Biography of Elias Cady

Montgomery County NY Pioneer

The profile of Elias Cady, pioneer of the Town of Charleston, and his descendants and intermarried local families, was kindly contributed by researcher David Rogers. We're always pleased to receive well-documented family profiles and narratives such as this one, showing diverse resources used, migration and links to other counties. David hopes that you can all help him add to his knowledge of the Cadys and Dotys, locally and regionally.

The Life and Family of Elias Cady and His Wife Keziah Doty

Elias Cady was born in 1753 in Coventry, Connecticut, the sixth child of Ebenezer & Prudence [Palmer] Cady. The family were among the early pioneers of the Kings District, later the town of Canaan, Columbia County, NY, establishing themselves on land there about 1762. Members of the family were Prudence, born November 3, 1740; Ebenezer, born January 20, 1743; Eleazer, born March 29, 1745; Elijah, born March 8, 1747; Elisha, born January 8, 1850; Elias, born 1753; John, born c 1754; and David, born October 17, 1764.

All seven brothers served in the "War of the Revolution." Elias was a Private in the 17th Albany County Militia, Land Bounty Rights, 3rd Company, under his brother, Captain Ebenezer Cady. He is believed to have served with the militia at Cherry Valley; later, in the summer of 1777 he marched with his company up the Mohawk River & was engaged in the battle of Oriskany & was at the battle and capture of General Burgoyne at Saratoga. Other service was militia duty to the north and west of Albany guarding against attacks from Indians and Tories on the frontier. During the many marches he covered much of the territory along the Mohawk River to the west of Albany. Perhaps as a result of his knowledge of this area, several of his brothers and many of his sons & daughters settled in the area of Charleston, Montgomery County.

Elias Cady married Keziah Doty c 1776-1777. She is believed to have been the daughter of neighbours, Simeon & Elizabeth Doty. The Doty family were also pioneers in the Kings District, establishing themselves in that community about 1760. Elias & Keziah's first child, Abijah, was born c 1780. Other children were Elias, Ebenezer, Edward, John, Betsy Ann [born c 1790], Rhoda Ann [born c 1792], Prudence [born c 1794], and George [born c 1796]. Another son, William, [who married Polly Jackson] is not listed as a member of this family in the "Descendants of Nicholas Cady" but is mentioned in the Jackson Family History as Rhoda Ann's older brother. From the census records it appears that William was the oldest member of Elias' family. All of Elias & Keziah's children were born in Canaan Township, Columbia County, NY. Elias Cady is listed as the owner of a House & Farm in the town of Canaan in 1802, the value of his real estate being $970 and the value of his personal property, $75.

Elias, his wife and family are included in the 1800 census living in Canaan, Columbia County, N. Y. He is listed in Columbia County in 1809, then shows up a year later in the 1810 census of Florida Township, Montgomery County, with four family members and his wife. The family appears in the census of 1820 & 1830 in the town of Charleston. Living with the parents, in 1820, are two sons and a daughter. Two members of the family are engaged in agriculture. In 1830, Elias & Keziah [Doty] Cady appear to be living with a son or daughter and their young family as three generations are found in their household. Three of Elias' brothers, i.e. John, David, & Elisha Cady moved to the Florida area of Montgomery County, before or around 1793. Elias' sister Prudence, and his other brothers remained in Columbia county.

Not a lot is known about Elias' family. Abijah married Sabra Knapp, and their family are found in the Town of Bainbridge, Chenango County, NY in the Censuses of 1820, 1830 & 1840.

William Cady, married Polly Jackson, daughter of Samuel & Betsy [Finch] Jackson of the town of Chesterfield, Essex County, NY. Their family, with one child, appears in the 1810 census, living next door to Elias Cady in Charleston, Montgomery County. This establishes their wedding year as c1808/1809. William Cady & family are found later in Peru, Clinton County, but moved back to the Montgomery county area about 1830. Family history suggests that they eventually moved to Indiana where William died of smallpox.

Rhoda Ann Cady was married at Charleston, Montgomery County on 05 April, 1815, to Daniel Jackson of Chesterfield, Essex County, NY by the Rev. Elijah Herrick. Daniel was the oldest son of Samuel & Betsy [Finch] Jackson. Rhoda Ann & her husband lived in Essex County, NY until 1858, when they removed themselves to Sparta, Wisconsin where they retired, taking up residence with their daughter. Between 1845 and 1858 the entire Jackson family moved west and established themselves in Sparta, Eau Claire, Wisconsin Dells and other communities. This family is well documented.

