USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Middlefield > History of the town of Middlefield, Massachusetts > Part 48
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 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
FRANK, m. Frances Goodrich.
ROOT
ROOT, NOADIAH, of Westfield, appears to have owned the Erastus Ingham farm, west of the Center, which included Lot 11, I Div. E. Prescott's Grant, and 12 acres in northwest corner of Joseph Blush's farm on Lot 207 Worthington, adjoining. Root sold this property to Samuel Gowdy, Jr., in 1796. ROOT, THOMAS, (Timothy,3 Thomas,2 John1) son of Timothy? and Sarah (Pease) Root, was b. Somers, Conn., 3-28-1726, d. Mid. 3-15-1821, m. 1st Ann -, m. 2nd 11-8-1764 Alice, dau. Israel and Sarah (Booth) Pease, who d. 12-30- 1821, ae. 85. He is said to have come to Mid. about 1783 from Enfield, Conn. He seems first to have located in the Pease district, not far from Metcalf's Tannery (Lot 14, III Div. Becket). Later about 1790 he bought land in "the Gulf" in the valley of the Westfield River at the foot of Mt. Gobble, and built a house west of the old road which wound down the mountain south of the Alderman farm.
Children :
THOMAS, b. 7-14-1756.
ANN, b. 9-8-1758.
OBEDIENCE, b. 6-4-1760.
SOLOMON, b. 7-11-1765. (See Family 1).
ALICE, b. 9-19-1766, d. 10 -- 11-1768.
DANIEL, b. 1-4-1769. (See Fam. 7). ALICE, b. 6-2-1771, d. 10-8-1821, m.
7-10-1801 Green H. Church. (See Church Family).
LUCINA, b. 12-18-1773, d. 12-19-1830, m. 9-28-1795 John Metcalf. (See Metcalf Family).
SARAH, b. 3-15-1776, m. 11-23-1800 John Spencer. (See Spencer Fam- ily)
RHODA, b. 3-19-1780, m. Nial Little 9-14-1803. (See Little Fam.).
FAM. 1. SOLOMON ROOT, son of Thomas4 and Alice (Pease) Root, was b. Enfield, Conn., 7-11-1765, d. Mid. 8-8-1831, m.
Root 587
GENEALOGIES
4-2-1789, Mary, dau. Ebenezer and Mary (Talcott) Selden of Mid. (1771-1862). He came with his father to Mid. and after his marriage lived in the double log house in "the Gulf" which his father built for him and his brother, Daniel. Later he moved to the top of the hill and lived in the house built by Ebenezer Selden on the site of the dwelling of Mr. Alderman. Mr. and Mrs. Root were con- stituent members of the Baptist Ch. in 1817.
Children b. Mid. :
SOLOMON, b. 2-8-1791. (See Family 2).
TIMOTHY, b. 12-4-1792, d. 3-1-1856, m. 5-4-1818 Amanda, dau. Eben- czer and Mary (Mack) Emmons. (See Emmons Fam.) He lived for some years in Mid. acting as partner to his brother Solomon in his store at the Center. It was to accommodate him that the house which formerly joined the store on the south was built. He was selectman in 1844.
HARVEY, b. 4-26-1795 (See Fam. 5). SELDEN, b. 9-27-1797, d. 6-18-1873; m. (int) 10-14-1821, Mary Hub- bard of W. Springfield who d. 7- 25-1832. He m. 2nd 9-23-1834, Waita Irene Graves. Lived a quar- ter of a mile west of the Center. Joined Baptist Ch. 1829.
Children : (of Selden) Mariett, b. 9-3-1822, m. 7-4- 1843, Enoch Dwight Graves. Emiline, b. 8-24-1823, m. (int) 11-7-1846, Chas. Coit, of Worthington.
Charles Selden, m. in Wis. and settled in Texas.
MARY, b. 2-16-1800 m. (int) 2-27- 1825, Dan Pease, Jr. (See Pease Family).
