The Lyons, NY Anstees

by Gary. M. Anstey, chief researcher of the Anstey story project.

Many thanks to Mary DeLisio and Earl Anstee for their contributions to this pedigree.

Overview of the Lyons, NY Anstees

The Lyons Anstees of Wayne County in the State of New York, America are headed by George A. Anstee (b c1814 England) and his wife Ann H. Anstee (b c1817 England). We are still working on connecting this sub-branch to the overall Anstey pedigree and to do that we could do with having access to either:

  • George Anstee‘s documented arrival in America in c1839;
  • George Anstee and Ann H. Norris‘s marriage certificate in c1839;
  • George Anstee‘s 1859 death certificate;
  • George Anstee‘s 1859 gravestone inscription;
  • Ann H. Anstee‘s 1892 gravestone inscription; and/or
  • an obituary in a local newspaper for either George Anstee (1859) or Ann H. Anstee (1892)

all or any of which may provide us the clues to make the connection.

Earl Anstee’s Research

Mary DeLisio has kindly provided us with research notes made by Earl Raymond Anstee (son of John Margot Anstee below). The notes were made “well before the early 1970s“, at which point they were passed to Mary, and they will hopefully be able to help us connect this sub-branch to the overall Anstey pedigree. In the notes, which appear ‘as is’, Earl Anstee wrote:

“George A. Anstee born in England about 1814 died of tuberculosis Lyons township 1859. Married to Ann H Norris [Norres] born England 1816 died Sept 9 1892 Lyons township aged 76 [of cancer of the liver]. Daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Norris.

When they came to the United States is not known at this time. A daughter Caroline was born Albany County NY in 1843 and a son William George Anstee born 10-17-1850 in Albany County, NY. The 1855 Census has George A. Anstee aged 41, shoemaker by trade, Ann H. Anstee age 39, Caroline Anstee age 15 and William George Anstee age 4. There was a Ruth Kendle age 83 living with the family in 1855. They moved from Albany County to Lyons Township, Wayne County in 1851 along with the family of James Weller Snr.

When William G Anstee was 9 years old his father died and he was the only Anstee left in the US that we know of. So the Anstee name in the US was carried by a nine year old boy. Caroline married a James Vanderburg and moved back to Albany County. No children. William G Anstee married Mary Elizabeth Weller born 10-23-1853 in US, daughter of James Weller Snr and Harriet Brazer Weller. They had nine children, six boys and three girls…William G. Anstee born in the US named his sons after famous Americans where the older generation were named after British Kings and Queens”

Earl Anstee was also a World War Two Anstey Hero (Serial Number 32234808, Service connected to disability No 10941616). He entered the Army on 19 February 1942 and was discharged on 19 January 1946 (discharge recorded Scottsburg Ind, Lyons, NY). Earl‘s rank was Technician Fourth (Sergeant); he was attached to the 392nd Ord Co. Instructor Armoured School and Training Centre, Crew Chief.

George A. Anstee (b c1814 England)

George A. Anstee must have arrived in America just before 1840 because the family was in Berne, Albany, New York in the 1840 Census, where George Anstee “aged 20-30” was living with a female “aged 20-30” and a daughter aged “under 5“. As such, George A. Anstee must have married Ann H. Norris in c1839 or so, possibly in England, possibly in America. They had two children:

  • Caroline Anstee (b 1840 New York, known as ‘Carrie‘ living with her mother in the 1860 Census, she probably married James Vandeberg in c1865 in Wayne, having children Elizabeth Tagg (b 1867 Lyons); Edward Vandeberg (b 1869 Lyons); and Anna May Vandeberg (b 1871). Caroline likely died in 1900); and
  • Willliam George Anstee (b 1850 New York – see below)

As noted above by Earl Anstee in his research, George A. Anstee was a shoemaker by trade, moving from Albany County to Lyons Township, Wayne County in 1851; he died of tuberculosis in Lyons township in 1859.

