John Rogers Prince and Eliza Weston

Ancestry and Migration to Buffalo, New York

John Rogers Prince (the original!) and Eliza Weston exchanged matrimonial vows in 1827, solemnizing their union in Augusta, Maine. Following their nuptials, the couple relocated to Bangor, where they took up residence alongside the brother of John Rogers Prince. The early years of their union saw the birth of their first three offspring in Bangor, before their decision to uproot and migrate to Buffalo, New York, in 1835.

Regrettably, our attempts to trace the lineage of the Prince family beyond John Rogers Prince, born in New Hampshire in 1808, have yielded no definitive results. Eliza Weston, wife of John Rogers Prince, had been herself adopted into the esteemed Weston family of Augusta, Maine, of Judge Nathan Weston, Jr. (1782-1862). Tracing her precise origins has proven elusive. (look for another post on Weston family history.)

Within the context of our own ancestral line, we trace our lineage back to Eugene DeFersey Prince (1832–1912), one of twelve children born to John Rogers Prince and Eliza.

1. John Rogers Prince I 1808–1870 – BRICK WALL
2. Eliza Weston 1809–1901 – ADOPTED – parents unknown
   1. Olivia P. Prince 1828–1921
   2. James Offin Prince 1831–1864
   3. Eugene DeFersey Prince 1832–1912
   4. Sarah Rogers Prince 1835–1889
   5. Charles S. Prince PVT 1836–1866
   6. William P. Prince PVT 1838–1862
   7. Paulina Weston Prince 1840–1914
   8. Ruta E Prince 1843–
   9. Kate (Catherine) E. Prince 1844–1875
   10. Caroline Lauder Prince 1845–1926
   11. Melville Weston Prince 1848–1889
   12. Charlotte R. S. Prince 1849–1927
       • ♱ Olivie Prince 1869–1870 – FOSTER – parents unknown

Burial Documentation: Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo NYC

Some of the best info we have on the family can be found in a 1919 profile done on Olivia Prince Bidwell, eldest child of the couple: https://notmyhead.com/prince-family-album/olivia-prince-bidwell-5/ (notable inaccuracies that her father’s name and origin are mis-stated.) 

Article Takeaways:

• Eliza Weston was the adopted daughter of Judge Nathan Weston
• Mrs. Bidwell attended school in Bangor until age 12
• Her Uncle (presumable brother of JRP) lived in Bangor and leant her JRP’s school books
• JRP was employed by Bidwell & Davidson shipbuilders when family removed to Buffalo
• Son George Rogers Bidwell named for his mother’s great uncle:
  • Assumption: JRP’s maternal uncle. Perhaps was George Rogers, if his mother’s maiden name was Rogers.