The Point Family
Daniel Point was born around 1780, reportedly in New York. His wife, Esther, was born around 1785, also reportedly in New York. Daniel and Esther were living in Marion Township, Allen County, Ohio in the summer of 1850 near their likely son, William G. Point and his family, the children of John and Rachel (Clawson) Patton, and a number of members of various Clawson families. Esther’s maiden name was Meeker. They were living in Jennings Township, Putnam County, Ohio in 1840, again near members of the Clawson and Patton families.
Daniel and Esther appear to have moved to west central Ohio sometime between their (likely) daughter Eliza’s marriage in Delaware County in 1838 and the marriage of their son, Aaron, in Allen County in 1839. They are listed on the 1830 census of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio, amidst many members of the Place, Culver, and Meeker families, among others. They also appear in Delaware County, in an area listed as Kingston, in 1820, again near members of the Meeker, Culver, and Place families. Quite a number of families from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania appear to have settled in eastern Delaware County, Ohio.
“Daniel Pint” is listed as one of the earliest settlers of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio. Although two mentions of him as an early settler do not list a date, it suggests around 1810 or shortly thereafter. One mention, however, erroneously states that Daniel lived and died in Delaware County.
Daniel and Esther appear to be resident in Peters Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1810. Their neighbor is Jonathan Coleman, who was their neighbor a decade earlier in Luzerne County, eastern Pennsylvania. It is probable that this location near Pittsburgh was a relatively short-term stop for the family before settlement in Ohio.
In 1800, Daniel and Esther appear as a relatively young family with one child on the census of Plymouth Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with neighbors Jonathan Coleman and Richard Closson. Richard Closson would later go on to settle in Delaware County, Ohio. At this point, the Meeker family was resident in Huntington Township of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Census records suggest that Daniel and Esther had one male child born before 1800, 2 sons and 3 daughters born between 1800-1810, 3 more sons and 1 more daughter born between 1810-1820, and possibly 1 more son and 2 more daughters born between 1820-1830. The counts of children are relatively stable across the decades.
The only firmly documented child of Daniel and Esther Meeker Point is
1. Charles (1821-1910), whose parentage is attested by his death certificate.
Family information based in secondary sources
Several unsourced on-line family trees provide a list of children of Daniel and Esther Point. Most trees have significant consistency. They also largely align with census data of known ages of children and other circumstantial evidence.
Supposed Children of Daniel and Esther (Meeker) Point
1. John Point – born about 1798 in Pennsylvania (likely Luzerne County), he married Rachel Bensley, who was born about 22 August 1804 in Pennsylvania, daughter of John Bensley and Mary Wilson. They lived in Porter Township until after 1850, when it appears that John died. Rachel was living with her daughter, Elizabeth Cramer, in 1860 in Marion Township, Allen County, Ohio, near the Patton and Clawson families. Several of their children lived near Spencerville in Allen County, Ohio.
2. Stephen Point – born about 1800. Unsourced family trees suggest he married Katie Meeker, probably a daughter of Timothy Meeker of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio. They may have been resident in Granger Twp, Medina County, Ohio in 1830 near the family of a David Point. Of all of the listed children, there is the least evidence to support Stephen.
3. Jemima Point – born 1 Nov 1802 in Pennsylvania (probably Luzerne County). She married Reuben Place, a son of Peleg Place and Ann Bensley Place of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio on 14 March 1820, probably in Delaware County, Ohio. Jemima died in Boone County, Indiana in 1862. Reuben and Jemima were living near members of the Culver family in Amanda Township, Allen County, Ohio in 1840.
4. Johanna or Joanna Point – born about 1804 in Pennsylvania (probably Luzerne County). She married William Place, probably in Delaware County. They were living in Delaware County near Daniel Point in 1830 and by 1840 had relocated to Daviess County, Missouri. They appear to be one of the earliest of the Delaware County families to settle in Daviess County. They would later be joined by numerous members of the Culver and Place families.