Ann H. Anstee (b c1817 England)

Ann H. Anstee, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Norris per Earl Anstee‘s research notes above, was born in c1817 in England, wife of George A. Anstee. After her husband died in 1859, we find that in the 1860 Census, Ann Anstee, “aged 45” was living in Lyons, Wayne County with her two children Caroline Anstee (“born 1840 New York“) and William Anstee (“born 1849 New York“). In the 1870 New York Census Ann Anstee “aged 53, born in England“, was living in Arcadia, Wayne County, “keeping house“. She was living with her son William, aged 19, a farm labourer. By the 1880 Census she was a “dressmaker” living alone in Lyons, Wayne County, “aged 64“.

In the 1891 ‘Lyons Directory‘ appears “Anstee Ann H. widow h Phelps c Jackson” she died on 9 September 1892 in Lyons of cancer of the liver (per Earl Anstee‘s research notes above).

William George Anstee (b 1850 New York)

William George Anstee (possibly his first name was ‘George‘) was born in New York (though see below) in 1850 to parents George A. Anstee and Ann H. Anstee. He married Mary Elizabeth Weller (b 1853), probably in 1874 (Mary put in the 1930 Census that she married at “age 21“), and they had children:

  • Rose Belle Anstee (b 1874 Lyons, married Frederick B. Cooper in 1895 in Lyons – they lived in Syracuse in 1912);
  • William Henry Anstee (b 1875 Lyons, married Mary Worley in 1905 in Lyons and they had children Clarence Henry Anstee (b 1907, married Helen Marie Thomson) and Doris Isabel Anstee (b 1911, married Melvin Simmons and then William Timpson). William died in 1912 while undergoing an operation, the ‘Syracuse Herald‘ reported on 18 June 1912 “Lyons June 18. The death of William H. Anstee who lived in Montezuma Street this village died Sunday at the Geneva Hospital while undergoing an operation. The remains were brought here yesterday morning and taken to his home. Mr Anstee was born in this village 37 years ago and had always lived here. Besides his parents Mr and Mrs G. Anstee of this village he is survived by his widow Mrs Mary Anstee, one son Clarence Anstee, one daughter Doris Anstee of this village, five brothers Frank Anstee, Grover Anstee and George Anstee of this village, Charles Anstee of Manchester and John Anstee of Manchester, three sisters Mrs F. Cooper of Syracuse, Mrs Edward Yackal of this village and Mrs Leon Palmeter of Savannah. The funeral will be held from his late home in Montezuma Street tomorrow afternoon at 2 o clock“. William was buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Lyons);
  • Charles Benjamin Anstee (b 1876 Lyons, married first Addie Cooper and then Jessie McCall Street [or Beach?] (1876-1946, buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Lyons) and they had two children Vida Anstee (b 1907) and Irene Anstee (b 1910, married August C. Wunder in 1927 in Lyons). Charles died in 1955 buried at Elmwood Cemetery Lyons, Wayne County, New York, USA – “Charles B. Anstee, 79 year old farmer and labourer and lifelong resident of Lyons, died Tuesday at the Lyons Hospital after a long illness. He was born in Lyons May 22, 1876, a son of William and Mary Anstee. He leaves two daughters, Mrs. August Wunder of Lyons and Mrs. George Copeland of East Rochester; four grandchildren and three great grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Fred Cooper of Syracuse and two brothers, John of Clyde and Grover Anstee of Lyons. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.” per June 9, 1955 edition of ‘The Lyons Republican, NY‘);
  • George Washington Anstee (b 1878 Lyons, he married first Cora Lulu Arnold, having a son Floyd W. Anstee (b 1903 Lyons, living with his mother Cora L. Price and stepfather Francis L. Price in Geneva, Ontario in the 1915 Census – he married Florence Conklin). George and Cora must have split up soon after 1905 because George married Ida Elseworth in 1913 in Wayne County – he was already living with Ida in the 1910 Census in Lyons. George died in 1941 in Rochester);
  • Caroline Anna Anstee (b 1881 Lyons, known as ‘Carrie‘ married Arthur Thomas Miller in 1899 in Wayne County and later Edward Lewis Yackel in 1906 in Wayne. She died in 1934 buried at Oakwood Cemetery Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York);
  • John Margot Anstee (b 1882 Lyons, married Mary Louise Havert having children in Lyons Carl John Anstee (b 1903, married Myrtle Lorraine Colegrove); Leon Jacob Anstee (b 1904); Glen P. Anstee (b 1910); Earl Raymond Anstee (b 1914, married Della Augusta Everitt – researched this family line, see above) and Irwin R. Corky Anstee (b 1928). John Margot Anstee was living in Clyde in 1922, he died in 1972);
  • Albert Anstee (b 1885 Lyons, died 1886);
  • Frank Anstee (b 1887 Lyons, he was living in Lyons with his mother Mary, a single man, in 1930, handicapped with spinal meningitis. He died 1933 buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Lyons);
  • Edward W. Anstee (b 1890 Lyons, died 1891);
  • Bessie Elizabeth Anstee (b 1892 married Leon Henry Palmeter in 1910 at Niagara Falls. They lived in Savannah in 1912. She died in 1924 “Bessie Palmeter, 32, died at her home in Elmer Street, Wednesday last. Surviving are her husband, Leon Palmeter; five children, Eveline, Leona, Hazel, Kenneth and Leo; her mother, Mrs. William G. Anstee; five brothers, Charles, Grover and Frank Anstee of Lyons, George Anstee of Rochester and John Anstee of Clyde; two sisters, Mrs. Carrie Yackel and Mrs. Fred Cooper, both of Syracuse.” per the ‘Newark Courier‘, January 8, 1925 edition. She was buried at Lyons Rural Cemetery Lyons, Wayne County, New York); and
  • Grover Cleveland Anstee (b 1894 Lyons, married Ella Minnie Herbst in 1923 in Lyons, having children Mary Louise Anstee (b 1928); Freda Ella Anstee (b 1931); Gladys Mary Anstee; and Arthur Anstee (b 1939). Grover Anstee died in 1985 in Lyons).

