Augustus Wright Leggett1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

M, b. 11 June 1816, d. 12 January 1885
Augustus Wright Leggett
     Augustus was born on Tuesday, 11 June 1816 at the family home at 27 Rose Street., New York City, New York County, New York. He also went by the name of Gus. He married Eliza Seaman 23 November 1836 at 89 Madison Street, New York City, New York County, New York, in a Quaker ceremony. After Augustus & Eliza were first married, they resided in a dear little home, owned by William H. Leggett, at 76 Mercer Street in the city. While in New York City, Dr. Isaac Wood, a former student of Eliza's father, attended them. In 1840, they moved for a short time to Peekskill, New York on the Hudson River, just 40 miles from the city where they lived in a pretty cottage. They then moved to their most loved home in Roslyn, Queens County, Long Island, New York. It was a lovely hillside home overlooking the bay and surrounded by trees & flowers. William Cullen Bryant his wife and family resided next to them. While there, their physician was Dr. James Townsend, also a former student of Eliza's father. In 1853, the family along with that of Augustus' brother Samuel's moved to Michigan. They settled for a year in Pontiac and then in Clintonville, Oakland County where they owned a large home & mill. On 1 December 1857, Augustus W. Leggett, of Oakland County, Michigan, purchased from the U.S. Government 320 acres in the southwest quarter of section 24 & the northwest quarter of section 25 in t10n r3e of Oakland County. Later, they moved to Detroit where they lived until the death of Augustus. Eliza then went to live with her son Mortimer at his place called "The Willows" in Drayton Plains, Oakland County, Michigan.
Augustus Wright Leggett lived between 1842 and 1852 at "Hillside", Roslyn, Queens County, Long Island, New York; This lovely home was situated next to the home of William Cullen Bryant. 23 July 1860, Gus and his wife, Eliza, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census at Waterford Township, Oakland County, Michigan. Enumerated in this household were Augustus W. Leggett [46 New York - farmer], Elizabeth S. [46 New York], Mortimer A. [23 New York], Percival S. [22 New York], William H. [19 New York], Margaret W. [17 New York], Emma [15 New York], Anna S. [13 New York], Elizabeth H. [11 New York], Augusta W. [9 New York], Blanche I. [3 mos. Michigan]. Property value $2,000.00 & personal property $2,000.00.9 20 June 1870, Gus and his wife, Eliza, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census at Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Enumerated in this household were A. W. Leggett [54 New York], Elizabeth [55 New York], Augusta W. [18 Michigan], Blanche I. [10 Michigan]. Property value $10.000 & personal property $1.000. He was a custom house officer.10 4 June 1880, Gus and his wife, Eliza, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census at 169 Elizabeth Street, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Enumerated in this household were Augustus W. Leggett [64 New York], Eliza S. [65 New York], Blanche I. [20 Michigan], Elizabeth H. Snow [daughter-married][30 New York].11 Augustus died Monday, 12 January 1885 at his home at 169 Elizabeth Street East, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, at age 68 years, 7 months and 1 day.

Obituary - Leggett - At his late residence, 169 Elizabeth St. East, on the evening of January 12, AUGUSTUS W. LEGGETT, in the 69th year of his age. Funeral on Wednesday morning at 9:30 o'clock. Funeral private. Remains will be taken to Pontiac for interment. [Detroit Free Press - Wednesday, 14 January 1885]

