Cousin Gail Myers has sent me another hugely important source on fourth great-grandma Martha Bennet Myers and her father, Thomas.
Charles Myers, a retired physician and distant cousin, published this book in 1993. Charles is a descendant of Philip Myers’ daughter Harriet, who married her cousin Madison Myers – son of Philip’s brother Michael – thus perpetuating the Myers surname in this maternal line. That makes Charles my fifth and sixth cousin. I am only a third of the way through the book, and am most impressed. It is very thoroughly researched, citing dozens of sources, carefully placing Bennet’s life and the history of the Wyoming settlement into a broader historical context.
Note that in this piece, Thomas’ surname is spelled with one “t.” Apparently, Thomas himself changed the spelling. However, in keeping with common 19th-century practice, the earlier sources I have been quoting paid no attention to that detail.
The work puts a great deal of flesh on the bones of the more genealogically oriented “Families of the Wyoming Valley …” which was my most extensive resource up until now. If you were fascinated by the quotes I posted in the series on Philip Myers, and on Thomas and Martha Bennett, I highly recommend this volume. It must be out of print, as copies (mainly used) are widely available but rather expensive online. However, it should be available at your local library, either in their own collection or by inter-library loan. Look for some brief quotes here in the near future.
I am the son(eldest) of Gail E. Myers. I would like to know if there is a cross reference to the Myers clan(s) with the family of Stephen Crane, the author?
Is there a correlation with the Cranes?
I read on some website that Crane is related to either the Myers’ or the Colby’s. It isn’t on my site and I can’t find it offhand. I’m afraid I am a bit lazy about documenting other than direct ancestors. Please let us know if you find it.
Well, I found on GenCircles.com that Stephen Cranes mother, Mary Helen Peck, was born 10 Apr. 1827, in Wilkes-Barre, PA, so we are getting warm. No parents for Mary Helen yet, though. Pretty hardy woman – gave birth to her 14th child (Stephen) at age 44.
Aha, on another GenCircles page, I found that Philip and Martha Myers’ daughter Mary married a George Peck, Sr. ( a well-known preacher), on 10 June 1819. Although this tree does not say so, they must have been the parents of Mary Helen Peck, mother of Stephen Crane.
That information makes a lot of sense, seeing that Philip was in the Revolutionary War and did have a daughter named Mary Helen!! Also, my aunt (Gail’s sister) was named Mary Helen!!
Oh, yeah … Mary Helen! I forgot about your aunt with that name. George Peck also wrote an early book on the Wyoming valley, which was one of Charles Myers’ sources for the Thomas Bennet book. I will be seeking out that source, along with some of Myers’ other sources, in my quest for Philip’s parents.
In regards to Stephen Crane, what sort of cousin might he be to me(i.e.3rd, 5th, etc.)?
Stephen Crane’s grandmother, Mary Myers, was a sister of your (and my) 3rd great-grandfather Lawrence Myers (son of Philip). I *think* that makes him our second cousin, 3 times removed.
BTW (I hope I have this right), you and I are second cousins (not removed), because our grandfathers, Dan and Lawrence Myers, were brothers.