James Issac Dey, son of John I. Dey

The information on this page was contributed by Tom Robertshaw.

James Issac Dey was born on January 15, 1800 in Middlesex County, New Jersey and he died on March 27, 1882 in Cooperstown, Venango County (western most X on the map to the right), Pennsylvania, approximately 300 miles from Matchaponix, New Jersey. He was the son of James I. Dey and the grandson of James J. Dey and Margaret Perrine.

James Isaac Dey married (1) Mary Elma Perrine on March 27, 1820 in Heightstown, Middlesex County, New Jersey. She was born on December 16, 1799 in Middlesex County, New Jersey and died on January 29, 1850 in Titusille, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.




James Isaac Dey and Mary Elma Perrine have a somewhat complicated family relationship.

Marriage Certificate in the possession of Viola Brown Perry, Erie, Pennsylvania (gg grand daughter)



Jame's father died in spring 1834, and James and Mary probably moved to Venango county in 1836, when the land they had been living on was sold to Benjamin Johnson for $400.


Plan of Jackson Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania, 1865 showing a 37 acre farm owend by James I. Dey. Coopertown is approximately 6 miles to the east. The farm was close to the Lake Branch of Sugar Creek.



On 6 Jan. 1877, James I. sold some land in Jackson Twp. to William J. Bradley, with james retaining rights to a burial plot of 30 x 60 feet. He is probably buried there. Mary is buried in the sunville Cem., Plum Twp., Venango Co. just a few miles from home.

  1. William Henry Dey was born on March 1, 1821 in Middlesex County, New Jersey and died on June 16, 1864 in Greenbush, Warren County, Iowa. He married Elizabeth Bunn who was born about 1826 aind died on January 24, 1905. They had 9 children.

  2. Lydia Ann Dey was born on September 29, 1823 in Allegheny County, New York.

  3. Stephen Abbott Dey was born on September 29, 1825 in Birdsall, Allegheny County, New York and died on April 10, 1889 in Sparland, Marshall County, Illinois. They had 5 children.

  4. Catherine Dey was born on September 27, 1827 in Allegneny County and died on May 22, 1854.

  5. John Spafford Dey was born on December 16, 1829 in New York and died on May 22, 1834 in New York.

  6. (Unknown) Dey was born before 1830 and died before 1840 in New York.

  7. Mary Jane Dey was born on October 19, 1831 in Birdsell and died on May 26, 1914 in Curry Hill, Crawford, Pennsylvania. She married Seymour Green.

  8. Sarah Matilda Dey was born on March 15, 1834 in Allegheny County, New York and died on November 14, 1909 in Hydetown, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.

  9. Margaell or Margaret Amy Dey was born on April 14, 1836 and died on June 28, 1906.

  10. James Elijah Dey was born on March 16, 1839 and died in 1913. He married A. Elma Lyons on November 25, 1858. She was born on July 1, 1841 in Pennsylvania and died on May 14, 1879 in Deerfield Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania. They had 7 children.

  11. Carline M. Dey was born on June 13, 1841 in Jackson Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania and she died there in 1909.

  12. George Lawrence Dey was born on August 16, 1843 in Jackson Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania and died in 1927. He married Sarah Jane Reese on June 29, 1867 in Venango County, Pennsylvania. She was born on April 6, 1850 and died in 1930. They had 4 children.

He married (2) Elizabeth Ann Phillips on January 3, 1855 in Cooperstown, Venango County, Pennsylvania. She was born on October 10, 1825 in Jackson Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania and died after December 24, 1882.

James Isaac Dey and Eliza Ann Phillips (2) taken around 1861
Children Probably are : Nancy E., Jospeh H., and Robert Alexander

  1. Nancy Elizabeth Dey was born on February 27, 1856 in Cooperstown and died on March 23, 1930 in Pleasant Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania. Nancy elizabeth Dey married Michael Kitelinger, and they lived in Tidioute, PA, near James Elijah, her brother. Nancy had 8 children.

