What is an AIR? An air is this pesky thing in the DAR. It stands for Additional Information Requested and right now it is the bane of my existence and I am thinking a couple of research trips may be what I need to do.

Here is the situation. I am working on proving my lineage back to Benjamin Knowlton, who was a member of the Committee of Safety and Correspondence in New Ipswich, Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Benjamin was married to Phebe Wright.

Benjamin was born in 1728 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. He died somewhere in Oneida County, NY as he is buried in Sangerfield, NY.

Photos courtesy of Find A Grave.

My lineage goes through his daughter Sarah. Sarah was born in New Hampshire and I found a birth record for that. Sarah was married to Obadiah Coolidge in either Vermont or New Hampshire. (This is one of the things I am looking for.)

Sarah Knowlton and Obadiah Coolidge lived in Vermont and then settled in Jay, Essex County, New York. Essex County is my black hole for genealogy research. I lose several members of my family there.

Sarah Knowlton Coolidge died in 1832 in Essex County and is buried there. Her tombstone was erected by her son Benjamin Knowlton Coolidge.

Photo Courtesy of Find A Grave.

My additional information request comes from the birth date on the tombstone does not correspond with the birth date in New Hampshire which I submitted as proof to the DAR.  So the requested I find the marriage record of Sarah Knowlton and Obadiah Coolidge or the will of Benjamin Knowlton naming Sarah as his daughter.

The Daughters of the American Revolution are sticklers for the documentation to prove the lineage. Benjamin Knowlton has several members under him but they all come through one child of his. He had several children who reached adulthood so this would open a new line to him. I am beginning to research sideways on this branch of the tree.

So I am thinking a research trip to Oneida County to see if I can find a will for Benjamin Knowlton or Phebe Knowlton may be necessary and then there is always a trip to Essex County, NY as there are almost no records on Family Search for them and there doesn’t seem to be many wills or deeds for the County anywhere before 1860 or so. I have 18 months to get my AIR resolved so if you have an idea or are researching these families, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to leave me a comment.

Have a great day.