I started working my way forward from Bailey descendants in the Maine area.
I began to focus on Deacon John (John, Joseph, John, John) and Rachel Leadiary.
From the log that Benjamin Bailey, ( I will refer to him as the third - 3d) kept from Boston to San Francisco I determined he was well educated and had a solid religious foundation. I felt Deacon John might hold some answers when I discovered he had a second marriage to Jane Curtis and gave issue to a son Benjamin Bailey (1st) b Apr 15 1746.
Benjamin married Mary Blake, they had issue of 14 children.
One of these was Capt. Benjamin Bailey (2d) b March 23 1789 d March 18 1828
He married Susan Riley March 27 1817/18 she was born March 25 1791 Dover, NH d June 5 1871 Boston, MA. She was the daughter of Capt. John Riley and Mary Hanson.
Benjamin and Susan had issue of 2 documented children.
1.Julia Adelaide b 182? Portland, ME (census records vary putting her birth between 1822-26)
She married James M Drew.
2. Susan Elizabeth b 182? Portland, ME (census records vary putting her birth between 1822-26)
She married 1) Hazen K Riley Had issue 3 children 2) John C Sargent had issue 1 child later adopted the youngest child of previous marriage (may have been his child??)
This is where I believe my Benjamin fits in, as third child of Benjamin Bailey and Susan Riley.
Benjamin Bailey b June 5 1826 Portland, ME
Here are my reasons. Benjamin’s passport was witnessed by a Joseph Hartwell. Susan’s sister Betsey Riley married Joseph Hartwell. Susan, Benjamin, Joseph and Betsey are all buried together in a plot in Pine Hill Cemetery, Dover, NH. I believe Joseph Hartwell is Uncle to Benjamin Bailey (3d).
Benjamin Bailey (3d) named his first daughter Susan Adelaide. (possibly for Mother and or Sisters??)
The Mystic Seaport gives a listing of passengers aboard the Sweden (this is the log my Benjamin kept) including Benjamin Bailey, James M Drew (possibly brother-in-law to Ben) and Luther Drew (brother of James).
In the directories of San Francisco 1850 I found
Benjamin Bailey, miner
James M Drew
Hazen K Riley, clerk
I am now at a point where I am going to try and see if Benjamin’s education may hold a clue to his parentage.
I think he may have attended Franklin Academy in Dover, NH.
John Riley Varney was principal from 1843-1846.
Susan Riley’s sister Sarah Byles Riley married James Bowdoin Varney.
They had a son John Riley Varney.
This would make him Benjamin Bailey’s (3d) cousin.
Another interesting find was Joseph Hartwell’s brother David married Joanna Drew.
She is the sister of Lydia Drew (daughter or Enoch Drew and Dorcas Heard) and grandmother
to Abby Locke. It would appear a number of Drew, Riley, and Hanson’s married Bailey’s or collateral lines of the Bailey family.
Another avenue would be to try and find a will for Benjamin Bailey's (3d) father. Apparently all of these records were burnt in a town fire?? (according to another researcher).
Now in the process of trying to see if Susan Riley had a will and perhaps this could lead to a mention of my Benjamin Bailey (3d).