Obituary - Lost of a Useful Life - Augustus W. Leggett succumbs to the power of disease and joins the majority.
Augustus W. Leggett, who was for many years a citizen of Detroit, died last night at his home, 169 Elizabeth Street East, at the age of 68 years. Mr. Leggett was born at no. 27 Rose St., New York City, June 11, 1816. November 23, 1836, he married Eliza Seaman, also a resident of New York City. Their union was blessed with 11 children, three sons and eight daughters. In 1841, Mr. Leggett removed to Roslyn, L.I. Here he spent 11 years of his life enjoying as his social relations the companionship of a number of literary opersons, among them the poet William Cullen Bryant.
In 1852, he removed to Pontiac, Michigan. Here the family lived for a year and then took up his residence at Mill Farm, Clintonville. Here business occupied the attention of Mr. Leggett until 1864, when he took up his residence in Detroit. The office of Inspector of Customs was accepted by him and he continued in that position for six years. He was always possessed of a confidence and was privileged to indulge in the companionship of books, which he loved dearly.
Up to a few weeks before his death he had enjoyed robust health, but more recently had been a suffer from a brain disorder which proved stronger than man's strength and skill. Mr. Leggett is survived by seven children, Mrs. L. T. Ives, Mrs. A. A. Barthel, Mrs. C. C. Randall, Mrs. James Whittemore, Mrs. E. B. Pease, Mortimer A. & William H. Leggett.

Augustus was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery, Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, in plot 4-447. The cemetery records note: 11 June 1816 NY-12 January 1885. Records indicate an infant burial in this same plot but no further information is given. This child was named Mary Louise Leggett born 6 May 1857 & died 18 December 1857. Her name is not mentioned in any of the family records.

Family

Elizabeth Seaman b. 9 May 1815, d. 9 Feb 1900
Children

Citations

  1. [S13] Copied from the manuscript record of the late Rev. Theodore A. Leggett by A. Hatfield Jr., Early Settlers of West Farms, Westchester County, New York [Copied from the manuscript record of the late Rev, Theodore A. Leggett], no. 338 - Augustus W. b. --- at West Farms d. --, s/o William Haight & Margaret [Wright] Leggett married Eliza Seaman b. 9 May 1815, d/o Dr. Valentine & Anna Seaman of Westbury, Long Island. Children: Mortimer A., William H., Margaret m. ___Ives, Elizabeth m. ___ Barthel, Anne m. ___ Randall, Blanche m. ___ Whittemore, Augusta m. ___ Pease.
  2. [S15] Michigan Daughters of the American Revolution, Old Bible and Other Genealogical Records, Volume III : page 38 - William Haight Leggett's Bible - "Augustus W. Leggett, Rose Bank, married 23 Nov. 2836 to Elizabeth Seaman, 69 Madison Street."
    Volume V [compiled & indexed by Ferne Fleming Savage, State Consulting Registrar, 1931]: pages 102, 103, 108, 109;
    Volume XIII: pages 89, 90.
  3. [S1] Detroit Genealogical Society, Persons at Leggett-Seaman marriage 1836.
  4. [S18] Howland Delano Perrine, The Wright Family of Oysterbay, L.I. with the ancestry of and descent from Peter Wright and Nicholas Wright, 1423-1923, page 188 - Augustus Wright [6/11/1816-1/12/1884] m. 11/23/1836 Eliza [5/09/1815-2/--/1900], d/o Dr. Valentine & Anna [Ferris] Seaman of NYC - issue: Mortimer Allen [10/18/1837- ] m. 4/07/1858 Jane Mais Whitehead [8/08/1839-7/12/1874], of Elizabeth Lake, MI; Percival Seaman [1/08/1839-9/01/1864 killed in Battle of Rappahannock River, VA] sp; William Haight [11/07/1840-2/--/1921] m. 11/07/1860 Anna Beardslee [ -3/--1910]; Margaret Wright [4/27/1843- ] m. 6/26/1860 Lewis T. Ives [8/04/1833-12/13/1894], of Rochester, NY; Emma [9/26/1845-6/14/1863] sp; Anna Seaman [4/19/1848- ] m. 1st 6/06/1867 William Henry Christian [12/02/1845-5/11/1911], of Detroit, MI, m. 2nd 5/09/1874 Corrydon C. Randall [6/14/1846-8/--/1907]. of Hamilton, Canada; Elizabeth Hicks [10/18/1849-10/21/1912] m. 10/07/1882 Adolph Baarthel [9/17/1844- ], of Augsburg, Bavaria no issue; Augusta Wright [11/14/1851-12/30/1903] m. 9/05/1871 Elisha Brooks Pease [12/24/1848-8/16/1895], of Detroit, MI; Caatharine Maria [2/05/1854-3/06/1855]; Henrietta Eastman [12/20/1855-2/15/1856]; Blanche Irving [5/22/1860-8/08/1922] m. 6/14/1882 James Wittemore [10/31/1860- ], of Detroit MI.
  5. [S4] William Wade Hinshaw, Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Volume 3: page 281.
  6. [S17] Daughters of the American Revolution. Ponitac, Michigan - present to the Michigan Historical Commission - 1938 Richardson Chapter, Cemetery Records of Oakland County, Michigan, Volume V: page 51 - Oakhill Cemetery, Pontiac - Leggett, Mary Louise, 6 May 1857-18 Dec 1857; Augustus Wright 11 June 1816- 12 Jan 1885; Sliza S. 1816-1900;.
  7. [S7] Beverly Lancaster & Russel Reed, Oakland County, Michigan - Oak Hill Cemetery [older sections] 1822-1991, pages 152-153.
  8. [S21] A. W. Leggett, Bible Records, Bible Records
    Augustus & Eliza Leggett