5. Esther Point – born about 1805 in Pennsylvania (probably Luzerne County). She married Orange Culver, son of John and Catharine (Johnson) Culver, probably in Delaware County, Ohio. They were living in Amanda Township, Allen County, Ohio in 1840. It appears that both Orange and Esther died prior to 1850. Their daughter, Priscilla, was living with her grandparents in 1850.
6. Aaron Point – born around 1810 in either Pennsylvania or Delaware County, Ohio. Aaron moved with his parents to Allen County, Ohio prior to his marriage to Mary Clawson, likely daughter of Thomas Clawson and Hannah Rawlings Clawson, on 27 Jun 1839. Aaron was living near his brother, Squire, in 1840 in Blanchard Township, Putnam County, Ohio and in Marion Township, Allen County, Ohio in 1850. Aaron died in a fight in September 1852. His obituary said that he had “been drunk and querulous most of his life.”
7. Squire Point – born around 1811, probably in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Mary Peterson and was living with her family in 1850 in Amanda Township, Allen County, Ohio. He died prior to his wife’s remarriage to Samuel Walker in April 1851. No known children.
8. Eliza Point – born around 1815 in Delaware County, Ohio. She married Andrew Miller on 1 February 1838 in Delaware County, Ohio.
9. William G. Point – Born between 1818 and 1822 in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Anne Patton, daughter of John and Rachel (Clawson) Patton, on 26 Mar 1846 in Putnam County, Ohio. They were living next to Daniel and Esther Point in 1850. Anne died between 1852 and 1858 and William married Eliza (Bryan) Fulk, daughter of David and Nancy (Stevens) Bryan. He died after 1870.
10. Charles Point – Born 8 Nov 1821 in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Euphemia Clawson on 14 Sep 1843 in Putnam County, Ohio. She was probably the daughter of Frederick Clawson and Barbara Smith Clawson. She appears to have died by 1850, as at least Charles’ oldest son, Stephen, was living with his grandparents in 1850. Charles married Hannah Patton Manning, daughter of John and Rachel (Clawson) Patton, on 7 September 1854 in Allen County, Ohio. Hannah died shortly after, apparently without children. Charles married Adeline Drew Wright Clawson, widow of Thomas Clawson (brother of Euphemia, cousin of Hannah) on 13 Sep 1858 in Van Wert County, Ohio. He moved with his family to near Shell Rock, Jackson County, Iowa, after 1870. He died there in 1910.
Some presumptions based on available data
Although no definitive proof of the children of Daniel and Esther (Meeker) Point has been found to date, the above outline appears to hold together based on circumstantial evidence. Some researchers have suggested a son Henry as well.
Esther Meeker Point is probably the daughter of Amos and Johanna (Force) Meeker of New Jersey and later of Huntington Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The 1790 Census of Luzerne County appears to show that the family had at least four daughters. Daniel and Esther’s residence in Luzerne County in 1800 seems to confirm the tie to this area. The repetition of relatively uncommon names in the Meeker and Point families (Aaron, Johanna, Squire) further strengthens the likelihood of relationship. Esther was probably a younger sister of Timothy Meeker, the progenitor of the various Meeker families with whom the Points intermarried in Delaware and Allen Counties, Ohio.
Daniel Point was likely a son of the Mary (?) Point enumerated on the 1790 census of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Daniel Point was likely a brother of Barbara Point who married Jacob Closson of Delaware County, Ohio. Jacob was a son of Richard Closson who was resident near the Points in 1800 in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. There may be a distant link between the Richard Closson family of Delaware County, Ohio and the Clawsons of Allen County, Ohio, into whom the Point family intermarried. Daniel was also likely a brother of Jemima Point, who married James Roberts, son of Hezekiah Roberts, and settled in Delaware County, Ohio at an early date. Daniel is almost certainly related in some way to Jonathan Coleman as well.
I was unable to place footnotes in this blog format. However, I am happy to provide the footnotes upon request.
Daniel Point was born around 1780, reportedly in New York. His wife, Esther, was born around 1785, also reportedly in New York. Daniel and Esther were living in Marion Township, Allen County, Ohio in the summer of 1850 near their likely son, William G. Point and his family, the children of John and Rachel (Clawson) Patton, and a number of members of various Clawson families. Esther’s maiden name was Meeker. They were living in Jennings Township, Putnam County, Ohio in 1840, again near members of the Clawson and Patton families.
