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The Rollins Family
John Born 1852 Died 1930
Catherine Born 1845 Died 1919
Nettie Born 1881 Died 1916
Marjorie Born 1883 Died 1957
Sue Born 1888 Died 1959
St. John the Evangelist Cemetery, Barrytown. Granite tablet with footstones, just northeast of the church near the driveway.
John Rollins was the son of farmers Richard and Catherine Rollins of Ireland and grew up in the Town of Milan. In 1880, he was recorded living in the home of his father-in-law, Charles Gibson with his new wife, Catherine and her brother, James. Catherine’s mother was Mary Rollins, but it is unknown how closely related her mother and husband were, if at all.
Their tombstone tells us that John was born in 1852 and his wife Catherine seven years before him in 1845. This was unusual for the time, but not unheard of. The gap between their ages fluctuated between the 1880 and 1915 census, between one to five years, showing that someone reported a lower number for Catherine to the enumerator.
They lived in her father’s house in Barrytown until about 1888 after all three of their children were born. The family then removed to Northampton, MA where John was a salesman for more than two decades. It’s not known why they returned, but two things might have motivated them; one, their youngest daughter was chronically ill, and two, following the death of her brother William in 1911, Catherine obtained an inheritance by letters of administration. William Gibson had no heirs and made out his will in 1896, leaving his wealth to his surviving brothers Charles and George—both who died before he did. The paper reported William left $3,000 in real estate and a personal estate of $7,500, no small sum in 1911.
John and Catherine Rollins’ three daughters were Nettie (1881-1916), Marjorie (1883-1957), and Sue (or “Susie” as she was frequently enumerated, 1888-1959). None of them ever married. Nettie worked at a restaurant when they lived in Massachusetts and Marjorie was the secretary to Dr. Bell at St. Stephen’s College (the precursor to Bard) starting in 1920, retiring in 1946. Sue was not recorded as having an occupation, but she was a member of the church and the Red Hook Garden Club. She died while visiting Needham, MA. Their youngest sister, Nettie, died in 1916 after a long illness at the age of 35. Tenor James Young sang “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say” and “There’s a Beautiful Land on High” at her funeral in the church.
John Rollins was hale, hearty, and active at 78 years of age when he fell off a ladder while making repairs to their house. He succumbed to his injuries a few days later. The paper reported that he was “a great favorite among the younger people of the community” and that “the church was filled with neighbors and friends and…many floral tributes.”