After determining the approximate birth date for Betsey (Conners) Foss from the census, I went to the back to the Original Records of Maine Towns and Cities: The Town of Machias to find Betsey Conners birth and parents. After researching the census, her birth is estimated to be between July 16, 1786 and Jul 15, 1787. I was quickly able to locate what I needed to determine her birth date and parents.

On page 57 of the PDF I found the following:

After finding that I went back to the other Conners entry on page 55.

Interestingly, in both historical books that I have from Machias Betsey’s last name is written as Connors. Patrick Connors is also mentioned in the tax payers list. However, in the Machias VR the last name is spelled Conners. Which is right? Well what I did to determine the right spelling of the last name was to look at the grave records found in the Maine Old Cemetery Association for Washington County. I found two of Betsey’s brothers records. Both of the stones have the last named spelled as Conners.

Machias Cemetery, Court Street, Machias, Maine, Washington County

Page 573: Conners, John died 12-15-1855, Ae 66 Yrs.
Betsey, wf. died 3-4-1870, Ae 69 Yrs. 10 Months

Page 587: Conners, James F d. Sept. 8, 1865 Ae 72 yrs 5 mos.

I have not found the marriage record for Patrick and Sarah Conners. I was not able to find Sarah’s last name. Furthermore, I am unsure where they came from. This mystery will have to stay on the back burner for a little while.

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Original Records of Maine Towns and Cities: The Town of Machias [PDF]. (2005). Rockport, Maine: Picton Press.

Machias Cemetery, Court Street, Machias, Maine, Washington County. (2006). In WASHINGTON COUNTY, Maine Cemetery Inscriptions of. Maine Old Cemetery Association Special Publication No. 14 [PDF]. (pp. 564-608).