Otis was 18 years old[~] ; Caroline was 15 years old.[~] (They were married 52 years).
Census
20 Jul 1850
Franklinville, Cattaraugus County, New York, USA [4]
Otis B Fitch appears in the 1850 Census in Franklinville, NY, about 70 N of Johnsonburg PA. He appears at line 27, as the 113th dwelling visited.
On line 20, at the 112th dwelling visited, the following people appear:
Ephraim Fitch, age 58? Born M??? (Massachusetts?) b~1792
Othalia? Fitch, age 51? (Possibly Athalia?) Born in New York (“N.Y.â€) b~1799
John O Fitch, age 21 b~1829
Lydia Fitch, age 15 b~1835
Charles D?, age 12 b~1838
E??cta?, age 8 female b~1842
David? Mayer, age 85; listed as pauper, no occupation listed b~1765.
There were 11 people from the FITCH and NICHOLS families living together. Otis and Caroline Fitch and their three children (Maria, 9; Ophelia, 7; and Fitz A, 2), along with George W and Mary Z Nichols and their four sons (William H, 8; Judson C, 6; Frank E, 3; and James H, 1).
Otis FITCH listed his occupation as farmer ($800 real estate; $300 personal estate); George W NICHOLS listed his occupation as "Cabinet-maker" ($30 personal estate).
Notes
There is a Maggie FITCH, age 12, listed as living with Abbie and Ernest FITCH in the 1900 Census for Elk County. I seriously doubt this is Ernest and Abbie's daughter, as they would have been 11 when Maggie was conceived. There is no information about who Maggie's parents are, though. Could she be a niece, or perhaps Ernest's baby sister? Age 12 in 1900 would have had her born in 1888, but Otis would have been about 50 then.
20 Apr 2012
When I got a better copy of the 1900 Elk County Census, I could see that Maggie is listed as the adopted daughter of Caroline, born Sep 1887, age 12 at last birthday.
Caroline is listed as (M)arried, not widowed or divorced, but she's also listed as Head of Household.
Search for Ephraim Fitch, b~1792; He is listed as being 58 in the 1850 Census, possibly born in Mass. Ancestry shows hits for Ephraim Fitch in NY State Censuses.
_UID
E46A4A1ECA93D81190300010A47A43D40152
Event Map
Born - Abt 1832 - New York, USA
Census - 20 Jul 1850 - Franklinville, Cattaraugus County, New York, USA
Child - Maria FITCH - Abt 1851 - New York, USA
Child - Ophelia FITCH - Abt 1853 - Pennsylvania, USA
Child - Fitz A FITCH - Abt 1858 - Pennsylvania, USA
Census - 15 Jun 1860 - Liberty, McKean County, Pennsylvania, USA
Child - Maggie FITCH - Sep 1887 - Pennsylvania, USA
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set
Source Citations
[S233] 1860 Census of McKean County, Liberty TWP, PA, Libety TWP; McKean Co, PA; Roll M653_1138; page 759; image 166 (Reliability: 2).
[S26] Letter - Fulton, Mary - 3/15/2004 (Reliability: 2).
[S234] 1850 Census of Cattaraugus Co Franklinville city NY, Franklinville, Cattaraugus, New York; Roll: M432_480; Page: 385; Image: 136 (Reliability: 2).
Shows them "Married within the year," and the census is dated 20 July 1850.
[S234] 1850 Census of Cattaraugus Co Franklinville city NY, Franklinville, Cattaraugus, New York; Roll: M432_480; Page: 385; Image: 136.
[S233] 1860 Census of McKean County, Liberty TWP, PA, Liberty TWP; McKean Co, PA; Roll M653_1138; page 759; image 166 (Reliability: 2).