The history of Redding, Connecticut : from its first settlement to the present time, Part 24

Author: Todd, Charles Burr, 1849- cn
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Newburgh, N.Y. : Newburgh Journal Company
Number of Pages: 402


USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Redding > The history of Redding, Connecticut : from its first settlement to the present time > Part 24


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30


John Bartram, son of David the first, married, September 19, 1756, Charity Bulkley. Family record mentions two children, Sally and Sam- uel.


BATES.


Elias Bates was received to church membership in Redding, Janu- ary 19, 1745. His wife, Sarah, March 4, 1748. There is no hint of his previous residence, and he probably came here direct from England. His children recorded in Redding were: Justus, baptized July 26, 1747; and Sarah, baptized February 2, 1752; by a second wife, Tabitha , Walker, baptized January 6, 1760; Elias, baptized February 16, 1761, died in infancy.


John Bates, probably son of Elias, married Esther -. Their children were: Ezra, baptized March 23, 1760, died in infancy ; John, baptized July 25, 1762; Sarah, baptized May 5, 1764; Esther, baptized August 23, 1767 ; Nathan, baptized March 25, 1770; Aaron, July 1, 1772; Martha and Slawson, January 26, 1778.


Justus Bates, son of Elias, married Hannah Coley, May 23, 1770. They had one child, Elias, baptized October 4, 1772, who married, No- vember 9, 1793, Lydia Andrews, of Redding, and was the father of three children-Walker, born June 4, 1796; Amaziah, born May 17, 1801; and Harriet, born May 21, 1804.


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


BEACH.


John Beach, missionary of the Church of England in Redding, was born in Stratford, Conn., October 6, 1700. His father was Isaac Beach, son of John Beach who came from England in 1643. He graduated from Yale College in 1721. He married, first Sarah -, who died in 1756; and, second, Abigail Holbrook, who after his death returned to Derby. He had in all nine children. Those who had families were: Joseph, born September 26, 1727; Phebe, born 1729, married Daniel Hill of Redding, died 1751, leaving a son Abel; John, born 1734, married Phebe Curtis, died in 1791 ; Lazarus, born 1736, had two children, viz., Lazarus, born 1760, and Isaac, born 1773.


Lazarus inherited his father's land in Redding, at Hopewell, near which he built his house. Lazarus Beach, Jr., was of a literary turn, and edited a paper at Bridgeport, and afterward at Washington, D. C. On his journey to the latter place he lost his trunk or valise, containing the Beach manuscripts, and all his materials gathered for the purpose of writing a memoir of his distinguished grandfather. He built the house now standing near Mr. Godfrey's. Isaac Beach built the house later occupied by Hull B. Bradley, now Mr. Noble Hoggson's. The Rev. John Beach lived about thirty or forty rods south of the church, proba- bly on the site of the old Captain Munger house, which has long since disappeared. Lucy, daughter of the Rev. John Beach, married Rev. Mr. Townsend, and was lost at sea on her passage to Nova Scotia, probably at the time of the great exodus of Loyalists after the Revolution. The mother of James Sanford, Sen., was the daughter of Lazarus and grand- daughter of Rev. John Beach.


BENEDICT.


The Benedicts were a Norwalk family and settled quite largely in Ridgefield. The first of the name whom I find in Redding was Thad- deus Benedict, who was a lawyer and town clerk for a term of years. His house stood in the lot adjoining the Congregational parsonage, near the site of the present residence of James Gregory. His law office was under the great elm in front of his house. He married Deborah Read, July 12, 1775, daughter of Colonel John Read, who bore him several children.


BETTS.


Lieutenant Stephen Betts, a prominent character in the Revolu- tion, lived on Redding Ridge, in a house that stood on the corner, nearly opposite the former residence of Francis A. Sanford. He was an active Whig, and was taken prisoner by the British on their march to Danbury in 1777. He had a son Daniel, and two or three daughters, of whom I


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


have no record. His son Daniel was a merchant for a while on Redding Ridge and then removed to New Haven, where some of his children are now living.


BURR.


