The Old Hoyle Homestead East Thompson, Ct
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| Hoyle home interior, Ann Hoyle in chair |
Wanting something to be true does not make it so. I would very much like this picture to be of my 4th great- grandmother Anna Tefft. But I remain uncertain even though there are some compelling coincidences.
Anna is the daughter of the Elder Rufus Tefft born in North Providence, RI April 2, 1781. (2) Her mother remains a mystery. (3)
Anna married Artemas Cruff in August of 1800 in Smithfield , Rhode Island. They were married for at least 40 years and had 7 children. Before Artemas died sometime after the 1840 census.
Ten years later I find Anna Cruff in the 1850 census living in Thompson, Connecticut with her daughter Eliza Joslin and her family. Anna's son Sterry Cruff and his family live next door .
Next-door to Sterry Cruff is Richard Hoyle who is living with his daughter Mary A Barrett and her family.
The rest they say is history. The following April Anna Cruff aged 69 married Richard Hoyle aged 75. They only had four years together before Richard died in 1855.
Richard is buried with his first wife in Old East Thompson Cemetery and Anna is buried across the street.
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| Gravestone of Anna Tefft Cruff Hoyle Old East Thompson Cemetery Thompson, Connecticut |
So back to that first photo. Is that a picture of Anna Tefft Cruff who married Richard Hoyle late in life?
It's possible.
The picture is from a book about Thompson Connecticut. (1). The actual photo is on page 145 in the Section titled East Thompson by Barbara Weaver.
This family definitely lived and was buried in East Thompson, Connecticut. All of the families that lived next to each other in the 1850 Census are also living next to each other on this 1856 map of of East Thompson, CT.
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| 1856 Map of East Thompson, Connecticut |
GD Joslin : George Davis Joslin was married to Eliza Cruff and was living with his mother-in-law, Anna Cruff in 1850 Census and is also noted on the 1856 map.
D Barrett : David Barrett married Mary Ann Hoyle and was living with his father-in-law Richard Hoyle in the 1850 census and is also on the 1856 map.
S Cruff : Sterry Cruff- Anna's son is noted in the 1850 Census and also on this 1856 map.
M Hoyle : (not Richard Hoyle) M Hoyle is the only Hoyle on the map. Was this M Hoyle considered the Old Hoyle Homestead identified in the picture?
Next Steps:
I have contacted the editor of the book , Joseph Iamartino. He was unable to provide further information and Barbara Weaver who collated the chapter on East Thompson has passed away.
My next step will be to try to research old land records to figure out if Richard Hoyle ever lived in the old Hoyle Homestead in this photo.
I would also like to consult Maureen Taylor ( The Photo Detective) (5), based here in Rhode Island to see if she can date the photo with Anna to see if it fits with the time period.
I will let you know if ever become CERTAIN about who is in the photo!
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| How are we related to Anna Tefft Cruff Hoyle? |
UPDATE:
6/10/20
I spoke with Maureen Taylor the "Photo Detective". This photo dates from early 1900's and is Victorian in nature. She suggested I search the 1910 census for Anna Hoyle. I found Ann Hoyle in the 1910 census living in Thomson, CT. She is a single white female aged 63. she was born in Connecticut to in 1847 to parents born in CT. So this is not our Anna Hoyle!
(1) Book: "Echoes of Old East Thompson - A Pictorial History of Thompson, Connecticut"
Published 2003 by The Thompson Historical Society, inc, Joseph Iamartino,Editor
Page 145
(2) Anna's marriage record to Artemas Cruff lists her father as Elder Rufus Cruff. Anna's gravestone states her death as April 13, 1858 and that she was 77 years and 11 days old so her birth date would be April 2, 1781. According to the 1850 census Anna's birthplace was North Providence, RI
(3) See Blog Post "Where there is a Will" published April 26, 2020
https://rhodeislandroots.blogspot.com/2020/04/where-theres-will.html
(4) Birth records were not required until 1853 in Rhode Island so it is hard to prove exactly how people were related before this time period.
(5) Maureen Taylor
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