USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Sullivan > A history of the town of Sullivan, New Hampshire, 1777-1917, Volume II > Part 75
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II. SOLOMON RUGG FAMILY.
I. JOHN1 RUGG, the ancestor of the Sullivan Ruggs, was the first known of the name in this country. See the ELIJAH RUGG FAMILY. II. DANIEL2 RUGG. son of John', is also mentioned in the ELIJAH RUGG FAMILY. III. AMOS3 RUGG, son of Daniel2, b. in Lancaster, Mass., Dec. 13, 1716, m., Dec. 29, 1741, Mary Burpee of Lancaster, perhaps the dau. of Thomas and Mary Burpee, who had recently come to Lancaster from Rowley, Mass.
1. SOLOMON4 RUGG, son of Amos3 and Mary (Burpee) Rugg, was b. at Lancaster, Mass., July 3, 1766. He was born in that part of the town which is now Sterling. He m., Nov. 25, 1789, Ruth Towne of Rindge. We know no more of her and we have not the particulars of their deaths. They lived in Rindge several years, then moved to Sullivan, and we do not know where they went afterwards. In Sullivan, they appear to have lived in what we call District No. 4. We find a record of his being elected a highway surveyor for that district. He had two children born in town, his youngest two children. So far as known he had seven ch. He was a cousin of Mrs. Eleazer Brown, whose husband died in 1798, leaving a family of young children. It is supposed that he carried on her farm at 155 for a few years, from about 1802-1807.
I. NATHAN5 RUGG, b. in Rindge, April 14, 1790; d. in Thetford, Vt., April, 1871 ; m. Ist, April 1, 1817, Lavinia Newcomb of Thetford, who d., Nov. 26, 1836. He m. 2d, Feb. 6, 1838, Louisa Newcomb of Thetford. He was many years a deacon in the Thetford Cong. Ch. He was a farmer. Three ch. I. Lucy Dana6, b. in Thetford, Feb. 6, 1819; 2. Chester Wright6, b. in Orford, N. H., Sept. 28, 1823 ; 3. Thomas Merrill6, b. in Thetford, Sept. 12, 1831. These children all married and had descendants, but they had so little connection with Sullivan that we have not undertaken to carry out their record in detail.
2. EDWARD' RUGG, b. in Rindge, Oct. 23, 1791 ; d in Orford (?), N. H., May 27, 1860. He was a farmer in Orford. He m. Ist Sarah Moulton, b., Aug. 27, 1792; d., Nov. 23, 1818; m. 2d, May 4, 1819, Asenath Sawyer, b., May 1I, 1791 ; d., June 18, 1878. They had five ch., all probably b. at Orford : 1. Sarah Ann6, b., July 12, 1816; 2. Maria M6., b., June 22, 1818; 3. Emily S6., b., March 28, 1820; 4. Moulton E6., b., March 22, 1826; 5.
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Marshall E6., b., April 17, 1834. These five children all married, but the Solomon Rugg family lived so short a time in Sullivan that we shall not trace their descendants farther than the second generation.
3. PHINEHAS® RUGG, b. in Rindge, Oct. 2, 1794; d. in Orford, N. H., Aug. 15, 1882. He was a farmer, diligent and careful in his business and a man who had the respect of the whole community. He was a man of strong character, tender and sympathetic, and a staunch supporter of every good cause. Ile m. Ist, April 1, 1825, Sarah P. Perrin of Orford, who d., March 29, 1829, ae. 23 years. He m. 2d, Dec. 24, 1829, Ann Palmer, who d., Dec. 17, 1836, ae. 34 years. He m. 3d, April 4, 1837, Linda Newcomb of Thetford, Vt., who d. at Thetford, April 8, 1880. He had seven ch., all born probably in Thetford, Vt .: 1. Mary Crocker 6, b., April 26, 1827 ; 2. William Dame 6, b., March 20, 1829; 3. Sarah Porter 6, b., Sept. 8, 1830, lived three months ; 4. George Horsford 6, b., March 18, 1832 ; 5. Arthur Herrick 6, b., November, 1833; d., May 11, 1836; 6. Sarah Jane 6, b., June 6, 1840; res. at Thetford, Vt., unm ; 7. Louise AnnG, b., June 30, 1843. All of these children who reached maturity married with the exception of Sarah Jane. Only the eldest child, Mary C., and the youngest, Louisa A., had children,
4. SOLOMON" RUGG, Jr., b. in Rindge, date unknown, is said to have lived some years in Nashua. We have no further particulars concerning him.