Elias Cady Jr. was married at Charleston on 13 May, 1819 to Fanny Tower, by the Rev. Elijah Herrick. The Census of 1820 records both Elias Cady and Elias Cady Jr. living in the Charleston area.

Elias Cady is not recorded in the 1840 census of Montgomery County and so it is believed that he died between 1837 and 1840. He was last documented on 7 January, 1837, age 84, by John Hand, a Judge of the Montgomery County Courts when he signed a document describing his brother Elisha's military service in the War of the Revolution. Elias' date of death and place of burial are unknown but thought to be Charleston, Montgomery County, NY.

If those who read this write-up have additional information on the life and family of Elias Cady, ages, birthdates, the name of Keziah Doty's parents and other related genealogical and/or historical information, this would be very much appreciated. I have additional information on the Cady family to share if anyone would like to receive same. Thank you.

David Rogers
37 Dunkirk Street
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, C1A 3Z7.

UPDATED 3/21/00 "Some time ago you were kind enough to include a page of information on the Montgomery County NY USGenWeb site about Elias Cady. As a result of this I have received information from Fred V. Provoncha, Salt Lake City, that I would like to add to this page, if that is possible. Fred is a descendant of Prudence Cady, daughter of Elias. "

PRUDENCE CADY, daughter of Elias, was born on 9 August, 1789, [in Canaan, Columbia County] and was married in 1807 in Charleston Twp, Montgomery County, to Simeon Kneeland, born 23 October, 1779 in East Haddam, Middlesex, Connecticut. Prudence & Simeon were the parents of Ozias, b 1808; Simeon C born 1811; Amanda M born 1813; John D born 1815; Benjamin L born 1816; Lovina, born 1820; Abner D, born 1823; Huldah A, born 1826; and Prudence C, born 1828 or 1838. The family were all born in Charleston Twp. except the last two whose birthplace is not stated. Prudence & Simeon later moved to Elizabethtown, Essex County, where Prudence died on 3 January, 1843. Simeon died on 13 November, 1846 in Lyons, Wayne county, NY.

Of interest in this genealogy is the parentage of Simeon Kneeland. His father, Benjamin, was born on 1 May, 1731 in Hebron, Tolland Connecticut. His mother was Bulah Doty & listed as being born in Columbia County. The use of the name Simeon for their second son raises the possibility that Bulah was the daughter of Simeon Cady of Canaan, and a sister of Keziah [Doty] Cady, the wife of Elias Cady.

EBENEZER CADY: The SF Kneeland Genealogy includes information on Ebenezer Cady, son of Elias. Ebenezer married Anna Kneeland, [probably in Charleston Twp., Montgomery County,] a daughter of Benjamin & Bulah [Doty] Kneeland. Children were Huldah, Joseph, Betsy, Patty, Tanna and Edwin. No other information is given.

The History of Montgomery County, Town of Charleston, page 12, lists Benjamin Kneeland as one of the pioneers of Montgomery County along with Elias Cady and many others.

UPDATED 5/18/2003

ELIAS CADY'S FINAL YEARS

Several of the sons of Elias Cady, John, Edward, and Elias Jr. moved to the town of Granby, Oswego County, NY and the nearby town of Lysander, Onondaga Co. John Cady is listed as a resident of that town in the census of 1830. Elias Cady sold his farm in Burtonville in February of 1837 and apparently moved with his son, Elias Jr., & family, to Granby, Oswego County. There, on April 24, 1837, Dorman Felt of Granby, Oswego County, NY deeded land to Elias Cady, Jr. [whose address at that time was] "of Charleston, Montgomery Co., NY."

The Merritt Cemetery, town of Granby, Oswego Co., has a number of Cady family graves and included in that list is the final record of Elias Cady and his son, Elias Cady Jr. as follows:

Elias Cady, [died] 10 November, 1838, age 86-0-3.

Elias Cady Jr. [died] 23 January, 1859, age 64-10-3.

The grave of Keziah [Doty] Cady has not been found and possibly may be located in an unmarked grave in the Old Wells Cemetery, Burtonville. In that cemetery is the gravestone of Simeon Cady, who died in 1809, age 17 years. He may have been a son of Elias & Keziah [Doty] Cady and his first name may help to establish a family link to Simeon Doty, of New Concord, Columbia County.

Credit for finding Elias Cady's burial place and dates is due to the much appreciated assistance of Barbara Dix, Oswego County Historian!

Thank you again for your help in my search for information on the Cady family. I hope this additional information will be of interest to others. David Rogers, 37 Dunkirk Street, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, C1A 3Z7.

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