Nancy Eastman is the younger sister of my 4 times great grandpa, Benjamin Eastman. She is the third of eleven recorded children born to Benjamin and Ann Carr Barker Eastman. All records say she was born in Maine on 6 February 1788, but Maine was still part of Massachusetts in 1788. Her birth is recorded in two separate town and vital records found on FamilySearch.org — in the town of Avon, and in Mt Vernon (see the images below).
The area they lived was rich and hilly farmland. None of the sources I found told anything beyond the basic birth, marriage and death information, but presuming they were farmers, Nancy would have helped her mom and sisters with daily farm chores, preparing meals, cleaning the house and caring for younger siblings.
Nancy married Lemuel Delano of Winthrop, Maine sometime after November 1808. Their intention of marriage was listed by the Town Clerk of Avon as November the 12th AD 1808. It is presumed they lived in that same area all of their married life based on the few documents found — 1820 US Census they lived in Strong, Somerset, Maine, and in 1850 Strong, Franklin, Maine. From the listing of their children in the Rix genealogy, it seems likely that there may have been miscarriages or infant deaths not recorded due to gaps between the birth of Benjamin and Stephen, and then having three and four years between the last three listed children. In addition, Stephen and Sibyl both died in childhood, while two of their children only lived to be 22 years of age. How hard this must of been for the family! It may have been a comfort for Nancy to have her family nearby. The names in the censuses reflect the extended family of both Nancy’s parents and grandparents.
Lemuel preceded Nancy i death by thirteen years. She passed on 12 July 1873 at the age of 85 years, 5 months, 6 days in Strong. Both Lemuel and Nancy are buried in the Strong Village Cemetery.
An interesting note, the town of Jay where David Austin relocated from northern Massachusetts, is about 24 miles south of Strong. It makes you wonder if they ever crossed paths, doesn’t it?
Nancy Eastman (daughter of Benjamin), born in Mt Vernon, Me., 6 Feb 1788, died in Strong, Me., 12 July 1873; Married Lemuel Delano, b. Nov 1784, died 21 March 1860.
Children
i. Rufus Greenleaf Delano b. 14 Jan 1810, d. 24 July 1832
ii. Vielette Eastman Delano b. 22 Jun 1812, d. 19 Mar 1861; m. Jeremiah Ellsworth
iii. Benjamin Eastman Delano b. 25 Dec 1814, d. 24 Dec 1885
iv. Stephen Fish Delano b. 6 July 1818, d. 26 Apr 1822
v. Sibyl Ann Delano b. 18 July 1822, d. 1826
vi. Martha Jane Delano b. 13 Jan 1825, d. 5 Oct 1847; m. Nathan Stanwood
source: Rix, Guy Scoby. History and Genealogy of the Eastman Family of America. (Concord, NH : Press of I.C. Evans, 1901), 464.