4. PHEBE RUGG, b. in Rindge, Aug. 17, 1798; d. at Thetford, Vt., May 15, 1847. She m., Dec. 15, 1817, Asa Blood of Lyme, N. H. She had seven ch., who were probably b. at Lyme, N. H., but the places of their births were not specified in the record which we consulted. They were the following : 1. Luther H6. Blood, b., Nov. 18, 1819, m. and had one ch .; 2. Solomon Rugg6 Blood, b., June 6, 1822; 3. Elizabeth 6 Blood, b., Dec. 20, 1825 ; m. Ist, 1849, Bryant F. Jenks ; m. 2d, 1865, Lyman Alexander ; 4. Daniel G6. Blood, b., Nov. 18, 1827 ; d., Feb. 28, 1852; 5. Edward& Blood, b., May 5, 1831 ; m. Adelia P. Barnes; 6. Edwin6 Blood, twin to the preceding, b., May 5, 1831 ; m. Louisa J. Jewell ; 7. Lucy M. C6. Blood, b., Dec. 5, 1837 ; d., Sept. 25, 1861. Solomon R6., the 2d ch., d., unm., April 13, 1842.
6. PAMELIA® RUGG, b. in S., at 155 probably, Jan. 20, 1802; m., Oct. 25, 1818, Asa Palmer, b., March 1, 1797; d., Jan. 9, 1874. She d. at Orford, N. H., Nov. 3, 1861. She had ten ch., all b. at Orford, N. H .: 1. Bradley6 Palmer, b., April 7, 1820; d., Aug. 25, 1822. 2. Henry 6 Palmer, b., Aug. 27, 1822; m. Ist Mary E. Thompson; m. 2d, 1883, Cordelia Dwinnell; res. Worcester, Mass .; four ch. 3. Ruth J6. Palmer, b., Dec. 2, 1823 ; m. Ist, 1849, A. G. Woodward; m. 2d Darius Hurlburt; res. at Worcester, Mass., and Grafton, Mass .; three ch. 4. Addison6 Palmer, b., Sept. 24, 1825; m., Nov. 28, 1850, E. F. Bush : m. 2d, 1865, Maria F. Morse; res. Worcester, Mass .; seven ch. 5. Fred. B6. Palmer, b., Jan. 29, 1829 ; m. Ist, 1853, Harriet Ames ; m. 2d, 1861, Jeanie Beal ; res. Lyme, N. H .; eight ch. 6. A. Burton 6 Palmer, b., Jan. 26, 1830; m. Ist, 1856, Celia Minott; m. 2d, 1888, Mrs. Sarah W. Paddock. He is a Cong. clergyman. He res. at Orford, N. H., and Saratoga, Cal. He had two ch. 7. Absalom 6 Palmer, b., Feb. 13, 1833; d., April 4, 1855. 8. Harriet" Palmer, b., June 9, 1835; m., 1866, William H. Felton ;
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ses. in Marlborough, Mass ; no ch. 9. Charles M6. Palmer, b., Jan. 16, 1837 ; m., 1865, Miriam W. Powers., He was formerly a clergyman in Worcester, Mass. They afterwards res. in Paxton, Mass. 10. H. Orlando 6 Palmer, b., July 19, 1841. He never m., and was a physician at Hubbardston, Mass.