Among the earliest settlers of Redding were Jehu, Stephen and Peter Burr, sons of Daniel Burr, of Fairfield, and brothers of the Rev. Aaron Burr, President of Princeton College. They all appear at about the same time, viz., 1730. In October of that year Stephen Burr was elected a member of the first Society Committee of the parish. He mar- ried Elizabeth Hull, June 8th, 1721. Children: Grace, born December 12th, 1724; Elizabeth, born January 17, 1728; Hezekiah, born September Ist, 1730; Sarah, born November 9th, 1732; Martha, born March 24th, 1735; Esther, born February 5th, 1743; Rebecca. He married, second, Abigail Hall, of New Jersey. He lived in a house that stood where Miss Burgess now lives. His only son, Hezekiah, died December, 1785, un- married. Of the daughters, Grace married Daniel Gold, Elizabeth mar- ried Reuben Squire, Sarah married Joseph Jackson, Martha married Zacariah Summers, Esther married Antony Angevine, and Rebecca, Seth Sanford. Deacon Stephen Burr died in 1779. Of him Colonel Aaron Burr wrote in his journal in Paris: "My uncle Stephen lived on milk punch, and at the age of eighty-six mounted by the stirrup a very gay horse, and galloped off with me twelve miles without stopping, and was I thought less fatigued than I."


Peter Burr first appears in Redding as clerk of a society meeting held October IIth, 1730. His children were Ellen, baptized September 19, 1734; Sarah, baptized February 21st, 1736; Ezra, baptized January 2d, 1737; Edmund, baptized September 28th, 1761. Peter Burr died in August, 1779. His children shortly after removed to Virginia.


Jehu Burr and wife were admitted to church-membership in Redding September 24th, 1738. None of his children were recorded in Redding, and none, so far as known, settled there. He owned property in Fair- field, and probably spent the last years of his life there.


Jabez Burr, son of Joseph Burr, of Fairfield, and his wife Elizabeth, appear in Redding as early as 1743. Their children were Elijah, bap- tized May 15th, 1743; Nathan, born January Ist, 1745; Jabez, - Ezekiel, born March 23d, 1755; Stephen, born January 16th, 1757; Joel, born September 9th, 1759; Eunice, Huldah, and Hannah. Jabez Burr died in 1770. He is said to have settled in the Saugatuck Valley, near the present residence of Stephen Burr, and to have built there the first grist-mill in the town. Of his children, Elijah married Roda Sanford, April 2d, 1767, and had children-Lemuel and Elizabeth ; and by a sec- ond wife-Eunice Hawley, married April 27th, 1773-Joseph, Roda,


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


John (who died of yellow-fever in the West Indies), and Lucy, who mar- ried Jonathan Knapp, of Redding. Nathan, the second son, removed to Pawlings, Dutchess Co., N. Y., in 1792, and there founded a numer- ous and wealthy family. Jabez, the third son, married Mary, daughter of Paul Bartram, and removed to Clarendon, Vt., in 1786. He had one son, Aaron. Ezekiel, married Huldah Merchant, of Redding, who bore him three children: Aaron, who lived and died in the house now owned by John Nickerson; William, who removed to Kentucky in 1816; and Huldah, who married Daniel Mallory in 1806, and removed to the West.


A son of William Burr became President of the St. Louis National Bank. Another son, George, a teller in the same institution, was the companion of Prof. Wise in his late fatal balloon expedition, and shared the fate of the aeronaut. Stephen Burr married Mary Griffin, of Red- ding. His children were: Clara, Mary, Stephen, and Ezekiel. Joel Burr married Elizabeth Gold and settled in Ballston Springs, N. Y.


BURRITT.


William Burritt and wife were admitted members of the church De- cember 9th, 1739. No hint of their previous residence is given. Their children recorded at Redding were: Mary, baptized December 16th, 1739; Abijah, January 18th, 1741 ; Roda, October 24, 1742; Sybil, Febru- ary 19, 1744~Gershom Burritt appears at the same time. His son Solo- mon was baptized August 5th, 1739; Noah, January 3Ist, 1742; Na- thaniel, October 17th, 1743; Isaac, July 2Ist, 1745.


BURTON.


Benjamin, son of Solomon Burton, baptized December 19th, 1742. Ruth, daughter, baptized October 7th, 1744. Solomon Burton and wife, church members July 5th, 174I.


CHATFIELD.


Samuel Chatfield and wife were admitted church members July 29th, 1733. Their children recorded were: Samuel, baptized July 29th, 1733; Daniel, baptized August 31st, 1735; Sarah, April 17th, 1737; Martha, baptized May 20th, 1739.


COUCH.


