Hester (Silva) Stillwell (abt. 1807 - 1888)

Born about 28 Aug 1807 in Staten Island, Richmond, New York, United States

Ancestors

Wife of James Stillwell I — married 24 Sep 1824 in Staten Island, New York, USA [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 29 Mar 1888 at about age 80 in Long Branch, Monmouth, New Jersey, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Marion Ceruti [send private message]

Biography

Hester (Silva) Stillwell is the descendant of a New Netherland settler.

Hester (Silva) Stillwell has Jewish Roots.

Hester (Silva) Stillwell is the descendant of a Huguenot emigrant.

Hester (Silva) Stillwell was a New Yorker.

Hester (Silva) Stillwell was a New Jerseyan.

Hester was baptized 8 Mar. 1808 in or near the Moravian Church. Hester married Capt. James Stillwell on 24 Sep. 1824 at Clifton, Staten Island. She passed away at the age of 81.

Her grand daughter, Jennie Brower, married a man whose last name was Morris. Jennie and her husband had a son, Robert. The oup photo features four generations: 1. Hetty Stillwell, seated to the right, 2. Hetty's daughter, Lavinia Stillwell Brower, standing in back, 3. Jennie Brower Morris, seated with 4. baby Robert Morris.

The obituary indicates that her death date was the 29th and that she was the widow of Capt. James Stillwell. The funeral was conducted at the Presbyterian Church, Stapleton, Staten Island at 11 A.M. on Sat. 31 March. The obituary goes on to state, "Carriages will be at the St. George on arrival of 10 A.M. boat from New York."

The Silva-Stillwell House Built 1820

According to Hetty Stilwell Lee, Richard Silva (1769-1843) (her great grandfather) was the father of Hester Silva Stillwell, aka "Grandma Silva Stillwell." He was also the husband of Hester Taylor Silva.

In 1820, Richard Silva built the house featured in the photo at Clifton, Staten Island, New York, USA.

This photo, which has been enhanced digitally for contrast, features at least two people standing in front of the house - a man and a woman, identified as Capt. James Stillwell and his wife, Hetty Silva Stillwell. A third person, evidently a man, may be seated on the left and facing to the right (presenting a profile to the viewer) working on something, maybe a machine. The image is not clear enough to determine either the identity of this person, or the subject of his work.

From either direct knowledge or circumstantial evidence, we know that the picture is annotated on the back in the handwriting of four generations of Stillwell descendants: Margaret Stilwell Bird, Mary Cecilia Bird Smith, Bird Smith Dawson, and Marion Grace Ceruti. Information in parentheses are clarifications added later.

Margaret Stillwell Bird wrote: "Grandma Silva Stillwell Home - buiild by her father in 1800 (corrected to 1820) at Cllifton Staten Island, N. Y. ("Y" crossed out and changed incorrectly to "J") Richard Silva overlooking N. J. Bay."

Mary Cecilia Bird Smith wrote: "Picture of Hetty Silva Stillwell, wife of Jas Stillwell, married in early (illegible word) of year 1800 (corrected to 1820)"

Bird Smith Dawson wrote: "1473 or 1475 Richmond Blvd. Clifton, Staten Island great great great grand parents of Marion and Raymond Ceruti."

Marion Grace Ceruti wrote: "James Stillwell and Hester Silva Stillwell's house m. 24 Sep. 1824, parents of Margaret Stillwell."

It can be surmised with reasonable confidence that James Stillwell and Hester Silva Stillwell either inherited or purchased this house from from Richard Silva and/or Hester Taylor Silva.

Sources

• Family records,
• DAR records [1]
• Staten Island records
• [HSL, 1931] ”Stillwell" compiled by Hetty Stillwell Lee. October 1931. Excerpts were distributed at the Stillwell Family Reunions held in New York City during the first half of the 20th century. In addition to her own family observations and private communications with various cousins, Hetty Stillwell Lee used sources from the New York Public Library, the Long Island Historical Society, and church records and from a family Bible. These sources included records from Staten Island regarding the early Stillwell family in the New York area. The titles of two documents were cited among the sources: 1. "Memoirs of the Stilwell family" and 2. “Notes on the Descendants of Nicholas Stillwell, the Ancestor of the Stillwell Family in America.” The first document was not found during extensive searches, whereas the second document is believed with reasonable certainty to be [WHS, 1883]. That either document could have been [BMS, 1878] has been ruled out by the fact that some of the key information in [BMS, 1878] is inconsistent with [HSL, 1931]. The second document cited in [HSL, 1931] has been located and is present in the collections of major libraries. The complete citation of the second document, [WHS, 1883], is given below on the reference list.

N.B. Copies of [HSL, 1931] were distributed at the annual Stillwell Family Reunions, which were held from ca. 1923 to ca. 1948, mostly in the Woodstock Hotel in New York City. At least one copy of the document was received by about 50 Stillwell descendants who attended at least one reunion dinner. Many more copies could be in other private collections maintained by other Stillwell family historians. Therefore, it is not fair to say that Hetty Stillwell Lee's document resides solely in the collection of profile manager and family historian, Marion Ceruti, since anyone who attended the reunions is presumed to have received a copy, which could be in the possession of his or her descendent(s). It is fair to say that almost no adult who attended the last reunion is still living. Two copies of [HSL, 1931] are located in Eastport, New York, USA, and a more recent photocopy is located in San Diego, California, USA. These documents are in profile manager Marion Ceruti's private collection.

• Page from the Stillwell-Silva Family Bible written in very elegant penmanship, probably that of James Stillwell or his wife, Hester Silva Stillwell. Family Record page lists marriages on one side and births on the other. It starts with James and Hester Stillwell, married 24 Sep. 1824. This page lists their children and their birthdays, as well as their marriages.
• "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch [2] entered 3 June 2020, James Stillwell in entry for Richard S. Stillwell, 18 Dec 1916; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,324,305.
• "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch [3] entered 2 June 2020, James Stillwell in entry for Mary Virginia Patterson, 23 Dec 1901; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,324,044.
• Obituary from an unnamed local newspaper found in the obituary collection of Bird Smith Dawson.