Who Is Who in My Mother's Family (Jeffs)

I'll start with Averil's grandparents, the first generation to live in the United States.

Cornelius and Isabella Boulton

Cornelius Boulton came to the United States from Staffordshire, England, as a boy. He served as a private in the Civil War in Texas and New Orleans. When he returned to New York, he was a preacher and a saddle-maker. More on Cornelius

Martha Moore wrote on the back, "Cornelius Boulton. We called him Grampa, too."

Cornelius married Isabella Mulholland who was born in Ulster.

Isabella Mulholland Boulton

Cornelius and Isabella had three daughters, Elizabeth, called Eliza (Averil's mother), Isabella, and Minnie, who died in childhood. The younger Isabella never married. She became a teacher and then a school principal in Queens, NY. Isabella Boulton's obituary

Henry and Margaret Jeffs

Henry and Margaret had at least two sons, Henry Junior and Charles Frederick (my mother thought there were four brothers, but only two show up in the documents I have). Both sons were part of the family boot-making business. They became U. S. citizens October 16, 1888. At some point, Henry moved away (Mom thought he embezzled funds and ran away), while Charles F. stayed in New York city and tried to keep the business going.

Advertising card for Jeffs and Sons

Charles F.'s First Marriage, Eliza Boulton

Charles F. married Eliza Boulton, who was a teacher before her marriage. I have letters he wrote to her during their courtship, beginning with “Dear Miss Boulton,” progressing to “Dear Friend Eliza,” and finally “Dear Lizzie.” They had three children: Charles Richardson, Edith Averil, and Isabella.

Elizabeth Boulton Jeffs

Eliza Boulton died young, quite suddenly (her obituary) For a time Charles F and his children lived with his father, who was very strict. Gramma Moore wrote down Averil's memories from that time.

Charles R (Uncle Charlie)

Charles Richardson Jeffs, Rear Admiral (ret.)

Aunt Averil Adams

Averil attended Adelphi College in New York and became a teacher. She married and divorced Rowland Adams. She lived with her father until his death and then with her aunt Isabella Boulton until her death. Averil and Isabella B. traveled together throughout the U.S. and Europe. I have their souvenir postcards from Lake Louise in Canada and from various places in England. At the time of the 1940 census, Isabella Boulton, spinster, was head of a household including Louise Lockhart, widow, and Averil Adams, divorcée. Louise and her daughter Addie, who contributed a number of recipes in the mystery box, were Averil's cousins.

E. Averil Jeffs Adams

Isabella Jeffs Barnard

Isabella Jeffs married Charles Tinsley Barnard, called Charles T to distinguish him from the other Charleses in the family. They moved to California. When Grace talked about Uncle Charles and Aunt Isabelle, this is who she meant. Isabella and Charles had two children: Barbara, whom Grace and her cousin Shirley visited on their bus trip West; and Averil Jean, who gave my father the recipe for Kahlua under the sink.

Charles F.'s Second Marriage, Adelia Seaman (Gramma Jeffs)

After a time, Charles F. married Adelia Seaman (my Gramma Jeffs), a widow (I think). I have letters that Adelia's maternal grandmother. Sarah Wicks, wrote to her during her marriage to Charles. Apparently, the Jeffs family didn't visit often enough to suit Sarah. Adelia was a descendant of Captain John Seaman, one of the first settlers on Long Island (Jones Beach is named for Seaman's son-in-law who settled there).

Adelia Seaman Jeffs

Adelia had two children, Edna and Florence, with Mr. Week—about whom there is absolutely nothing in the family documents. Edna's son, Billy Steiniger, was my mother's much-loved cousin growing up, but they were not much in touch as adults.

Cousin Billy Steiniger in the Moluccas (Maluku Islands, Indonesia), 1945. He was stationed in the Pacific with the Navy during World War II.

Charles and Adelia had three children: Martha Lillian (my grandmother), Margaret, and Frederick.

After Charles Jeffs' death, Adelia married Henry DeBaun, but we continued to call her Gramma Jeffs. After Mr. DeBaun's death, Adelia lived with her daughter Edna in Hempstead, N.Y. For a time, Florrie and her husband Henry also stayed there.

Gramma (Martha Jeffs Moore)

Martha married Chester Newton Hyler (called Newt). They had two children, Grace Averil and Chester Newton (Uncle Chet). When the children were young, Martha divorced Newt and asked him to stay away.

Later Martha married John Moore, whom we knew as Grampa Moore. Aunt Isabelle Brooks in Wilmington, Delaware, was John's sister. Another of his sisters, Margaret, married Mom's favorite uncle, Bill Bildeback.

Martha Jeffs

Aunt Margaret Jeffs Gernert

Margaret Jeffs married Eugene Genert. Their children were Adele, Shirley and Eugene. Both the Moores and the Generts lived in Somerville. Uncle Gene was with the fire department. When I was little, Gramma told me he was the one who blew the siren at noon every day.

Martha Jeffs Moore, John Moore, Margaret Jeffs Gernert

Uncle Fred

Frederick Jeffs doesn't show up much in family stories. He moved west as a young man. I have a letter from 1958, when Fred was in Oklahoma, living alone, and out of work for over a month, waiting for his boss to get a business going again. Adelia wrote to Martha, "I surely felt so sorry for him, no one seems to want him." At that time, Adelia and Edna gave Fred money and Averil loaned him some, which Adelia paid back. In 1981, Margaret wrote to Fred to say she could not send him any more money, although "I wish you and Lauretta well." At that point he was living in Mesa, Arizona, the latest address I have for him.

Postcard with birth announcement for Frederick Jeffs

This where I stop for now. There's a lot more to the story and maybe I will continue it someday—even better, maybe one of the next generation will pick up the torch and carry on.