| Notes |
- The story of Maria Elizabeth House is told many ways and with many different details. This story of her being captured by Indians and taken to Canada. Some sources say she was four years old to as much as eighteen and the places where it happened are either the Palatine Village 1757, Cherry Valley 1779, Geisenberg Raid 1780, and no place at all just 'early in the Revolutionary War." Leaving out the details, it is quite clear that Mary was indeed taken captive to Canada and she somehow returned to the Mohawk Valley and married John Staley. From the records and sources I currently have I can make some my own theory of this story, which I would imagine all the different stories do have some truths, which I will try to bring to light.
- To start with, I will use the late U.S. Senator Isaac P. Christiancy article of 1898 "Early History of Fulton County" as a bases to begin as he personally knew the family, but at a young age and may have gotten some details mixed up over the years. However, he states that he was born in 1812 and taught one term of school at the McDougal school house and left Fulton County in 1833. He states, "On the road running east from the McDougal school house, the first house east and some distance north of this road was that of Henry Staley, but soon after moved further south, just north of the road leading east from the McDougall school house. Some of his children, then very young attended my school, but the mother of Henry Staley ought to be mentioned. She was an old lady and a widow at my first recollection when I could not have been over six years of age. I remember before I was ten years of age when she was at my father's home hearing her give the history of her life. She was of German descent and was born in the Mohawk Valley. She told how during the early part of the Revolutionary War, the Indians came down upon the settlement where she lived and...." It gets a little graphic here as he relates the story of what the Indians did and such, but she was forced to march to Canada and he says she was about 13 years old, (which I would question, more like 23, could be a typo). However, he goes on to state that she says she got through to Canada unharmed and the English people there were kind to her and rescued her from the Indians. He states that she married when she was 17 or 18 to young man named Staley (again, more like 27 or 28,,,conficting records). He continues, "I never knew her husband and I am not certain that he came to New York from Canada or died in Canada, although my impression is that he did come to New York and died there. She had a large family of children. I did not know them all but besides Henry, I knew her youngest sons Conrad and Philip and her daughters the wife of John Gage and a young lady named Catherine whose history I have forgotten." (Catherine was the wife of John Gage, not sure who else he may be thinking of.) He continues, "Some of the children I think remained in Canada and one especially by name of Peter must have remained there, because I well remember that she spent an afternoon at our house with my mother and some neighboring women just after she had returned from a visit to Canada. She said as she spoke rather broken English, that she had inquired for her son Peter whom she had not seen since he was a boy and that the gentlemen of whom she inquired went with her to introduce her to her son Peter. She said he was a very handsome man and she could not believe he was her son and she asked me if he was truly her son Peter and he said he was. She said that is impossible, you are too handsome. The poor old lady, when I left the country must have been verging on seventy years of age but she still kept up the habit of frequent walking from the home of her son Henry to that of her daughter, Mrs. John Gage, a distance of some four miles. She was still living when I left the country in 1833 and as I was informed lived some years after and must have been 80 years of age when she died." So said U.S. Senator Christiancy of Michigan.
- Using the above article as a bases we can expand on it with the baptismal record of Mary's son Phlilp Staley and Gerty Staley(twins), which took place at the Caughnawage Reformed Church in 1806 stating parents: John Staly and Maria Elizabeth House, birth dates of children 12Jan1806. Caughnawage is now the current village of Fonda, Montgomery Co., NY. just south of Johnstown. The 1810 census the family living in the town of Johnstown, Montgomery Co., NY near the Cole, McDougal, Dye, and Elkenberk familes: John Stailee: 33301-12010 or 3 males(<10: poss. sons Peter, Conrad, Philip), 3 males(<16: poss. sons Henry, Aaron, Baltus), 3 males(<26 poss. sons Jacob, John, Joseph), 1 male(45+, John himself), and 1 female(<10: poss. dau. Gerty), 2 females(<16: poss.daus Catherine and Sophia), 1 female(<45: poss. wife Mary or daughter Lucinda). Missing from this is son Abraham who I believe is living with his wife and son in Johnstown: 10100-00100 or 1 male under 10, Abraham born between 1784 and 1794 and his wife the same age.
- The reason we know this the right John Staley in Johnstown is because Henry Staley's family is buried in the McDougal cemetery with all the same people that show up in next to John Staley in this census. Also in the Cemetery is Mary Stalee, wife of John Statee, died 04Jan1843, aged 86 years, 6 mo, 11 days.(this makes her birthdate as 24Jun1756, however just because its written in stone doesn't mean its absolutely true, I got this information from a cemetery reading transcript of 1943 again transcribed in 2001 for the internet, so between the then(1843) and now, 86 years could be 80 or anything) However the fact remains she was at least 70 years old in 1833 as stated by the Senator "verge of seventy" but the 1830 census where she is still living her son Henry the census shows her age as between 70 and 80 years, making her born between 1750 and 1760(matching up with the cemetery marker). However you can't believe all census as the 1810 census showed her born after 1765, unless it was a error in recording or she wasn't there at the time of the census remains unseen. But the kicker is the 1840 census which she is still living with son Henry and he says she is between 80 and 90 years of age, again putting born between 1750 and 1760.
- "THE BLOODIED MOHAWK" a Picton Press Book. Maria Elisabeth House (Haus) was taken a prisoner of war on August 2, 1780 at Fort Plank, New York along with Mary SITTS a daughter of Balthazar and Anna (House) Sitts. She was taken to Canada by the forces commanded by Captain Joseph Brant. Mary Sitts states her elderly grandfather was killed on the march back to Canada. The exact relationship between Maria Elisabeth House and Mary Sitts is unknown for sure, but it appears Maria Elisabeth was an aunt to Mary Sitts. Clinton's Papers state that Maria Elisabeth was a daughter of George House. Interestingly, a Quit Rent Remission Certificate for Lot 5 of the Garret Lansing Patent of Minden Township, Montgomery County, New York states that this lot of land was occupied by Baltus Sitts and Johan George House during the American Revolution. Lot Five Lansing's bordered the Geisenburgh Settlement and Church Lot. I witnesses to the carnage of the August 2nd, 1780 Fort Plank Massacre state that there were five dead children found at the Geisenburgh Settlement along with a young woman whose infant was torn from her womb. All of these Geisenburgh victims are said to reside in a common grave. Ten other victims of the massacre (nine children and an elderly woman) were said to be buried in Fort Plank proper. All of this information is from Picton Press' publication, more information on the book can be viewed at under New York State titles. Some additional info can be found in the "MARY SITTS STORY" by Courtnage. It is available on microfiche from the LDS Family History Centers, but its accuracy needs exploration; it does seem, however, to be fairly accurate. You might also see the biography of Mary Sitts in the History of Long Point Settlement of Ontario, Canada. Hope this finds you still searching for answers. Sincerely, Ken D. Johnson
- From the baptism record of her twins we learn her maidan name was House. Daughter, Catherine, 1880 census records shows father (John) born in Canada. Lived with her son Henry after her husband (John) died. She would often walk four miles to see her daughter Mrs John Gage.
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1763 - 1843 (79 years)
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