    Births:
    Augustus Wright Leggett born New York June 11 1816
    His wife Eliza Seaman Leggett born N.Y. May 9th 1815 90 Beekman Street
    Their children:
    Mortimer Allen Leggett born New York October 18th 1837 at 76 Mercer Street at ¼ before 9 pm
    William H. Leggett [crossed out] Percival S. born New York January 8th 1839 16 Mercer Street at ½ past 3 Tuesday morning.
    Percival Seaman [crossed out] Leggett William H. born near Peekskill November 7, 1840 at 25 minutes past 3rd am
    Margaret Wright Leggett born April 27th 1843 at Hillside Hempstead Harbor at 1 o.c. am
    Emma Leggett born September 26th 1845 about 12 o.c. at night at Hillside Roslyn L. I. on Friday
    Anna Leggett born April 19th 1848 at Hillside at 4 o.c. pm
    Elizabeth Hicks Leggett born at Roslyn Hillside October 18th 1849 at 4 o'clock in the afternoon
    Augusta W. Leggett born at Roslyn L.I. November 14th 1851 about 10 pm Friday
    Catherine Maria Allen Leggett born at Mill Farm Michigan Sunday February 5 1854 at 10 pm
    Henrietta Eastman Leggett born at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday 20th December 1855
    William H., son of Mortimer A. & Jane M. Leggett, March 3rd [Thursday] at 5:15 pm at Mill Cottage Clintonville, Michigan [in margin written "grand 1859"]
    Blanche Irving Leggett born May 22nd 1860 at 2 o'clock at night at Mill Farm Oakland County, State of Michigan [on Tuesday]

    [Note: written around the outside of page starting upper left]
    Lucile Viola Leggett born February 23, 1885
    Elizabeth Sharon Pease born Detroit, Michigan 636 Second Ave. January 27 1897 - Wednesday - great granddaughter
    Percival Sharon Pease born July 29 1872 at quarter of 5 pm
    Valentine Seaman Leggett born October 13 1861
    John W. Leggett born May 23 1864
    Wilhelmina Leggett July 4 1895
    Eliza Seaman Christian born December 1 1868 daughter of Anna at 2 pm 129 East Elizabeth Detroit, Michigan
    [Note written at bottom of page - The names of the second and third children were altered by request of friends The third receiving the name of the second & the second receiving that of the third. AWL]