NATHAN, b. 4-11-1806, d. 6-28-1894 m. (int) 10-20-1832 Mary Abbott of Chester. He moved to Chester in 1831, where he was a merchant. When the railroad was built he opened his house as a hotel, known as "Railroad House. " Their golden wedding was celebrated 11- 24-1882. Two children:
Janctt, m. George Knowles.
Mary, m. 2-24-1864, Talmadge B. Church. (See Church Fam- ily).
JULIA, b. 3-11-1812, m. Apr. 1836 Geo. N. Elder, Ohio.
FAM. 2. SOLOMON ROOT, son of Solomon5 and Mary (Selden) Root, was b. Mid. 2-8-1791, d. Mid. 12-24-1874, m. 3-16-1815, Laura, dau. David and Mary (Talcott) Mack of Mid. (See Mack Gen. p. 484). For many years he was prominent in public affairs, serving as selectman in 1824-30, 1832-34. He was town treasurer 1835-52 and represented the town in the General Court in 1834. He was postmaster at the Center 1833-57. He kept a button shop making buttons for the Willistons of Easthampton. For many years he
CAPT. TIMOTHY ROOT
MRS. MARY (SELDON) ROOT
SOLOMON ROOT, JR.
MRS. AMANDA (EMMONS) ROOT
SOLOMON FRANCIS ROOT
MRS. LAURA (MACK) ROOT
Root 589
GENEALOGIES
was storekeeper at the Center, being especially popular with the school children because he would give more raisins for a penny than the other merchants in town. He and his wife were staunch members of the Baptist Church.
Children b. Mid. :
LAURA MACK, b. 3-11-1816, d. New- ton, Mass. 10-4-1886, m. 2-25-1839 Lewis D. Boise, who was a tailor by trade and lived in Mid. He was a retail clothing merchant in Lowell and Boston. (See Mack Gen. p. 603).
MARIA DELIGHT, b. 12-31-1817, d. Huntington 3-14-1883, m. 3-15- 1840 Matthew Smith. Lived in Mid. (See Smith Family-Also Mack Gen. p. 175 and 604). ELVIRA, b. 9-24-1819, d. Hartford, Conn. 4-10-1903, m. 5-19-1841 John Smith. (See Smith Fam. also Mack Gen. p. 176 and 607. SOLOMON FRANCIS, b. 8-31-1826. (See Family 3).
FAM. 3. SOLOMON FRANCIS ROOT, son of Solomon" and Laura (Mack) Root, was b. Mid. 8-31-1826, d. 7-2-1915, m. 1st 1-1-1850, Anna, dau. Samuel and Lucina (Metcalf) Smith of Mid. She d. 3-24-1874. He m. 2nd 4-13-1876, Amanda Lane, d. October, 1918. He was for many years a merchant in Mid. at the Center and "the Switch." He was a partner in the firm of Boise, Smith & Root, who for a few years operated the Wm. Blush mill making satinet, until it was burned in 1851. He was Town Clerk in 1855 and Town Treasurer 1863-65. He joined the Baptist Ch. in 1842. He was also Justice of the Peace. He lived in Russell, Newton, Hinsdale and Dalton (See Mack Gen. p. 611).
Children :
JAMES FRANCIS, b. 9-24-1850, d. 5- 23-1866.
AZARIAH SMITH, b. 2-3-1862. (See Fam. 4).
MARTHA LANE, b. 2-22-1877, m. 10- 10-1900, Waverly Tillinghast Won- son. (See Mack Gen. p. 612). FRANCIS SOLOMON, b. 5-5-1879, m. 6-15-1901 Florence Mae Lewis (See Mack Gen. p. 615).
FAM. 4. AZARIAH SMITH ROOT, son of Solomon F.7 and Anna (Smith) Root, was b. Mid. 2-3-1862; m. 4-30-1887, Anna Mayo Metcalf, dau. Isaac Stevens and Antoinete Brigham (Putnam) Metcalf. She graduated from Oberlin College 1884. Mr. Root was educated at Mid., Hinsdale, Pittsfield,
590
Root
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
and Oberlin, graduating from Oberlin College in 1884. He lives in Oberlin where he is active in local affairs. He has been librarian of Oberlin College since 1887. He has also been president of the American Library Association. (See Mack Gen. p. 284).