7. EXPERIENCE® RUGG, b. in S., at $55 probably, April 22, 1806; d. at Thetford, Vt .; date not given in the record. She m., March, 1848, Asa Blood of Lyme, N. H., whose former wife was her sister Phebe. She had no ch.
III. FAMILIES OF ORA AND GEORGE RUGG.
JOHN RUGG, DANIEL2 RUGG, and NATHANS RUGG, the first three ancestors in direct line in America of Ora and George Rugg are noticed in FAMILY OF ELIJAH RUGG. IV. NATHAN4 RUGG, Jr., a brother of Elijah+ Rugg of S., was b, in Lancaster, Mass., April 21, 1743; d. in Keene, Nov. 23, 1788. He m. Dorothy (Dolly) Clark of Keene. He had four ch .: Lucinda, Elias, Ora, and Electa. V. ELIAS5 RUGG, son of Nathan4, and a cousin of Harrison5 and Martin Rugg of S., was b. in Keene, May 5, 1779; d. in Keene, Feb. 20, 1840. He m. Sarah Blake Wellman of Keene, who d. there, June 19 (town record, June 20), 1854, ae. 77. He had twelve ch., all b. in Keene : Betsey, Sarah, Elias, Francis, Abial, Ora, Elvira, Lucinda, Walter, Joseph, George, and Mary.
1. ORA® RUGG, son of Elias5, V., b. in Keene, Oct. 30, 1807; d. at Earleville, Ohio, Oct. 3, 1880. He m., March 29, 1839, Jane Everett, b. in Allen, Pa., July 31, 1816; d. at Earleville, Ohio, where they resided, March 3, 1886. During his youth, he lived in S., with Capt. Samuel Seward, at 135. He was a bright, energetic man, pleasantly remembered by the older generation now passed away. He had four ch .: 1. Wilson7, b., April 26, 1844; d., May II, 1850. 2. Charles L7., b., Feb. 17, 1846; d., Sept. 12, 1846. 3. Charles E7., b., Sept. 21, 1850; m., April 3, 1881, Rose M. Gray. He is a farmer at Kent, Ohio. He had had three ch. when he sent his record : I. A son8, b., Jan. 8, 1884 ; d., Jan. 15, 1884; 2. Edna M8., b., Aug. 12, 1888; 3. Ruth", b., May 16, 1892. 4. Minnie A7., b., Dec. 10, 1853; res. at Kent, Ohio.
2. GEORGE" RUGG, son of Elias5, V., b. in Keene, March 20, 1814 ; d. in Pottsdam, N. Y., 1869. He m., 184c, Harriet N. Hartwell of Hubbardston, Mass. In his youth, he lived with his father's cousin, Harrison Rugg, in S., at 145. After his marriage, he lived at Pottsdam, N. Y. He had three ch .:
I. GEORGE W7. KUGG, b., Feb. 1, 1846, m., Dec. 19, 1878, Mary Jane Kauss. He res. in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was connected with the Cleveland Rolling Mill Co., manufacturers of steel and iron. He had one ch., when the record was taken : Burt Hayes 8, b., June 22, 1880.
2. LILLIS AMELIA7 RUGG, b., Jan. 15, 1848, m. John B. Covell. She d., Oct. 30, 1881, leaving one ch .: 1. William Henry 8 Covell, b., June 14, 1870.
