This post contains all the information I have collected to date for Mary (aka Marleah)(Moulton) Kanistanaux. I will update the page as new information is gathered, so bookmark this page and check back often.
Marleah appears to be the daughter of Eli Moulton & his spouse Catherine. Marleah is identified as “Indian” in census records.
Timeline
- Apr-1826 – born in Canada (1875, 1892 and 1905 NYS Census, 1880 & 1900 US Census, Horton Family Bible, Death Record).
- c1844 – a presumed daughter, who used the name Leonetta
(Lee-o-netto, etc.), is born in New York State (1870 US Census, also see the Lee-o-netto page for sources). - c1857 – a presumed daughter named Carrie is born in Canada (1870 US Census, 1875 NYS Census, Horton Family Bible).
- c1859 – a presumed son named Henry Isaac is born in Canada (1870 US Census, 1875 NYS Census, 1880 US Census).
- 1861-1875 – married Laton Kindness/Kanistanaux (1875, 1892 & 1905 NYS Census, 1870, 1880 & 1900 US Census, Laton’s 1901 Application)
- c1866 – presumed to be “Kanistanaux Indian Doctress” who first appears at McKean Co., PA (County History).
- 1870 – presumed to be the 38 year old “Indian” woman named Marleah found with U-ta-wa-un at Rondout, NY (1870 US Census).
- 1870 – resident of Rathbone, Steuben Co., NY as the 44 year old Indian Physician born in NY (1870 US Census).
- 1870-1871 – presumed to be the “Kanistanaux Indian Doctress” advertising in Corning and Naples, NY (Newspapers).
- c1873 – a presumed son named William is born in Canada or NY (1875 & 1892 NYS Census, 1880 US Census).
- 1875 – resident of Stockton, Chautauqua Co., NY as the 48 year old wife of Laton Kanistanaux (1875 NYS Census).
- 1876-1881 – presumed to be “Marleah, the Indian Doctress” advertising in New York (newspapers).
- 1877 & 1879 – presumed to be “Mar-le-ah (the Wild Flower)” performing with U-ta-wa-un in the Northeast (newspapers).
- 1880 – resident of Stockton, Chautauqua Co., NY as the 54 year old “Indian” wife of Laton Kanistanaux. Marleah and her mother are born in Canada while her father is born in CT. Her husband and her children are listed as “Mulatto” (1880 US Census).
- 1892 – resident of Stockton, Chautauqua Co., NY as the 65 year old wife of Laton Kanistanaux. She is called “Mary”, is “colored” rather than Indian and born in Canada (1892 NYS Census).
- Jul-1900 – resident of Stockton, Chautauqua Co., NY as the 73 year old wife of Laton Kanistanaux. She is called “Mary” and is listed as white. She was born July 1826 in Canada as was her mother. Her father was born in CT. She has been married 45 years and is the mother of 4 children all still living. She can read and write and speaks English (1900 US Census).
- Jun-1905 – resident of Stockton, Chautauqua Co., NY as the 79 year old wife of Laton Kanistanaux. She is listed as “Indian” born in Canada and using the name “Mary” (1905 NYS Census).
- 17-Jul-1906 – died in Stockton, Chautauqua Co., NY (Horton Family Bible, Death Record).
Discussion & Notes
Native people are often found in census as “Mulatto” and sometimes as “Black”. It seems to be a quirk of the individual census takers rather than a true or proper racial identification. I surmise from the 1880 Census that the census taker for that year saw Layton as being lighter skinned than Marleah. It appears the census taker first recorded the children as “Indian” than changed it to “Mulatto”, but never changed Marleah’s entry. The big mystery seems to be why Marleah is traveling with U-ta-wa-un instead of Layton. Another curiosity concerns her children. Why is the younger Lee-o-netto never found with her siblings? On the 1900 Census, both Marleah and Laton claim to have been married for 45 years, placing the marriage about 1855. Now with the discovery of Laton’s real identity and information about his first marriage about 1857, that 1855 marriage date is impossible. He was married to another woman and living in Wisconsin at that time. The children with Marleah in the 1870 and 1875 Census can not be her children by Laton, suggesting Marleah had a previous marriage. Birth years and locations of the children suggest her 1st marriage may have been in Canada about 1844. Well, I guess the census isn’t actually saying they were married to each other 45 years only that they were first married 45 years ago..
Sources & Documents
- Find-A-Grave Memorial # 42293999
- Horton Family Bible
- Marleah’s business brochure
- 1870 Federal Census for Rondout, Ulster Co., NY
- 1870 Federal Census for Rathbone, Steuben Co., NY
- 1875 NY State Census
- 1880 Federal Census for Stockton, NY
- 1892 New York State Census
- 1900 Federal Census for Stockton, NY
- Laton’s 1901 Application
- 1905 New York State Census
- 1906 Death Record
- Various Newspapers – see Marleah & U-ta-wa-un
- The Kanistanaux Homestead in Stockton
- Review & To-Do for Marleah
See the Kanistanaux Map at Google.
Do you have any information to add or questions?
Please leave a comment.
The Ne-Do-Ba Research Journal 