Children b. Oberlin :
FRANCIS METCALF, b. 9-24-1889, n. North Haven, Conn. 12-1-1917, Barbara Bradley. He is a grad- uate of Oberlin and of Johns Hopkins Univ. He is a teacher of medical entomology in the Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Hygiene and Public Health.
Child : Vernon Metcalf, b. Baltimore, Md. 2-11-1923. MARIAN METCALF, b. 1-2-1896. Grad- uated from Oberlin. Is engaged in library work in New York City.
FAM. 5. HARVEY ROOT, son of Solomon" and Mary (Selden) Root, was b. Mid. 4-26-1795; d. Mid. 2-1-1887; m. 1st 1-24- 1822, Sally, dau. Dan Pease of Mid. who d. 11-26-1871. He m. 2nd Sarah A. dau. Alpheus Hazelton of Madison Co., N. Y. She was widow of Ebenezer Smith, d. 11-5-1900. He worked for a contractor Geo. Blake in Springfield. Became an expert at laying stone walls at Danbury, Conn. In 1845 he bought the Israel Pease farm on Ridgepole Road in Mid. and engaged in raising fine stock. He and his wife were members of the Baptist Church.
Children :
FRANKLIN H., b. 11-5-1822, d. 4-19- 1843.'
SARAH ANN, b. 4-5-1827, d. 3-18- 1852.
MARY ANN, b. 4-5-1827, d. 2-29-1852. SOLOMON, b. May 1828, d. 9-9-1828. LESTER, b. 9-15-1829, d. Mid. 12- 22-1908. He was a life long resi- dent of Mid. living on the farm first cleared by William Skinner, a mile and a half north east of the Center. He was unmarried.
CORINTH, b. 2-13-1832; d. 12-9-1839. AMANDA, b. 9-15-1834, d. 3-10-1843. GEORGE, b. 2-26-1837, d. 3-13-1843. HARRIET, b. 5-27-1839, d. 3-9-1843. JUDSON, b. 4-8-1842, d. 3-16-1843. LAURA, b. 1-15-1844. (See Fam. 6).
FAM. 6. LAURA ROOT, dau. Harvey6 and Sally (Pease) Root, was b. 1-15-1844, m. 1-27-1870, George, son of John and Jerusha (Shaw) Chipman, b. Cornwall, Conn., 7-19-1832; d. Mid. 8-15-1899. The family have lived for many years
Russ 591
GENEALOGIES
on the farm once owned by Thomas and Bartholomew Ward on Ridgepole Road.
Children :
HARVEY, b. 1-5-1871, d. 3-11-1896. WESLEY, b. 12-8-1871. He carries on his father's farm and is prom- inent in the Mid. church. He was selectman 1899, 1917, 1919.
FRANK, b. 12-8-1872. He cultivates the farm once owned by his grand- father, Harvey Root.
ELLA, b. 5-29-1882. She is prom- inent in church and local affairs, and has been local correspondent for the Springfield Republican.
FAM. 7. DANIEL ROOT, son of Thomas+ and Alice (Pease) Root, was b. Enfield, Conn., 1-4-1769; d. Mid. 10-7-1850; m. 1st (int) 3-8-1790, Electa Wardwell, who d. Mid. 11-7-1810; m. 2nd (int) 10-10-1815, Wid. Sarah Shepard, who d. Mid. 3-12-1824; m. 3rd 6-9-1826, Mrs. Anna (Smith) Martin. (See Mack Gen. p. 1692). He succeeded his father in the ownership of the farm in the "Gulf" in Mid. and built the dwelling known as the "old red house," near the river later known as the "Eliakim Root place." He was prominent in local affairs, serving as selectman 1811-18, and as Repre- sentative to the General Court in 1816-17 and 1835.