3. FRANK HAMILTON7 RUGG, b., Feb. 28, 1855.
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1. GEORGE FARR2 RUSSELL,, b. at South Acton, Mass., Sept. 6, 1833; d. in Fitchburg, Mass., July 23, 1912; son of Joseph Bradley1 and I.ydia Caroline (Farr) Russell. He m., Nov. 25, 1858, Sarah Blake Foster, b. in Charlestown, N. H., March 17, 1843; still living in Fitchburg, Mass .; dau. of John and Harriet (Palmer) Foster. He was a farmer in S., and lived, 1858-59, with his father-in-law, John Foster, upon the Solomon Esty farm, at 144. He then moved to Keene and worked in shops. He was a sergeant in the Ist N. H. Vols. in the Civil War, enlisting from Keene. The later years of his life were passed in Fitchburg, where he worked in a shop. Four ch .: I. A son 3, b. in Keene, April 21, 1862; d. at birth. 2. Sarah Calista 3, b. in Swanzey, Sept. 21, 1864, 2. 3. Emogene Loretta 3, b. in Keene, Aug. 1, 1866, 3. 4. A dau 3., b. in Keene, April 3, 1869 ; d. there, April 4, 1869.
2. SARAH CALISTA3 RUSSELL, dau. of George F., 1, res. in Winchendon, Mass. She m. ist, July 4, 1882, Henry Dexter Palmer, b. in Richmond, Aug. 7, 1859; son of Dexter and Eunice Elizabeth (White) Palmer. He is a weaver. They were divorced. She m. 2d, June 19, 1906, Willard Henry Rumrill, b. in Weathersfield, Vt., April 8, 1864, son of Horace Gilman and Lucinda (Randall) Rumrill. Her ch. were the following :
I. EVA MAY4 PALMER, b. in Fitchburg, Mass., June 4, 1883; unm. in 1915.
2. ELMER DEXTER4 PALMER, b. at Montague City, Mass., March 1, 1885; m., Jan. 8, 1913, Hattie F. O'Bryan, b. in Fitzwilliam, July 13, 1890 ; dau. of John and Abbie (Ripley) O'Bryan. He is a machinist in Fitchburg, Mass. Ch. to 1916: 1. Gwendolyn Mae & Palmer, b. in Phoebus, Va., Feb. 17, 1913; 2. Thelma Katherine& Palmer, b. in Winchendon, Mass., June 6, 1914; 3. Ruby Mildred & Palmer, b. in Athol, Mass., Aug. 16, 1916.
3. RICHARD HENRY4 PALMER, b. in Fitchburg, Mass., April 30, 1888 ; m., Aug. 20, 1909, Josephine Elizabeth Moulliet, b. in Norwich, Conn., Nov. 7, 1885 ; dau. of Andrew and Josephine (Molk) Moulliet. He is a carpenter in Fitchburg, Mass. Two ch. to 1916: 1. Richard Wilfred& Palmer, b. in Lowell, Mass., June 29, 1910; 2. Henry Andrew5 Palmer, b. in Fitchburg, Mass., March 29, 1915.
4. ELSIE VIOLA4 PALMER, b. in Fitchburg, Mass., Jan. 14, 1894 ; m., March 6, 1912, Fred. E. Smith, b. in Searsport, Me., Aug. 2, 1883 ; son of Frederick E. and Adeline Smith. He is a general laborer in a shop in Winchendon, Mass. Two ch. to 1916: 1. George Fosters Smith, b. in Winchendon, Mass., May 18, 1913; d. there, Dec 27, 1915; 2. Ruby Eleanor 5 Smith, b. in Lowell, Mass., July 28, 1916.
5. HAZEL EMOGENE4 PALMER, b. in Ashburnham, Mass., April 28, 1897 ; m., June 13, 1914, LeRoy Ferris Emerson, b. in Fitchburg, Mass., Dec. 30, 1892; son of Charles Elmer and Emma (Bailey) Emerson. He is a chauffeur in Fitchburg, Mass. No ch. to 1916.
6. EDITH IRENE4 RUMRILL, b. in Dummerston, Vt., June 28, 1907.
7. SARAH LUCINDA4 RUMRILL, b. in Putney, Vt., Nov. 24, 1908.
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3. EMOGENE LORETTA3 RUSSELL, dau. of George F2., 1, m. Ist, Oct. 19, 1885, George Clark Palmer, b. in Richmond, March 28, 1854; son of Dexter and Eunice Elizabeth ( White) Palmer. They were divorced, Nov., 1898. He was a weaver. She m. 2d, Sept. 13, 1910, Edward Everett Dennett, b. in Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 27, 1863. She now (1916) res. in Fitchburg, Mass. Ch .:.