Daniel and Esther appear to have moved to west central Ohio sometime between their (likely) daughter Eliza’s marriage in Delaware County in 1838 and the marriage of their son, Aaron, in Allen County in 1839. They are listed on the 1830 census of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio, amidst many members of the Place, Culver, and Meeker families, among others. They also appear in Delaware County, in an area listed as Kingston, in 1820, again near members of the Meeker, Culver, and Place families. Quite a number of families from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania appear to have settled in eastern Delaware County, Ohio.
“Daniel Pint” is listed as one of the earliest settlers of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio. Although two mentions of him as an early settler do not list a date, it suggests around 1810 or shortly thereafter. One mention, however, erroneously states that Daniel lived and died in Delaware County.
Daniel and Esther appear to be resident in Peters Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1810. Their neighbor is Jonathan Coleman, who was their neighbor a decade earlier in Luzerne County, eastern Pennsylvania. It is probable that this location near Pittsburgh was a relatively short-term stop for the family before settlement in Ohio.
In 1800, Daniel and Esther appear as a relatively young family with one child on the census of Plymouth Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with neighbors Jonathan Coleman and Richard Closson. Richard Closson would later go on to settle in Delaware County, Ohio. At this point, the Meeker family was resident in Huntington Township of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
Census records suggest that Daniel and Esther had one male child born before 1800, 2 sons and 3 daughters born between 1800-1810, 3 more sons and 1 more daughter born between 1810-1820, and possibly 1 more son and 2 more daughters born between 1820-1830. The counts of children are relatively stable across the decades.
The only firmly documented child of Daniel and Esther Meeker Point is
1. Charles (1821-1910), whose parentage is attested by his death certificate.
Family information based in secondary sources
Several unsourced on-line family trees provide a list of children of Daniel and Esther Point. Most trees have significant consistency. They also largely align with census data of known ages of children and other circumstantial evidence.
Supposed Children of Daniel and Esther (Meeker) Point
1. John Point – born about 1798 in Pennsylvania (likely Luzerne County), he married Rachel Bensley, who was born about 22 August 1804 in Pennsylvania, daughter of John Bensley and Mary Wilson. They lived in Porter Township until after 1850, when it appears that John died. Rachel was living with her daughter, Elizabeth Cramer, in 1860 in Marion Township, Allen County, Ohio, near the Patton and Clawson families. Several of their children lived near Spencerville in Allen County, Ohio.
2. Stephen Point – born about 1800. Unsourced family trees suggest he married Katie Meeker, probably a daughter of Timothy Meeker of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio. They may have been resident in Granger Twp, Medina County, Ohio in 1830 near the family of a David Point. Of all of the listed children, there is the least evidence to support Stephen.
3. Jemima Point – born 1 Nov 1802 in Pennsylvania (probably Luzerne County). She married Reuben Place, a son of Peleg Place and Ann Bensley Place of Porter Township, Delaware County, Ohio on 14 March 1820, probably in Delaware County, Ohio. Jemima died in Boone County, Indiana in 1862. Reuben and Jemima were living near members of the Culver family in Amanda Township, Allen County, Ohio in 1840.
4. Johanna or Joanna Point – born about 1804 in Pennsylvania (probably Luzerne County). She married William Place, probably in Delaware County. They were living in Delaware County near Daniel Point in 1830 and by 1840 had relocated to Daviess County, Missouri. They appear to be one of the earliest of the Delaware County families to settle in Daviess County. They would later be joined by numerous members of the Culver and Place families.
5. Esther Point – born about 1805 in Pennsylvania (probably Luzerne County). She married Orange Culver, son of John and Catharine (Johnson) Culver, probably in Delaware County, Ohio. They were living in Amanda Township, Allen County, Ohio in 1840. It appears that both Orange and Esther died prior to 1850. Their daughter, Priscilla, was living with her grandparents in 1850.