Children b. Mid. :
SALLY, b. 8-19-1790; d. 9-3-1836: m. Asa Smith. (Scc Mack Gen. p. 132. See Smith Fam.).
DANIEL, b. 4-7-1793: m. (int) 8-15- 1819, Susannah Church. Moved to Rockdale, Crawford Co., Pa. about 1820.
FANNY, b. 6-14-1795; m. 9-10-1816, Oliver Smith. (See Mack Gen. p. 134).
SYLVESTER, b. 5-11-1797: m. 10-5- 1824, Mercy Thomas of Worthing- ton. Lived at Rockdale, Pa.
JUSTIN, b. 7-25-1799: d. 4-1-1863 : m. Susan Moore. He was living in Mid. as late as 1823.
ELECTA, b. 11-26-1801: m. (int) +- 13-1823, Daniel Alderman. (See Alderman Family).
ELIAKIM, b. 10-26-1804: m. Myra Raymond. He lived for many years on the farm owned by his father at Mid. in "the Gulf."'
LAURA, b. 2-4-1807: m. Charles Col- lins. INDEPENDENCE, b. 5-9-1810: m. Wil- liam Fay.
RUSS
RUSS, JOSEPH, was probably connected with the Russ families of Andover, in which Joseph and Hezekiah were common names. A Joseph Russ, m. Priscilla Moore in 1709 and had
592
Russ
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
a son, Joseph, Jr., b. 1710. A Hezekiah Russ, m. Deborah Wil- son, 4-10-1710, and had a son, John, b. 5-27-172 ?, Leicester. Joseph Russ of Mid. was b. about 1732; d. Mid. 10-18-1796 ; his first wife d. Mid. between 5-1- and 10-31-1792. He m. 2nd 11-26-1792, Mrs. Elizabeth Blush, widow of Joseph Blush of Midt ; she d. 7-3-1822. Mr. Russ came to Mid. early enough to sign the Pet. Inc. 1781. In 1782 he purchased the northern portions of Lots 92 and 93, Partridgefield, bounding north on the line between Mid. and Peru, which lay north of the Robbins farm. The old house where Diodet Dickson and Henry Hendricks lived was originally the Russ place.
Children :
AMASA, b. 6-10-1758: mentioned in his father's will as his oldest son ; d. Waitsfield, Vt., 7-23-1828: m. Phebe Jennings who d. 6-18-1831 aged 77. Moved from Peru to Sharon, Vt. and thence to Waits- field, Vt. in 1810. Children :
Eunice, b. 1788; d. 1824. Sally, b. 3-10-1790. Amasa, b. Peru, 1-26-1793. Joseph, b. Peru, 11-6-1795; he may have been the Joseph Russ who d. Hinsdale, 11-21- 1824.
HEZEKIAH, m. 11-18-1800, Mrs. Mel- ody Hardy, of Washington. She must have died soon for he m. 2nd. 12-19-1803 Ruth Wright. He became head of the household after his father's death, carrying on the farm until 1813 when he sold Lot 92 to Elias Wares, who was the next occupant of the farm. The next year he sold part of Lot 93 to Matthew Smith. This lot was called "the upper lot" of the Smith farm. Russ was liv- ing in Peru in 1814. A dau. of Mr. Russ d. Hinsdale, 5-18-1820.
An Ebenezer Russ, m. (int) 10-15-1787, Hannah Hovey of Dalton. An Ebenezer Russ, d. Hinsdale, 1-13-1810. A dau. Polly, was b. Mid. 7-22-1788.
A Benjamin Russ of Partridgefield, m. 11-14-1789, Electa Clark of Deerfield.
RUSSELL
RUSSELL, WILLIAM, d. Cambridge, 2-14-1661. His wife Martha, d. 1694. He came from England, 1636 and in 1645 settled at Cambridge. Had a son, William, b. 4-28-1655.
WILLIAM RUSSELL, son of William' and Martha Russell, was b. Cambridge, 4-28-1655 ; d. Andover, 4-22-1753 ; m. 3-18-1683,
Russell 593
GENEALOGIES
Abigail, dau. Edward and Elizabeth Winship, b. 2-13-1656; d. 7-31-1727. Had a son William, b. 4-5-1687.