Captain Samuel Couch, of Fairfield, was one of the largest landhold- ers in Redding at one time, and was largely instrumental in its settlement. He was, however, never resident here. Ebenezer Couch appears here as early as 1739. His children recorded were: Daniel, baptized July 29th, 1739; Adea, baptized September 19th, 1742; Elijah, baptized July 26th, 1747; Thesde, January 26th, 1755.


Bunnell not Bari


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


The following children of John Couch and his wife Elizabeth are recorded: John, baptized March 20th, 1748; Stephen, January 21st, 1753; Adria, baptized April 20th, 1755; Elizabeth, baptized July 17th, 1757; Samuel, baptized August 30th, 1758.


At an early day, nearly the entire district of Couch's Hill was pur- chased by Mr. Simon Couch, of Fairfield, who gave his name to the dis- trict purchased. His wife was Abigail Hall, a member of a notable Fairfield family. His will, dated March 2d, 1712-13, is still in the pos- session of the heirs of Mr. Nash Couch, of Couch's Hill, who was a lineal descendant. In this will he gives his "Negro man Jack" and "negro maid Jinne" to his wife, in addition to other bequests. His children men- tioned in the will were: Simon, Jr., Thomas, Abigail, Hannah, Sarah, Isabel, and Deborah. Thomas was lost at sea while on a voyage to Eng- land. Simon settled on his father's estate in Redding; married, Janu- ary 27th, 1753, Rebecca, daughter of Captain Thomas Nash, of Fair- field. Their children, as given in the genealogy of the Nash family, were: Abigail, baptized February 10th, 1754, died young; Simon, born May 18th, 1755, settled at Green's Farms; Thomas Nash, born April 18th, 1758, settled in Redding; Rebecca, born January 31st, 1761 ; Abi- gail, baptized January 27th, 1765; Lydia, born October 20th, 1767. Deacon Simon Couch died April 25th, 1809.


Thomas Couch, of Fairfield, removed to Redding prior to the Revo- lution, and settled on Umpawaug Hill. He married, April 2d, 1772, Sarah, daughter of Jonathan Nash, of Fairfield. Their children were: Sarah, born August 9th, 1773, died young; Thomas, born September 23d, 1774; Jonathan, born February 13th, 1777, who was the father of Major-General Couch, distinguished in the War of the Rebellion; Sarah, born September 18th, 1779; Nathan, born September 25th, 1781 ; Esther, born December 14th, 1783; Moses, born October 2d, 1786; Edward, born March 7th, 1789; Hezekiah, born March 14th, 1791; Mary, born April 2Ist, 1793; John, born July 28th, 1795. Mr. Thomas Couch died in Red- ding in 1817.


At the outbreak of the Revolution Thomas Couch enlisted in the pa- triot army, and was one of the band of heroes who were present with Montgomery at the siege of Quebec. He left his wife with their young children in Fairfield. When Tryon moved on that town, Mrs. Couch had what furniture and grain she could gather put into an ox cart drawn by two yoke of oxen, and started for Redding, where she owned land in her own right. She followed on horseback, carrying her two children in her arms. At the close of the war, Thomas joined his wife in Red- ding, where they continued to reside until death.


Simon Couch, brother of Thomas, settled in Redding, on Umpawaug Hill, about the same time. He married, January 7th, 1776, Eleanor,


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


daughter of Jonathan Nash, of Fairfield. Their children were: Eliza- beth, born October 9th, 1776; Jessup, born August 3d, 1778; Seth, born August 3Ist, 1780; Eleanor, born August 26th, 1782. Simon, born De- cember Ist, 1784; Nash, born April 23d, 1787; Priscilla, born June 27th, 1790; Edward, born July 14th, 1792; Simon A., born December 6th, 1794; Caroline, born June 23d, 1801. Simon Couch died April 16th, 1829. Of the children, Simon and Jessup graduated at Yale College. Jessup graduated in 1802, and in 1804 removed to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he practised law until his appointment as Judge of the Superior Court of Ohio in 1815. This office he continued to hold until his death in 1821. In the War of 1812 he was also aide-de-camp to Governor Meigs, of Ohio, and bearer of dispatches to General Hull.


Simon Couch, his brother, settled at Marion, Ohio, where he practised medicine until his death in 1826.


CROFUT.


This family name has been variously spelled-Crofut, Crofutt, Crow- fut, &c. In Great Britain it is generally spelled Crofutt. An additional "f" was inserted in the name by David K., son of Eri, about 1850, for business reasons. It does not appear that the name was ever identical with the name Crawford.


