Charles Dugar's Wives

From three census records and the information from headstones in the Lynhaven Cemetery, it’s possible to follow the marriages of Charles Dugar. Charles is of interest for the reason that his line leads eventually to Edith Clairbel Kenyon, her children, and their children, who are the subject of this research. Beginning from living memory…

From family background it is known that Edith Clairbel Kenyon married Roy Hiram Tripp. Edith’s obituary confirms this information and provides a marriage date, Dec. 12, 1906.

The couple and their children are found in the Carlton, Orleans, NY census record of 1910.
Roy H. Tripp 24
Edith C. Tripp 24
Hildreth A. Tripp 2
Clifford G. Tripp 1y 4m
Harriet A. Tripp 1m

Their daughter, Helena T., was born in 1913. Edith died early at age 29 on Apr 14, 1915. After her death, Roy remarried to Grayce (maiden name unknown). Three years after her mother’s death, Hildreth passed away in 1918. Roy’s daughter Helena went to live with her maternal grandparents, Charles and Jessie Kenyon.

She appears with them on the 1920, Newfane, Niagara, NY census record.
Charles Kenyon 60
Jessie Kenyon 57
*Helen Tripp 6

Clifford lived with an aunt and uncle, the Snowdons, where he can be found on the 1920 census for Yates, Orleans, NY.
John E. Snowden 34
Harriet Snowden 32
Robert Snowden 2y 5m
*Clifford Tripp 11

He remains with the Snowdons in 1930, still in Yates.
Edward J. Snowdon 44
Hattie E. Snowdon 42
Robert T. Snowdon 12
Van E. Snowdon 9
*Clifford G. Tripp 20

Only Harriet remained in the Tripp household, relocated to Pennsylvania, until her marriage to Estal E. Sparlin in 1929.

Along with her father and stepmother, she appears on the Meadville Ward 1, Crawford, PA census record of 1920.
Roy H. Tripp 36
Grayce Tripp 37
*Harriet Tripp 9

Edith C. Kenyon’s obituary revealed the names of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kenyon, as well as those of her siblings, Henry, Ruth and Nettie. In fact, before her marriage to Roy Tripp, she appears on the 1900 census in her father’s household.

1900 Yates, Orleans, New York Census:
Charles Kenyon 40
Jessie Kenyon 38
Henry Kenyon 19
*Edith Kenyon 14
Nettie Kenyon 11
Ruth Kenyon 1

At the beginning of Charles and Jessie’s married life, they reside with Jessie’s parents, Abner and Amanda Slade, and two of Jessie’s sisters with children.

On the 1880 census record for Somerset, Niagara, NY, the household appears as follows:
Abner Slade 67
Amanda Slade 57
Hattie Petric 32
Mary Petric 4
Emma Mason 30
Clara Mason 6
*Charles Kinyon 20
*Jessie Kinyon 18

Charles Kenyon’s father, Daniel Chaffee Kenyon, is revealed in the elder Kenyon’s obituary. Charles’ mother, too, Mary L. [Louisa] Dugar is named, as well as three siblings, Clay, Ward and Ella. Two census records confirm the content of this household.

1860 census for Yates, Orleans, NY:
Daniel Kinnion 30
Mary L. Kinnion 22
Lucy E. Kinnion 2
Charles B. Kinnion 11m

1870 census for Yates, Orleans, NY:
Daniel C. Kenyon 40
Mary L. Kenyon 31
Laney Ella Kenyon 12
Charles B. Kenyon 10
Clay C. Kenyon 8
Ward Kenyon 3

The source “The Chaffee Genealogy: Embracing the Chafe, Chafy…” by William Henry Chaffee, 1909, indicates the father of Mary Louisa Dugar who married Daniel Chaffee Kenyon, that is, Charles Dugar. 1850 census for Yates, Orleans, NY supports this relationship.

Charles Dugar 40
Mary [Mercy?] Dugar 40
Sophia Dugar 16
Sarah Ann Dugar 16
Mary [Mercy?] J. Dugar 15
Sarah Dugar 13
*Mary Dugar 11
Erasta Dugar 10
Charles Dugar 8
Emma Dugar 6
Lucy Dugar 2

The above record provides the name of Charles Dugar’s first wife, Mary or, as it is known from elsewhere, Mercy. This record indicates that Mercy is the mother of the nine children who appear in 1850. The Lynhaven Cemetery provides more information concerning this wife, b. Jul 6, 1809, d. Dec 21, 1852. Therefore, she died two years after her name appears on the 1850 census.

The 1860 census for Yates, Orleans, NY provides the name of Charles Dugar’s second wife, Bethiah (maiden name unknown).
Charles Dugar 50
*Bethiah Dugar 45
Jane Dugar 25
Sophia Dugar 23
Wesley Dugar 18
Emma Dugar 16
Lucy Dugar 11

Although no other record (currently in possession) provides Bethiah’s maiden name, date of birth or death, it is possible to determine the name of a third wife for Charles Dugar. Presumably, Bethiah died in the interval between 1860 and 1870, because this third wife, Lydia, is named on the 1870 census for Yates, Orleans, NY.

Charles Dugar 60
*Lydia Dugar 39
May W. Barman 11

The source “Landmarks of Orleans Co., NY,” p19 (excerpt below) provides Lydia’s maiden name, Gaskill, and also the information to identify May W. Barman [Barnum] as Lydia’s daughter from a previous marriage.

“Lydia Ann Gaskill was thrice married, first to Clifton Barnum, who died April 18, 1863, in the hospital at Fairfax, VA, and was a member of the 6th Regiment Michigan Cavalry. Her second husband was Charles Dugar of Yates, who died in 1880, and the third was Dewitt Kenyon, whose parents built the Kenyonville mills.”

Implications:
Some family trees build a relationship between one of the Dugar children and the large Gaskill (Gascoigne) family based on this third marriage of Charles Dugar. These must be in error for clearly Mercy, Charles’ first wife, is the mother of his first nine children. If other children were born, either to Bethiah or Lydia, I haven’t personally discovered the record. At least one family tree I’ve seen publicly claims a wife, Bethiah Mercy Babcock, especially as the mother of Mary Louisa Dugar. Perhaps an amalgam of names based on a misunderstanding of the census records or simply coincidence? Mercy, however, died in 1852, so the 2nd wife, Bethiah, is definitely a unique individual and, also, not the mother of Mary Louisa.


In the interest of organization, much available data was omitted from the above summary, especially concerning family branches not in direct line between Edith C. Kenyon and Charles Dugar. I’m happy to provide any other information concerning dates, places or records upon request. Also, if you have information to share with me, please do!