WILLIAM RUSSELL, son of William2 and Abigail (Winship) Rus- sell, was b. Cambridge, 4-5-1687; m. Andover, 2-7-1731-2, Sarah, dau. of Joseph and Mary (Webster) Emery. Lived at Andover, where several children were born, including Gideon (b. 4-1-1735) and Alpheus (b. 1737). Moved to Somers, Conn.
GIDEON RUSSELL, son of William3 and Sarah (Emery) Russell, was b. Andover, 4-1-1735; d. Mid. 1-8-1818; m. about 1760 Mary Parsons, b. abt. 1732; d. Mid. 6-21-1801. He moved from Somers, Conn., to Mid. about 1783 when he purchased of David Taylor the eastern part of Lots 4 and 5, II Div. East, Prescott's Grant. He later added to his farm part of Nathan Mann's lot No. 3 on Dickson Hill. The Russell house stood about 100 rods from the highway, where a cellar hole can be found in the lot across the road from the James Church place now owned by Mr. Gardner. The old road leading up over the hill to the Lamberton Farm passed this place. Russell served on the school committee for a time. Children b. Somers, Conn. :
GIDEON, b. 12-26-1760. (See Fam. ABEL, b. 2-13-1765. (See Fam. 3). 1). MARY, b. 10-13-1767, m. (int) 4-30- 1787, Benjamin Taggart. EUNICE, b. 11-18-1770.
ALPHEUS, b. 10-10-1762. (See Fam. 2).
FAM. 1. GIDEON RUSSELL, son of Gideon4 and Mary (Parsons) Russell, was b. Somers, Conn., 12-26-1760; m. 2-9-1786, at South Hadley, Jemima, dau. Gideon and Sarah (Montagne) Alvord. He was a soldier in Rev. War. He lived at first with his father north of the Center but about 1797 bought Lot No. 145 of Abel Russell in the Worthington Section and was living on his farm in 1800 according to the census of that year. The farm was located at the foot of Smith Hollow Hill. Since his father sold his farm to Uriah Church in 1803 it is probable he made his home with Gideon, Jr., until his death. Gideon, Jr., joined the Congregational Church in 1802. His wife had joined by letter from South Hadley in 1793. In 1818 he and his whole family moved to Russell Township later called, Huntsburg, Ohio.
594
Russell
IHISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
The history of Geauga Co., Ohio states, "A family of Russells came in 1818 in what was late Russell Township. William Russell came and took up 225 acres. Ebenezer Russell and family moved in 1818. Also Alpheus, Jemima and Sarah. They were from Massachusetts and were Presbyterians."
Children b. Mid. :
JUSTIN, b. 2-5-1787, d. 8-27-1801.
SYLVESTER, b. 2-10-1789.
SYLVESTUS, b. 2-10-1789.
JEMIMA, b. 6-27-1798, d. 3-23-1866 m. 5-31-1821, Horatio, eldest son of John Fowler who came from
EBENEZER, b. 4-18-1791. Washington, Mass. in 1817 to Geauga Co., Ohio.
WILLIAM, b. 12-8-1793.
GIDEON, b. 3-25-1796, d. S-6-1810.
SARAII, b. 9-22-1800. ALPIIEUS, b. 5-27-1803.
FAM. 2. ALPHEUS RUSSELL, son of Gideon+ and Mary (Parsons) Russell, was b. Somers, Conn., 10-10-1762; d. Mid. 10-26- 1802, being killed at a raising of a barn. m. (int) 5-6-1794 Rebecca Clark of Becket. She m. 2nd (int) 6-20-1803 her next door neighbor, Rev. Jonathan Nash. He was a car- penter by trade and was one of the carpenters in charge of building the Middlefield meetinghouse in 1791. He followed Daniel Chapman on the farm now owned by G. E. Cook, north of the Center. It is said that he built the present house.