Matthew Crofut, born in Danbury in 17II, is the first found of the name in the local records of Connecticut. Nothing further is known of him except that he had a son Benjamin, who married Abigail Wood.


Matthew Crofut married Sarah Buck, in 1765, in Danbury. He was probably a son of the preceding. Children: Sarah and Samuel, 1767; Seely, 1768; Samuel, 1770 ; Chloe, 1773; Eunice, 1775; Eri, 1778.


Eri married Betsey Davarin, in 1798. They had children: Lois, 1799; Paulina, 1801; Benedict, 1802; Minerva, 18 -; Lucy Ann, 18 -; David Knapp, 18 -; Fidelia, 18 -.


Benedict, born September, 1802, married Harriet Newell Hull, and had children: Paulina, Frederick, William Augustus (Jan. 29, 1835), Fidelia, Elizabeth, Emma, Charles.


David Knapp (Croffut) married (1840) Harriet - Treat. Chil- dren : William Augustus (Croffut) married (1862) Margaret Marshall, of Danbury. Children: William Marshall, Margaret, Zoe. Married (1892), (2nd) Bessie Ballard Nicholls, of Washington.


DARLING.


Eunice, daughter of Joseph Darling, baptized January 25th, 1736; Benjamin, baptized April 13th, 1738; Martha, January IIth, 1741; Joseph, baptized November, 1743.


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


FAIRCHILD.


Thomas Fairchild removed to Redding from Norwalk in 1733; was one of the original members of the church. His wife Mary was ad- mitted January 29th, 1738. Their children recorded were: Timothy and William, baptized October 22d, 1738; Sarah, April 12th, 1741 ; Abi- jah, May 27th, 1744; Mary, October 27th, 1745.


Eli, eldest son of David and Charlotte (Guyer) Fairchild, married , and in 1842 removed to Fairfield, Vt., where other Red- ding families had gone. His children living are: David S. (now Dean of the Medical College, Drake Univ., Des Moines, Iowa. See sketch, Chapter XIX) ; Mrs. Alton Johnson, of Sioux City, Ia .; Mrs. Horatio N. Burr, of Fairfield, Vt., and William H., a lawyer in Fairfield, Vt. The latter has two sons, Harold L., now in his junior year at the Uni- versity of Vermont, and Donald S., a student at Montpelier Seminary.


Abram Fairchild, probably brother of above, came from Norwalk in 1746, and built the first fulling-mill in the town, near the site later oc- cupied by Deacon Foster's woolen-mill. His wife was Sarah Scribner, of Norwalk. Their children were: Abraham, born January Ist, 1745, died aged 17 years; Ezekiel, born October 26th, 1746; Daniel, born De- cember 26th, 1748; Isaac, born March 4th, 1751; David, born June 5th, 1753; Samuel, born July 9th, 1755; Stephen, born March 7th, 1758; Rachel, born February 2d, 1761; John, born March 15th, 1764; Ellen, born October 16th, 1767. Six of these brothers were in the Revolution- ary army at one time. David was captured by the British, and confined in Trinity Church, New York. The small-pox was communicated to the prisoners-it is said with design, and he with many others died of the disease. Stephen was wounded at Ridgefield, bu: recovered; married Lizzie Fitch, of Wilton. Their children were: Daniel, Kier, Isaac, Ellen, and Stephen. Ezekiel married Eunice Andrews; had four chil- dren; Abraham, Sarah, Abigail, and Burr. Daniel married Betsey Mead, and removed to the West. Isaac married Rachel Banks, and re- moved to Liberty, N. Y. Samuel married Nabbie Platt, of Redding, and had two children: Aaron and Betsey. John married Abigail Wake- man, of Weston. Their children were: Eli, David, Rachel, Moses, Henry, and Eliza. David married Charlotte Guyer, of Weston. Their children were: Eli, William, David, Mary, and John. Rachel married Seth Andrews, of Redding. Ellen married Minott Thomas, a Baptist clergyman.


Stephen, Samuel, and John built a grist mill at an early day on the site of the one later known as Treadwell's mill. It was carried off by the great freshet of 1807, and the large stock of grain it contained was scat- tered over the meadows below. They also owned a saw-mill just be- low, and sawed plank for the soldiers' huts in the Revolution.


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


FOSTER.