    Marriages:
    Augustus Wright Leggett Eliza Seaman November 23rd 1836 at 89 Madison Street New York - Quaker
    Mortimer Allen Leggett and Jane Mais Whitehead at Elizabeth Lake Oakland Co. Waterford, Michigan on the 7th April 8 o'clock 1858 by the Rev. Mr. Dooley - Episcopal
    Lewis T. Ives & Margaret W. Leggett at Mill Farm Waterford, Oakland County, Mich. On June Tuesday June 26 1860 by Rev. A. Taylor at 12:15 pm - Episcopal
    Wm H. Leggett Jr. & Annie Beardslee Nov 7th 1860 at Independence, Oakland Mich. - Quaker
    Anna Seaman Leggett & William H. Christian at no. 115 East Elizabeth Street by Mr. Mellen June 6th 1867 - family present 8 o'clock pm Detroit - Episcopal
    Elizabeth H. Leggett & David S. Snow June 1st 1869 at no. 129 East Elizabeth Street Detroit by M. Mellen, relatives present - Unitarian
    Augusta W. Leggett & E. Brooks Pease September 5th 1871 at 169 East Elizabeth Street Detroit, Mich. By Rev. McLarran at 7:30 pm - Presbyterian
    Percival S. Pease & Grace E. Camp February 4th 1896 Birmingham Mich. By Reed Stuart - Unitarian
    Anna Seaman Leggett married second - Corodon Chandler Randall 1871
    married at 169 Elizabeth St Detroit - June 14th 1882 - Blanche I. Leggett to James Whittemore

    Deaths:
    Catherine Maria Allen Leggett died of scarlet fever March 6th 1855 interred in Sashabaw Burying Ground
    February 5th 1856 Henrietta E. Leggett of Crysipelas at Mill Farm laid in Sashabaw
    Clipping: handwritten above clipping "January 1865" - Death Notice: On the 14th instant, at the residence of her father in Clintonville, town of Waterford, Oakland County, Michigan. Emma Leggett, aged seventeen years, second daughter of Augustus W. and Eliza S. Leggett. Cut off in the very blossom of life, she has left friends and relatives to mourn a full loving, patriotic heart.
    Clipping: Death Notice: Shot on the Banks of the Rappahannock River while reconnoitering within the enemy lines on the evening of September 1st, Lieut. Percival S. Leggett, of Waterford, Oakland County, Michigan, age 24 years. [handwritten below: died in camp of General Kilpatrick and Lieut. of Company I, 5th Michigan Calvary. He was murdered without challenge by the rebels. He is interred at Pontiac.]

    William H. Leggett died December 23 1863 age 74 interred at Greenwood, New York
    Elijah Brook Pease died at 424 Second Ave. Detroit, Mich. Aug. 16, 1895

    Family Records:-
    Mortimer Allen Leggett innoculated January 1837.
    Percival S. Leggett innoc. with Kinepox 1839, d. 1851.
    William H. Leggett innoc. with Kinepox 1840.
    Margaret W. Leggett innoc. Kinepox 1844.
    Mortimer A., Percival S., William H. and Margaret W. had measles during later part of April and first part of May 1845,
    Emma Leggett innoc. Kinepox 1845.
    Mortimer, Percival, William, Margaret, Emma had chicken pox in June 1847 and whooping cough in summer 1847.
    Anna vaccinated in May 18, 1848.
    Mortimer, Percival, William H. & Margaret all had mumps in April 1849.
    Elizabeth vaccinated in 1849.
    Augusta vaccinated April 1852.
    Anna, Elizabeth, Catherine Maria & Augusta W. had whooping cough in August 1854. . [note: I am very nearly certain that Augusta had the whooping cough with the last children although her name was not put down at the time - I have therefore - amended that she did]
    Margaret W., Anna, Elizabeth, Catherine Maria, and Augusta W. L. scarlet fever March 1855.
    Augustus W. L. & Eliza L. vaccinated March 1855.
    Augustus, Mortimer, Percival & William vaccinated April 1860.
    William H., Minnie, Emma, Annie, Gussie, Lizzie, and Eliza vaccinated 1860.
    Blanche & Gussie had whooping cough in 1866.

  9. [S31] 1860 United States Federal Census, Waterford Township, Oakland County, Michigan - pages 395-396.
  10. [S32] 1870 United States Federal Census, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan - 6th Ward, page 357.
  11. [S33] 1880 United States Federal Census, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan - 6th Ward, Enumeration District 285, sheet 16, line 47.
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