6. Aaron Point – born around 1810 in either Pennsylvania or Delaware County, Ohio. Aaron moved with his parents to Allen County, Ohio prior to his marriage to Mary Clawson, likely daughter of Thomas Clawson and Hannah Rawlings Clawson, on 27 Jun 1839. Aaron was living near his brother, Squire, in 1840 in Blanchard Township, Putnam County, Ohio and in Marion Township, Allen County, Ohio in 1850. Aaron died in a fight in September 1852. His obituary said that he had “been drunk and querulous most of his life.”
7. Squire Point – born around 1811, probably in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Mary Peterson and was living with her family in 1850 in Amanda Township, Allen County, Ohio. He died prior to his wife’s remarriage to Samuel Walker in April 1851. No known children.
8. Eliza Point – born around 1815 in Delaware County, Ohio. She married Andrew Miller on 1 February 1838 in Delaware County, Ohio.
9. William G. Point – Born between 1818 and 1822 in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Anne Patton, daughter of John and Rachel (Clawson) Patton, on 26 Mar 1846 in Putnam County, Ohio. They were living next to Daniel and Esther Point in 1850. Anne died between 1852 and 1858 and William married Eliza (Bryan) Fulk, daughter of David and Nancy (Stevens) Bryan. He died after 1870.
10. Charles Point – Born 8 Nov 1821 in Delaware County, Ohio. He married Euphemia Clawson on 14 Sep 1843 in Putnam County, Ohio. She was probably the daughter of Frederick Clawson and Barbara Smith Clawson. She appears to have died by 1850, as at least Charles’ oldest son, Stephen, was living with his grandparents in 1850. Charles married Hannah Patton Manning, daughter of John and Rachel (Clawson) Patton, on 7 September 1854 in Allen County, Ohio. Hannah died shortly after, apparently without children. Charles married Adeline Drew Wright Clawson, widow of Thomas Clawson (brother of Euphemia, cousin of Hannah) on 13 Sep 1858 in Van Wert County, Ohio. He moved with his family to near Shell Rock, Jackson County, Iowa, after 1870. He died there in 1910.
Some presumptions based on available data
Although no definitive proof of the children of Daniel and Esther (Meeker) Point has been found to date, the above outline appears to hold together based on circumstantial evidence. Some researchers have suggested a son Henry as well.
Esther Meeker Point is probably the daughter of Amos and Johanna (Force) Meeker of New Jersey and later of Huntington Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The 1790 Census of Luzerne County appears to show that the family had at least four daughters. Daniel and Esther’s residence in Luzerne County in 1800 seems to confirm the tie to this area. The repetition of relatively uncommon names in the Meeker and Point families (Aaron, Johanna, Squire) further strengthens the likelihood of relationship. Esther was probably a younger sister of Timothy Meeker, the progenitor of the various Meeker families with whom the Points intermarried in Delaware and Allen Counties, Ohio.
Daniel Point was likely a son of the Mary (?) Point enumerated on the 1790 census of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Daniel Point was likely a brother of Barbara Point who married Jacob Closson of Delaware County, Ohio. Jacob was a son of Richard Closson who was resident near the Points in 1800 in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. There may be a distant link between the Richard Closson family of Delaware County, Ohio and the Clawsons of Allen County, Ohio, into whom the Point family intermarried. Daniel was also likely a brother of Jemima Point, who married James Roberts, son of Hezekiah Roberts, and settled in Delaware County, Ohio at an early date. Daniel is almost certainly related in some way to Jonathan Coleman as well.
I was unable to place footnotes in this blog format. However, I am happy to provide the footnotes upon request.
We have done Autosomal DNA on the Point Family and they connect to all of Amos Meeker's children this was done through Charles Point's line in Iowa
ReplyDeleteJust seeing this. Good to know!
DeleteA note on Daniel Point and Esther Meeker's birth 1850 says NY but Charles in 1880 Census says New Jersey for both since they lived in Newark Essex County New Jersey I would say the census taker misunderstood Newark for New York.
ReplyDeleteYes, NJ seems more likely.
Delete