Children b. Mid. :
ALPHEUS CLARK, b. 4-17-1795 ; m. 5- 28-1818 Kirtland, O. Elizabeth, dau. George Conant, b. 9-19-1792. Her father was b. in Barnstable 1762 and moved to Becket, 1779. He was a brother of Thatcher Conant, organizer of the Becket Land Co.
REBECCA, b. 3-13-1797, m. 2-20-1823, Nored Elder of Chester. MARY, b. 9-11-1799, m. Samuel Billings.
FAM. 3. ABEL RUSSELL, son of Gideon+ and Mary (Parsons) Russell, was b. 2-13-1765 ; m. Silence Atchison. He came to Mid. with his father Gideon and appears to have owned at one time the land which became the farm of his brother Gideon, Jr., in Smith Hollow. He also owned land near Alpheus Russell in 1791. He was living at his father's in 1800 but is mentioned in the road survey of 1805 as living
Selden 595
GENEALOGIES
near Factory Brook west of Philip Meacham. He probably took up a farm there after his father sold his place to Uriah Church in 1803. Russell was a cabinet maker by trade. He was living in town in 1810 but had gone by 1820. He served on the school committee in 1799 and 1806.
Children b. Mid. :
LILLIS, b. 10-11-1793. ABEL, b. 9-30-1795. LYMAN, b. 11-19-1797.
JOHN, b. 4-4-1800. MARIA, b. 5-31-1804. MILTON, b. 7-31-1811.
SANFORD
SANFORD, ELIAS, (Zachariah,4 Samuel,3 Thomas,2 Thomas1), son of Zachariah4 and Sarah (Curtis) Sanford, was b. Water- bury, Conn., 7-7-1753 ; m. 1-23-1776, Alice Fuller. He ap- pears to have come to Mid. between 1792 and 1794, his assignment to pew 25 in the meetinghouse being given only under the latter date. He lived somewhere in the south- west part of the town, between Russell West and Abner Chapin according to the Census of 1800. He had left town by 1810.
Children :
JOSEPHI F., b. 3-13-1777.
LUCINDA, b. 8-14-1778.
DANIEL, b. 3-3-1780.
ELIAS, b. 3-20-1782.
BENJAMIN, b. 4-18-1784.
BARZILLAI, b. 7-7-1786.
PHILEMON, b. Mid. 3-28-1789.
MARTHA, b. Mid. 6-16-1791.
LYMAN, b. Mid. 6-13-1794.
(See "Thomas Sanford Family" Vol. 1, page 170).
SELDEN
SELDEN, EBENEZER, (Ebenezer,3 Thomas,2 Thomas1) son of Ebenezer3 and Elizabeth (Clark) Selden, was b. 5-17-1720; d. Mid. 5-18-1807; m. 1st (int) 10-24-1753, Jerusha Pome- roy, m. 2nd 1-3-1769, Mary Olcott, m. 3rd 1-23-1787, Mrs. Mary (Ellis) Mack, widow of Elisha Mack. It was in 1786 that Ebenezer Selden bought of Enos Blossom his Tavern property on the County Highway where Mr. Arthur D. Pease now lives. Selden lived there but a few years if at all for he soon sold it to Elijah Bartholomew who kept the tavern for a year or two. Tradition says that Selden lived
596 Selden
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
in a house on the west side of the highway from Pease's to the Center some 15 rods from the former. Another tradi- tion has it that the Selden house stood on the north side of the cross road from Pease's to the "still," and that the old house became an ell attached to the Pease house about 1821 but since removed. Mr. Selden built the first house on the site of the dwelling of Mr. E .H. Alderman and lived there until his death, at the advanced age of 89.
Among their children were:
SALLY, m. 5-31-1798, Seth Bull. (See Bull Family).
MARY, b. Aug. 1771, d. 2-26-1862. m. 4-2-1789, Solomon Root. (See Root Fam. also Mack Gen. p. 1703-9).