Reginald Foster, the founder of the family in America, came to this country in 1638 with his five sons, Abraham, Reginald, William, Isaac, and Jacob, and settled at Ipswich, Essex Co., Mass. Jacob Foster was the ancestor of the Redding family. Jonah Foster settled in Redding about 1775; married Hannah Benedict, of Ridgefield, and shortly after removed to that town, and there resided until his death in 1815. His son, Joel Foster, was born in Redding November 8th, 1780, and lived in Ridgefield with his parents until his marriage with Esther Seymour in 1802. In 1803 he removed to Redding, and bought of Moses Fox a small place, on which was a fulling-mill and other conveniences for: cheapening cloths. This mill stood a little below the present bridge over Nobb's Creek brook, and the ruins of its dam are still to be seen. In 1804, Mr. Foster built an addition to his fulling-mill building, which was leased to Zalmon Toucey, of Newtown, and in which Toucey erected a carding machine, paying a yearly rent of twenty dollars.


How long Mr. Toucey's lease continued is not known, but he proba- bly soon reliquished it to Joel Foster, as the latter continued the business until about the time of the opening of the War of 1812, when a company was formed, styled Comstock, Foster & Co., who built a woolen factory a few rods below the old fulling-mill, and continued the manufacture of woolen goods during the entire period of the war, being very successful. The company, a few years after the war, was bought out by Joel Foster, who continued the business until the burning of his factory in 1843 or 1844, when he retired. Mr. Foster died in 1854, aged seventy-four years. He had four children, all born in Redding: Daniel, Betsey, Eliza, and Charles F.


GOLD.


Daniel, Samuel, and Stephen Gold (now written Gould) brothers, members of a Fairfield family that had been prominent in church and state for several generations, were among the early settlers of the town, though none of their descendants are now found among us. Daniel ap- pears first; he married Grace, daughter of Deacon Stephen Burr, and lived where James Lord later lived. His children, as named in the will of Deacon Burr, were: Abigail, who married Richard Nichols; Esther, who married Nathaniel Northrop; Sarah, who married David Turney ; Mary, who married Seth Price ; and Elizabeth.


Samuel Gold settled in Lonetown, and built the house later owned by Seth Todd. He was a soldier in the Revolution, and was wounded at the skirmish in Ridgefield. Some of the officers of Putnam's command had their quarters at Mr. Gold's during their encampment in Redding. He married Sarah Platt, of Redding. Their children were: Hezekiah,


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


Daniel, Burr, Aaron, Sarah, Polly, and Grace. Stephen Gold settled on the farm later owned by Timothy Platt in Lonetown. He is called Cap- tain in the records. He did not long remain a resident of Redding, but returned, it is said, to Greenfield.


GORHAM.


Isaac Gorham and his wife Ann first appear on the parish records January 25th, 1762, when their son Isaac was baptized. There is no hint of their former residence, but they were probably from Fairfield. I find no further record of children.


GRAY.


Daniel Gray and wife were admitted church-members December 5th, 1742. John Gray and wife February 9th, 1744, on the recommendation of Rev. Mr. Dickinson, of Norwalk.


The only child of Daniel Gray recorded was James, baptized May 8th, 1743. The children of John Gray were: Hannah, baptized July Ist, 1744; Joseph, July 15th, 1753; Eunice, January 2d, 1755, and (by a sec- ond wife, Ruamah), Eunice, baptized April 13th, 1760; and Joel, Sep- tember IIth, 1763.


Stephen, son of Stephen and Sarah Gray, was baptized May 10th, 1747. Also Huldah, a daughter, December 14th, 1760. Hannah, Octo- ber 3d, 1762; and Sarah, June 17th, 1764. James Gray, only son of Daniel, married Mabel Phinney February 9th, 1764. Their children were: Jesse, baptized April 14th, 1765; perhaps others.


GRIFFIN.


John Griffin appears in Redding as early as 1736. His children were: Sarah, baptized May 9th, 1736; Annie, baptized October 22d, 1738; and Jonathan, baptized November 23d, 1746. He settled in West Redding, near the Danbury line.


HALL.


The Halls were among the earliest settlers in Redding, the name ap- pearing on the earliest petitions from the parish. In 1730, at the dis- tribution of the estate of Samuel Hall, he is said to be of Chestnut Ridge, in Reading. His children, as given, were: Ebenezer, Johanna, Jemima, and Rebecca. Isaac Hall, whose farm lay contiguous to Samuel's, was one of the orginal church-members, and was recommended by Rev. Mr. Chapman. He died in 1741. Asa Hall and Rachel his wife were ad- mitted March 23d, 1736, on the same recommendation. I find no men- tion of children.


