My Hypothesis on Layton’s father

Here’s the summary from the long list of Abraham’s descendants who could be Layton’s father.  Each of these males were in Rhode Island sometime between 1774-1800 according to the census information passed to me by my uncle Darrel.  Layton was born in 1774 (Aug 28) in Rhode Island.

Thomas (Joseph) – likely and my guess, only had 1 child (Thomas, Jr. in 1768) according to all the ancestry checks but lived until 1809 or 1819 which seems strange.  There’s confusion around his wife as there are two Hannah Staples born about the same time in RI.  Appears to have had at least 1 more son and likely a daughter.  Evidence of a Thomas moving near Tioga county in 1804.  May have served in revolutionary war which could be cause for Layton moving in with Laban Waterman.

Jonathan (Joseph) – somewhat likely, married a widow who had 2 or 3 girls, no record of their own children, appear to have a boy in their census readings, unlikely if Layton has brothers.  He lived until 1807 but Layton was not mentioned in will.

Benjamin (Joseph) – highly unlikely, didn’t marry until 1775 (born in 1750), did have a ton of kids and some undocumented, had kids named Lydia and Rachel (just like Layton), was war hero who died in 1830

Jason (Joseph) – highly unlikely, family seems well documented and has kids throughout the time when Layton would have been born

Jason (Elisha) – pretty unlikely- all the ancestry people have mixed up Jason of Joseph with Jason of Elisha and given them the same children.  They were both married to women named Sarah which doesn’t help.  However, he was born in 1757 so it would have been unlikely to have had a child by 1774.

Aaron (Elisha) – highly unlikely, lived in RI but family well documented

Elisha (Elisha) – highly unlikely, lived in RI but family well documented

David (Elisha) – highly unlikely, lived in RI but family well documented

Robert (Jacob) – small chance, doesn’t appear in RI until later, married in 1774 in Reheboth, MA