In the ‘Syracuse Post Standard‘ 30 July 1900 was reported “Lyons 29 July. While William Anstee, a West Lyons farmer, was plowing on Friday, the plough came into contact with a yellow jackals nest and in a short time the bees were stinging the horses in a horrible manner. Anstee hastened to unhook the traces and get the animals away from the plough when one of the horses kicked him in the right knee, injuring him so that he will be unable to work for some time. He finally succeeded in freeing the horses, but not before they were badly stung.“

In 1908, per the ‘Union Gazette‘ 5 December 1908 edition, “William Anstee, a Lyons farmer, was held up and robbed of $8.00 in money and his horse and wagon about half past eight Tuesday night, about a mile and a half west of Lyons“.

William George Anstee died in September 1922. A notice in the ‘Newark Union Gazette‘ on 15 September 1922 reads “DEATH Anstey William G, 71 at Lyons September 9. Survivors wife; three daughters Mrs Edward Yackle, Lyons; Mrs Leo Palmeter, Clyde; five sons Charles, Frank, Grover Anstee, Lyons; George Anstee Rochester; John Anstee, Clyde; 19 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren. Funeral Monday. Burial in Lyons Rural Cemetery“.

William Anstee was buried at Elmwood Cemetery Lyons, Wayne County, New York. His widow Mary Anstee was buried in 1941 in Elmwood Cemetery, Lyons as “Mary W Anstee“.

Note: It is just possible (though very unlikely) that William George Anstee was not born in New York, but born in England per the censuses filled in by his son George Washington Anstee (in all of which he put his father was born in England). Having said that, almost all other documentation states that William George Anstee was born in New York.

Further Details on the Lyons, NY Anstees

We are actively on the lookout for Lyons, NY Anstee experts alive today who are willing to add their findings and knowledge to this project. We are particularly interested in research regarding Lyons, NY Anstees who fought in World War One, preferably with personal souvenirs such as letters sent by the soldiers or military photos etc. 

Anybody who has such expertise and inclination, please contact us at research@theansteystory.com.

We have already uploaded bits of information and documentation about the Lyons, NY Anstees, and continue to upload more all the time (see Project Updates), however it is spread over various segments of the website.

The best way to find said information is to enter ‘Lyons, NY’ in the search box at the bottom of this page and a list of relevant pages will appear.

Anybody who finds any mistakes on this page, please contact us at research@theansteystory.com and we will correct it.

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