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


HAWLEY.


Joseph Hawley and wife were admitted church-members in Decein- ber, 1740, on recommendation of Rev. Mr. Gold, of Stratford. Their children recorded were: Mary, baptized February 7th, 1742; Ruth, November 5th,, 1746; Eunice, October 25th, 1750. Joseph Hawley died December 12th, 1771, aged sixty-six years. William Hawley, who ap- pears in Redding as early as 1762, was probably his son. He lived where Edward Miller now lives; married Lydia, daughter of Captain Thomas Nash, of Fairfield, July 12th, 1758. Their children were: Lydia, died in infancy ; Joseph, born June 23d, 1762; settled in Redding ; Lydia, born December 13th, 1763, married Aaron Sanford, of Redding; William, died in infancy; Bille, born February 9th, 1767, removed to the West; Heze- kiah, died in infancy; Hezekiah, born March 10th, 1772; Lemuel, died young, of small-pox ; William Hawley, died February 16th 1797. Mrs. Lydia Hawley died April 26th, 1812.


HILL.


The founder in America of this family was William Hill, who on his arrival here about 1632, settled first at Dorchester, Mass., and short- ly after removed to Windsor, on the Connecticut River, where he bought land and set out an orchard. At an early day he removed to Fairfield, and was among the early settlers of that town. He died in 1650. His children were: Sarah, William, Joseph, Ignatius, James, and Elizabeth. William, the second child, married Elizabeth Their children were: Sarah, William, Joseph, John, Eliphalet, Ignatius, and James. William, the third, married -, and had children, Sarah, William, Joseph, and David. William Hill, the fourth, married Sarah


Their children were: Joseph, William, and David. Deacon Joseph Hill, born April 1, 1699; married Abigail Dimon, March 30th, 1731. The children of this marriage were: Abigail, born March 21st, 1732; Sarah, born August 21st, 1733; David, born April 22d, 1737; Ebenezer, born February 26th, 1742 ; Jabez, born June 17th, 1744, and Moses, born Janu- ary IIth, 1748. Of the sons, only Ebenezer, Jabez, and Moses married. Ebenezer married Mabel Sherwood, January 17th, 1765. Their children were: David, Ebenezer, Seth, Dimon, Joseph, Mabel, Eleanor, Jabez, and Esther. Ebenezer, his second son, married Sarah, daughter of Na- thaniel Barlow, brother of the poet, in May, 1791. He removed to Red- ding early in life, and settled in Boston district. His children were: Mabel, Nathaniel B., Gershom, Ebenezer, Moses, and Jabez. Jabez Hill, son of Deacon Joseph Hill, settled in Weston; was a major in the army of the Revolution; married Sarah, daughter of Colonel John Read, of Redding. The children of this marriage were: Sarah, John Read, and


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HISTORY OF REDDING.


Moses. Sarah married Timothy Platt, of Redding. John Read settled in Redding at an early day, and became one of its wealthiest and best known residents. He began his business career by engaging in the manufacture of lime as before narrated, and on his retirement in 1823 purchased the "manor" of his grandfather, Colonel John Read, where he continued to reside until his death in 1851. He married, March 23d, 1799, Betsy, daughter of Aaron Sanford, of Redding. Their children were : Aaron Sanford, Moses, William Hawley, Betsy, John Lee, Morris, Lydia, and Joseph.


John Lee Hill, fifth child of John R. Hill, born June 15, 1810, mar- ried Harriet N. Duncombe, eldest daughter of David Duncombe and Ruth Sanford, May 4, 1840. Their children were: William H., born May Ist, 1845, and Josephine E., born May 22, 1848. William H. Hill married, first, Mary A. Hotchkiss, daughter of Frederick A. Hotchkiss and Mary Parsons, of Redding, Oct. 5, 1869. She died October 1, 1886; and Mr. Hill married, second, Miss Lauretta C. Ballard, Oct. 10, 1888. His chil- dren, all by the first wife, were: John Read Hill, born Dec. 27, 1870; Carrie L. Hill, born Nov. 5, 1872, died June 20, 1876; Frederick H. Hill, born July 18, 1874, and Ernest William Hill, born Jan. 1, 1876.




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