Confirming
Stephen V. Boyce's New York Family
A reply to an internet
genealogy posting from a family member looking for a Jacob Boice
of Greene County NY., led to the discovery of matching family
photos. . .
On Saturday afternoon, June 2nd, 2001, Michael Boyce received an e-mail with a photo attachment, which confirmed the family of Stephen V. Boyce of Cairo, Greene County, NY. Michael had previously made contact with a John J. Boice of Broad Brook, CT., who was looking for information on his ancestor, Jacob Boice of Cairo, Greene County NY. Michael replied to his message and began to compare notes about their families. John mentioned since 1980, his two sisters began working on the genealogy of their family, and that it was discovered that his ancestor Jacob, had owned a farm in the Round Top/Cairo NY. area. Jacob's family eventually moved to the Chatham , NY., where he raised his family with his wife Eliza Pitcher. John J. Boice is a direct descendant of Jacob William Boice, son of John Boice and Catherine Jacoby.
One of John's sisters had passed away and John vowed to continue her work. John informed Michael that his other sister in California had some old family photo's, but was not completely sure about the identities of the people pictured in the photos. John's sister sent him the photos and in turn, John e-mailed the photo's to Michael.
Michael downloaded the attachment and much to his surprise. . . "When I opened that e-mail , and saw an identical picture of Stephen V. Boyce's brother Jacob, I nearly flipped!" Other than the narrative of Stephen V. Boyce's life story, and the two photos of his siblings from NY., we had no other proof as to who were Stephen V. Boyce's family back in NY. That is now as they say, history!
Below are the two photos for a side-by-side direct comparison.
Pictured at left: The photograph of Stephen V. Boyce's Brother Jacob, of NY., in the possession Katherine Mildred Beryl WADE of Friday Harbor WA.Pictured at right: The photograph of Jacob William Boice of Greene County NY., in the possession of Dorothy Boice-Woosley of California.
The following is the primary source "glue" that ties this all together.
This is exciting news as all of the research up to this point on the Greene County NY. Boice family, was merely speculation and coincidence. "This is no longer a coincidence, and I believe this to be proof positive as to the identity of Stephen V. Boyce's NY family" exclaims Michael Boyce.
Examine the facts:
a.) It was reported in 1894, that Stephen V. Boyce was the son of John and Catherine (Cobie)-Boyce, of Greene County, NY.
b.) It is known that Jacob William Boice was the son of John and Catherine (Jacoby)-Boice, of Greene County NY.,a.) The Boyce family of San Juan Island, WA., has in their possession, a photo of Stephen V. Boyce's brother Jacob of NY.
b.) The Boice family of CT. and CA., has in their possession, an identical photo of their ancestor Jacob W. Boice, of Cairo, Greene County, NY. (See above link to 1981 research record.)a.) Two San Juan County census records of 1860 and 1870, have Stephen V. Boyce listed as being born in 1825.
b.) Jacob W. Boice of Cairo, Greene County, NY., had a younger brother Stephen Boice, born in 1825.a.) It was reported in 1894, that Stephen V. Boyce was one of nine siblings, all but two were living at the time of the report.
b.) It is known that Jacob W. Boice was one of eight "known" siblings, research to date is that all but two were living in 1894.a.) We have two photo's of Stephen V. Boyce's siblings from NY., Jacob, and Elizabeth.
b.) Jacob W. Boice's youngest female sibling was Catherine Elizabeth Boice, who as documented in later years, was known by the name of Elizabeth.a.) It was reported in 1894, that Stephen V. Boyce left NY. at an early age, and eventually made his way out west.
b.) John J. Boice reported that family stories mentioned they had a distant ancestor which left NY., and made his way out west.
