March 2011 Quiz

First, I have changed the format of the quiz. In the past, I posted a question and then the next month I posted the answer and then asked the next question. Since the most recent posts appear at the top of the blog, the answer to the previous month’s question appeared before the question. So, I have changed all the quiz posts so the answer appears in the same post as the question. So, if you want to try to guess the answer, stop when you see "-- ANSWER." Have I over-explained this enough???

To see the answer to last month’s quiz, scroll down to “February 2011 Quiz.”

For March, 2011’s quiz, let’s go back to a family historical first… What distinction can Simeon Pendleton (-3) (1756-1822) and his wife, Tabitha Niles (c 1758-1842) claim?

A. They were the first couple of European descent to be married west of the Mississippi.

B. They were the founders of the American Kennel Club

C. They were the first Pendletons in America to get a divorce.

D. They were the first dairy farmers in Wisconsin Territory.

Check back next month for the answer (which will be added to this post.)

-- ANSWER

I gave a clue to the correct answer in WHEN they lived. We are sometimes blinded by our bias toward thinking that America was founded in the east and that the population gradually moved west. But, remember that the Spanish – also Europeans – had been living west of the Mississippi for years. In fact, Santa Fe, New Mexico was settled in 1607, a decade or so BEFORE the Pilgrims settled Plymouth colony. So, we can rule out they were the first couple to be married west of the Mississippi.

A quick search of the American Kennel Club’s web site informs us that it was founded in 1884. Since they had both already passed away by that time, we can rule that one out.

Another quick search of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s website reveals that the dairy industry in Wisconsin did not take hold until the middle of the 19th century. Interestingly, at the time Simeon and Tabitha were alive, Wisconsin was known as “America’s Breadbasket” and about 1/6th of all the wheat grown in America came from Wisconsin. And, although there was no clue to this fact in the quiz, Simeon and Tabitha never lived in Wisconsin. Simeon was born in Westerly, Rhode Island and died in New Berlin, New York. Tabitha, apparently, lived her entire life in Westerly.

So, on 25, Feb 1805, after nearly 30 years of marriage, and 9 children, Simeon and Tabitha were officially divorced; the first Pendleton couple in America to do so. Tabitha later married a man named Perry Bromley. I don’t know if Mr. Bromley had anything to do with the divorce… Could it also have something to do with the fact that Simeon was in New York and Tabitha was in Rhode Island?

By the way, Simeon was a grandson of James Pendleton (-5). This would make him and “Grandpa Roy” Pendleton 1st cousins, 3X removed.