David

• Rhoda (abt 1829, died young)  Tombstone next to her father's in the McMillan Cemetery, Conesus, NY

Job Bailey is the son of James Longshire Bailey (31 May 1800, Ontario, NY - 1 Mar 1873, Springwater, Livingston, NY) and Jerusha Cooley (9 July 1799, PA - 23 Dec 1869, Springwater, Livingston, NY)

Job and Amanda (Deniston) Bailey

Children of Job and Amanda Bailey:

• Mary M (1847, Conesus, NY - 1916 Detroit, MI) married Lester Jackman and had one child, Elmer H (1879)

• Byron (1848-1930) married Minerva Sanborn
  Children: Estelle May (1870) Emma Blanche (1873) 

• James G (1850 - 1910) married Etta Swift 
  Children: Nellie (1876)

• Gusham H (1852-1863)

• Ira Martin (1854-1863)

• Beman Dewitt (1856-1931) married Emma Berlin
  Children: Ina Leona (1887) Leon J (1891) Blanche (1894)

• Harvey Ford (1858-1863)

• Charley Belmont (1860)

• George Durwood (1862-1863)

• Edward Eugene (1864-1932)

• Bert Job (1866-1926) married Hannah Brown
  Children: Maud (1892) married 1. George Tedham and had 4 children, Glen 1911, Maud 1917, Lucy 1922, and Milton 1929 and 2. Wood.

• Grace Agatha (1870-1952) married Harry Stouse, children: Grace 1895 and Vance 1896

• Lydia Mabel (1873-1950) married William Steward
  Children: Mary 1907 Willa 1912

James Bailey's parents were Jonathan BALEY (Oct 1774 prob. NJ - 25 May 1846, Milo, Yates Co, NY) and Pamilia (1767, PA - 5 Sept 1850, Milo, Yates, NY).  Jonathan BALEY settled in the Milo area of Yates County, NY in 1812.  His house still stands and is on the National Register of Historic Places.  They are buried in the 2nd Milo Cemetery, about a mile from their farm and just outside of Penn Yan, Yates County.

Children of Jonathan and Pamilia BALEY:

• Sarah (Aug 1798 NY - 20 Oct 1875, Sparta, Livingston, NY) married George Wilhelm (2 Sept 1791 NJ - 7 Mar 1855 Conesus, NY)  Children: Ursula (1815), John (1818-1906), Jonathan (1821-), Benjamin (1823-1869), William (1825-1904), George R(?), Elsie Ann (1831-), James G (?), Rhoda (?), Philip C. (May 1839 - Apr 30, 1859 age 19yr 11 m.)  Most of the Wilhelm family is buried in the Clark Cemetery, Sparta, Livingston, NY

• James Longshire (1800-1873) married Jerusha Cooley (1799 PA - 1869 Springwater, Livingston, NY)
  Children: Amos (1819) Job (1821) Abner (1823) David (1827) Truman (1829) Amanda Pike (1839) adopted.

• Jonathan (1805-1875) married Ann R.
  Children: Eleanor B (1832) George W (1834) John W (1836) Martha A (1839) Daniel (1842) Joseph (1845) Mary E (1850) Sarah ()

• Samuel (after 1801 - after 1860) married Melissa Runyan.  Children: Hannah (1828) married Hiram Spencer.
  

Jonathan Bailey's parents were James Baley (3 may 1752 Elizabethtown, Essex, NJ  - 12 March 1826, Romulus, Seneca, NY) and Rhoda Connor (abt 1753 - 20 August 1819, Romulus, Seneca, NY).  James settled in the Romulus area of Seneca County, NY by 1800.  James and Rhoda are buried in the Old Lancaster Cemetery at the edge of Willard in Romulus township, near Ovid.  The cemetery has been abandoned by the town of Willard and barely exists. The 1800 census lists James as head of household, along with his sons, Abner, Jonathan and Samuel.  His will lists these nine children.  

Jonathan (Oct 1774 - 1846) see above
Abner (1778-1856) married Sally and had 11 children.
Samuel (1780-1851) married Mary Wilson and had 4 children
James (1787 - 1861) married Sally Wilson and had 10 children
Joseph (1787 - 1849) married Deziar Wright
Rhoda () married Herman Bostwick
William (1791 - 1863 married Amy Jones and had 3 children
Eleanor (1797 - ) married Daniel Wilson and had 4 children

James Baley's parents were William and Ann Baley who lived in Elizabethtown, Essex, NJ before and during the war of 1776.  Their children were: Hannah (1746), Sarah (1749), James (1752 - 1826) and William (1754 - 1838 NYC).  William served in the war and his pension application is on file.  His family bible is cited as evidence and lists family names and dates.  William married Elizabeth Saxon.  Children: Thomas (1789), Hannah (1792), Abbey (1794), Susan (1796), William (1799), James D. (1802)

Please email me if you have any additional information on the Bailey family.  

Joyce Phillips
Madison, WI

Last Updated: December 2007