  2. Joseph H. Dey was born on July 5, 1856 in Jackson Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania and died on July 19, 1925 in Franklin, Pennsylvania. He married Florence Tanner on November 15, 1904 in Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. He was born on August 13, 1866 in New Vernon, Mercenr County, Pennsylvania and died on November 24, 1943 in Fairfield Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania.They had 1 child.

    Tom Robertshaw wrote the following biography of Joseph H. Dey.

    Joseph H. Dey was the second child in the second marriage of James isaac Dey, and is the great-great grandfather of the author. The middle initial H. doen't represent any middle name, but was used to distinguish him from others with the same name. When Joseph was about 24 years old, he married his first wife, Irene Taggart. They lived in Clarendon, Warren co., PA. Joseph's brother, James E., and sister Nancy E. lived in Warren co. as well.

    Irene was the daughter of George and martha Taggart and sister of William J. Taggart, who married Susan hannah Dey. the Dey brother and sister married the Taggart brother and sister. Joseph and irene Dey had three children. then, before 1904, they got a divorce. Irene died 27 Sept 1913 in Torpedo, Pennsylvania froma severe stroke. She is buried in riverside Cem. in Pittsfield.

    Joseph remarried 15 Nov 1904 to Florence Tanner of Fairfield Twp., Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Florence had been previosly married to Isaac Crum. she was widowed in midlife with four sons, and one daughter. Joseph and Florence had only one child together, Bertha Beatrice Dey, probably because Florence was too old to have more children. Bertha remained close to the Crum children over the years.

    Joseph farmed part of his father's farm. They had chickens, apples, potatoes, and a variety of other produce. Florence's disabled sister, Jennie Moore, lived with the family for many years, as did her son. Joseph and Florence were only married 13 years before Joseph died in 1925 at age 68. Florence died in 1945 at the old age of 87. Joseph and Florence are buried in Peter's Cemetery not far from where Joseph's father first settled in 1836. When Bertha was a child, her family attended the Mount Joy church in the morning and Donation hill church in the afternoon, as the was the compromise struck by her parents who each belonged to different churches. Jennie Moore was a pie baker by profession, and the family grew a lot of fruit.

    Bertha, in her old age, described Joseph as a stern man, and when he spoke, his children obeyed. Bertha was punished with a peach tree switch or a piece of bridle as a child.

    When Florence sold the farm, and then died, she willed her estate to be divided among the three Crum sons and Bertha. She willed her organ to the Reese church, where it was never used.


    Joseph H. Dey and Florence Tanner Dey - grandparents of Tom Robertshaw

  3. Robert Alexander Jasper Dey was born on September 2, 1859 in Jackson Township and died on October 11, 1933 in Fink Ridge, Roman Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Robert alexander had his first marriage about 1870 to an Amy or Annie _____ and they had a daughter Mary who was born about 1879. Robert was a minister in the United Brethren church. He was the last survivor of his siblings.

    He married Clara Elizabeth Connell about 1888. She was born in October, 1872 in Warren, Pennsylvania and died there in 1919. The had 6 children.

  4. Washington Madison Dey was born on August 12, 1861 in Jackson Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania and he died on August 23, 1924 in Warren, Pennsylvnaia. He married Susan Magdaline Stonaker on January 19, 1892 in Warren. She was born on May 9, 1869 in Warren and died there on July 29, 1950. They had 4 children.

  5. Samuel Dey was born on October 19, 1863 in Jackson Township and did on October 15, 1912. He married Minnie Patterson on October 2, 1890. She was born on May 5, 1869 in Farmington, Pennsylvania. The had 2 children.

  6. Susan Hannah Dey was born on January 29, 1871 in Jackson Township and she died on April 2, 1919 at TItusville, Warren County, Pennsylvnia.

  7. Chester Dey was born on February 19, 1871 in Jackson Township and died there on January 5, 1872.

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