SHELDON
SHELDON, EPHRAIM, (Charles," John,4 Isaac,3 Isaac,2Isaac1) son of Lieutenant Charles" and Lydia (Taft) Sheldon, was b. Somers, Conn., 5-21-1754; d. Lee, 4-22-1840, m. 1st (int) 11-13-1779, Miriam, dau. Moses and Anna (Cooley) War- riner, of Wilbraham, who was b. Springfield, 4-1-1758. She d. 11-30-1792. He m. 2nd 5-25-1794, Lydia Gifford of Lee. She d. of old age at Lee, 8-28-1841 or 1844. He was a soldier in Rev. War. He was on the valuation list of Murrayfield in 1782, having purchased of Zebidee Goodwin of Becket a portion of Lot No. 40, II Div. just north of Enos Blossom's tavern and farm. His house probably stood on the site where Dea. Field's house later stood. In 1785-86 he purchased lot 59, I Div. Chester. In 1787, he was constable and tax col- lector for Middlefield, having charge of lots to be sold for taxes. In 1788, he sold his farm to Abner Clapp, and moved to Stockbridge and later to Lee. According to the census of 1790 an Ephraim Sheldon was living in Westfield that year. He was dismissed from the Stockbridge church in 1794 and admitted to the Lee Church in 1795. He was tithingman and surveyor of highways in Lee in 1796.
Children :
ELIZABETHI, b. Somers, Conn. m. 1st 2-14-1804 Ebenezer Kellogg of Vernon, Conn. m. 2nd 6-18-1815,
Alexander McLean of Manchester Conn.
CLARISSA, b. 1782, m. 12-12-1803, Stephen Comstock, at Lee.
Skinner 597
GENEALOGIES
EPHRAIM, b. Mid. 12-18-1785, m. 10-7-1818, Mary Kyle, who was b. Lee 7-15-1785. They had a dau. b. Chester, 9-19-1823, named Julia Ann.
NOAH, b. Mid. 2-17-1787, m. Wil- liamstown, 5-24-1818, Lydia, dau. Levi and Lydia (Gibbs) Smedley. b. 9-13-1797. He was a graduate of Williams College 1815, and a minister at Lee.
MARY, b. 1792. LYDIA, b. 5-6-1795; m. Lee, 11-16- 1823, Cornelius Barlow. (See also Sheldon, Warriner, Comstock and Mack Geneologies).
SKINNER
SKINNER, JOSEPH, (John,? Richard,2 John1-Loomis Gen.) of Colchester, Conn., m. Elizabeth Williams, who d. 1754. Among their children were William, b. 1743; (See Fam. 1) Joseph, m. 2nd in 1756 Mary Blush, sister of Joseph Blush, of Mid. She was probably the widow Molly Skinner who was living in Mid. in 1800. Among their children were: SAMUEL, b. 5-3-1765. (See Fam. 2). RACHEL, b. 10-5-1770. Perhaps the one who m. Mid. 6-27-1799 Jona- than Woodward. (See Woodward Fam.).
FAM. 1. WILLIAM SKINNER, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Williams) Skinner, was b. Colchester, Conn., July, 1743; d. Mid. 12-30-1835 ; m. Colchester, 8-31-1767, Elizabeth, dau. of Captain William and Hannah (Fuller) Church, bap. 10-11-1747; d. Mid. 1827. In 1782 he bought of Mary Willard Lot 210, Worthington, just east of the Den Stream where in recent years Lester Root lived. On committee 1789 to collect materials for the meetinghouse. Pew 5 in church in 1792 and 1794. A road survey mentions his place as early as 1783. Children :
ELIZABETH, b. 9-16-1768; m. Mid. (int) 4-23-1792 Samuel Jones, Jr. (See Jones Fam.). HANNAH, b. 4-24-1773; m. Mid. 11- 12-1795 John Jones. LUCY, b. 4-5-1775.
SILLY, b. -; m. 6-3-1802 David Robbins. (See Robbins Fam.). JOHN, b. -; (See Fam. 4).
