Torrey, Horace 1824-1889 & Susan Lear Meserve Family

TORREY, MESERVE, MORSE, YOUNG

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 10/3/2023 at 14:33:56

Torrey, Horace 1824-1889 & Susan Lear Meserve Family

This story was taken from page 475 of the Ireton Centennial Book (1882-1982). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added.

Horace and Susan Lear (Meserve) Torrey were married in June 1843 and moved to the Ireton vicinity from Ft. Atkinson, Wi. In 1885 with their children Almon, Adah, Herbert, and Bertha. They were originally from Bethel, Vt. They were extensive farmers and records of land exchanges in Sioux Co. show hundreds of acres of land transferred between Horace and Susan and their sons Almon and Herbert.

His wife, Susan (Meserve), was the great, great granddaughter of the famous Col. Nathaniel Meserve of New Hampshire who built ships for the British in the early 1700’s prior to the Revolutionary War. She left Ireton with her son, Almon, to Woodstock Village, Mn. about 1892 and then later moved to Minneapolis. She died in 1923, lacking six weeks of living 100 years. A grandson, Albert Torrey Dixon, son of Bertha, lives in San Diego, Calif.

Horace Torrey died in 1889 and is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Ireton. The Torrey Families and Their children in America Volumes I and II by Frederick C. Torrey, A.M. Lakehurst, N.J. 1924 documents the history of the Torreys very completely. The Meserve family is also well documented back to the Isle of Jersey in 1476. LaFamille De Messervy by Jacques Alfred Messervy.

RESEARCH NOTES: Added by Wilma J. Vande Berg From a report on ancestry.com public member trees submitted by other than this submitter.

Horace Torrey was born 12 Apr 1824 Bethel, Windsor, Vermont and died Nov 8, 1889 Ireton IA. His parents were John Torrey 1793-1868 and Miriam Morse 1789-1873. He married Susan Lear Meserve 14 Jun 1843 Bethel Windsor,VT.

Susan Lear Meserve was born 17 May 1823 Goshen Sullivan NH and side Feb 23, 1923 Overton Dawson NE. Her parents were Charles Meserve 1790-1843 and Mary Young 1794

CHILDREN:
1. Almon Torrey born abt 1850 Living at Logan NE 1930 died 1938 Dawson NE.
2. Adah Torrey born 12 Nov 1851 Bethel Windsor VT ded 12 Feb 1897 Ioshkonong, Jefferson O. WI She married Homer B. Stevenson 1843-1912. One son listed Frank W. Stevenson.
3. Frank Torrey born 2 Mar 1854 Bethel Windsor VT dued 9 Jul 1866 Bethel VT
4. Herbert Torrey born 6 Sep 1856 Bethel Windsor VT died Apr 15, 1933 Oveton, Dawson Co, NE. He was married to Sarah Jane Godfrey 1863-1955. Children named Herbert ‘Bert’ Torrey 1891-1955, Frank Torrey 1893-1967, Bertha Torrey 1895, George Torrey 1898-1973, Ray Torrey 1902-1970, and Alvin Torrey 1906-1980
5. Bertha Frances Torrey - Dixon born 5 May 1867 Bethel Windsor VT died 13 Apr 1953 Dan Diego CA. May have married name Dixson.

DEATH OF HORACE TORREY 1824-1889
Torrey, Horace born 12 Apr 1824 died 8 Nov 1889 Pleasant Hill cemetery Ireton IA.
Found no death notice in the local papers.
Research note: Horace Torrey was born 12 Apr 1824 at Bethel Vermont to John and Miriam Morse Torrey. He died November 8, 1889 Ireton IA He was married to Susan Lear Meserve 1823-1923, They had children Almon 1850, Adah 1851, Frank 1854, Herbert 1856 and Bertha 1867. The family lived pretty much in Vermont,
In the 1885 census he is noted as living in Center Tsp Sioux county IA.

DEATH OF SUSAN TORREY 1823-1923
FIND A GRAVE lists
Susan Lear Meserve Torrey born 17 may 1823 Goshen, Sullivan County New Hampshire died 23 Feb 1923 age 99 at Overton Dawson Co. NE. She was the daughter of Charles Hanson Meserve 1790-1880 and Mary Young 1790=1874. She married Horace Torrey 1824-1889. She had a sister Almire Meserve Pease 1835-1931. Child listed was Herbert Torrey 1856-1933.