DOROTHY, b. abt. 1793; m. 5-29-1817 Jesse Wright. (See Wright Fam.). (Other probable children) WILLIAM, b. -. (See Fam. 3). CLARISSA, b. -; m. (int) 8-26- 1791, Samuel Phelps. (See Phelps Fam.).
598 Skinner
HISTORY OF MIDDLEFIELD
FAM. 2. SAMUEL SKINNER, son of Joseph and Mary (Blush) Skinner, b. Colchester, Conu., 5-3-1765. He was probably the man of this name who was in Mid. 1787 when he was appointed on committee to notify out-of-town persons to come to Mid. to choose a site for the meetinghouse. His wife's name was Dorcas and his son Samuel was b. Mid. 5-24-1786. He went by the title of "Lieutenant." Not heard of after 1788.
FAM. 3. WILLIAM SKINNER, b. -; mı. (int) 4-18-1803, Clarissa Tinker, of Chester. He lived near the soapstone quarry on Smith Hollow Hill. Pew 7 in meetinghouse gallery in 1792.
FAM. 4. JOHN SKINNER, b. ; m. 7-24-1817, Rachel Clapp; he was living in Mid. until abt. 1835. Children b. in Mid. were:
RACIIEL, b. 2-7-1818; d. 2-17-1818. INFANT, d. 10-20-1834.
SOVIA ADELINE, b. 9-21-1820. HARRIET ANN, b. 5-7-1836.
MARY SOPIIRONIA, b. 3-18-1823; d. 9. 20-1824.
A Cynthia Skinner, m. Wash., 11-27-1787, Oliver Eggleston. A Theodosia Skinner, of Glastonbury, Conn., probably dau. of Abraham Skinner, m. (int) 2-2-1796, John Meeker.
A Permela Skinner, m. Samuel Sanderson of Chester, (int) 8-7-1824.
A Cornelia Skinner, d. Mid. April, 1848.
SKINNER, AARON, son of John and Sarah Skinner, was b. 1713; d. 1766; m. Eunice, dau. Michael Taintor of Colchester, Conn. He was a cousin of William5 Skinner, Sr.
Children :
AMASA, went to Waitsfield, Vt. JARED, went to Waitsfield, Vt.
LOVINA, b. Colchester, Conn. 3-7- 1757: m. 7-12-1775, Bissell Phelps of Hebron, Conn. Moved to Mid. and Waitsfield, Vt. (See Phelps Family).
ELI, (perhaps ELIJAH), b. 7-30-1760. He was a soldier in Rev. War. Later he was living in Mid. where he had a blacksmith shop across the road from Enos Blossom's Tavern, which is mentioned in deeds as late as 1789. He moved to Shelburn.
Smith 599
GENEALOGIES
SMITH
SMITH, MATTHEW, (Matthew,5 Matthew,4 Matthew," Matthew,2 Matthew1-See Mack Gen. p. 1710-p. 87-93.) Son of Matthew5 and Sarah (Church) Smith, was b. E. Haddam, Conn., 5-12-1753; d. Mid. 7-30-1833, m. 1st 12-1-1777, Asenath Annable; m. 2nd 7-30-1825, Mrs. Elizabeth (Per- cival) Gates. (See Mack Gen. p. 100.) After returning from his service in the Rev. War, he married and lived a few years in E. Haddam. In June, 1782 he purchased of James Kelley, 100 acres, lot 224, Worth., which included all the southern portion of the farm. In 1794 he purchased 36 acres in the south of lot 215, Worth., adjoining. After liv- ing for over 20 years in the log cabin on the barn lot he built about 1806 the present house on Windsor Street, now the summer home of his great grandson, Louis Carter Smith. Matthew Smith was prominent in town affairs, serv- ing as selectman, 1787-88, 1791-95, 1799-1803, 1806. He represented the town in the General Court in 1802, and for . many years held commissions from the Governor as Justice of the Peace and Captain of Militia. He was a deacon and charter member of the Baptist Church.
Children :
ANNA, b. E. Haddam, June, 1778. d. 7-7-1782.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.