1. RUSSELL DEXTER4 PALMER, b. in Fitchburg, Mass., Jan. 3, 1887, a Jaborer ; unm. in 1915.
2. GEORGE HENRY4 PALMER, b. in Fitchburg, Mass., May 20, 1888; d. there, Aug. 23, 1888.
II. FAMILY OF FRANK M. RUSSELL.
1. FRANK MERRILL2 RUSSELL, b. in Pottersville (now Chesham), Jan. 30, 1862 ; d. in Keene, Sept. 19, 1914; son of Merrill Joseph1 and Helen M. (Knowlton) Russell. He was a farmer and lived in Keene and Sullivan. In S., he lived, with his father-in-law, Henry O. Esty, upon the Winchester farm, at 193, in 1892-93; also a year later on the Chauncy W. Rawson farm, at 175. He m., Oct. 30, 1886, Anna Gertrude Esty, b. in Hinsdale, July 24, 1869; d. in Keene, June 4, 1906; dau. of Henry O. and Sarah Augusta (Howe) Esty. They had three ch .:
I. ERNEST OSGOOD" RUSSELL, b. in Keene, Aug. 14, 1888. He is the contract agent of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. He is unm. in 1916 and res. in Keene.
2. ETHEL MAY3 RUSSELL, b. in S., in the C. W. Rawson house, at 175, Oct. 24, 1890 ; m., Nov. 21, 1913, Louis Albert Pelkey, b. in Keene, April I, 1885; son of Henry Albert and Elizabeth Orinda (Barrus) Pelkey. Res. in Keene. He works in a comb shop. No ch. to 1916.
3. CLIFFORD HARRY3 RUSSELL, b. in Keene, May 3, 1896.
SARTWELL.
1. MICAHI SARTWELL (or MICHAEL SARTWELL, as his name is sometimes spelled) lived a short time in Sullivan on the Kendall or H. Rugg farm, at 145. He bought it in 1787, for non-payment of taxes, and lived there for three years, the first settler on the place. He came from Wilton and was a tailor, going from house to house making clothes for men. It does not seem probable that his vocation in such a community, at that time, could have been very lucrative. In 1790, he purchased what has been known for more than a century as the White farm, and built the first house on the place, which stood at 66. He only owned it about a year before he sold it to Josiah Gould White of Uxbridge, Mass., the progenitor of all of that name who have lived upon this place. Mr. Sartwell's last name is sometimes spelled Sawtell and some- times Sawtle upon the records. The good yeomen of those days were likely to pronounce proper names in a barbarous manner and then spell them phonetically as they mispronounced them. The most particular record concerning this family is that of a " warning out of town " of the whole family,
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on Aug. 13, 1789, by Dea. Elijah Carter, acting in his official capacity. This was less than a month after he had bought what was afterwards the White place, and three days before he sold what was afterwards the Harrison Rugg place. This is the only record on the Sullivan books of the warning out of town of an entire family. There are three entries of the warnings of single individuals, one man and two women. This in_ hospitable legal proceeding, in reality, was instituted not so much to get rid of people as to rid the town of any responsibility for their sup- port should such persons ever become a charge upon the public. The first name of Mr. Sartwell's wife was Sarah (or Sally). The children named in the record to which we have alluded were: 1. Sarah2 ( Sally), 2. Parkhurst2, 3. Stephen2, 4. John2, 5. Polly2 (perhaps for Mary ) . The connection of this family with the town was so brief that we have not been to the pains of tracing the genealogies.
SAUNDERS.
1. MICHAEL1 SAUNDERS (last name often spelled SANDERS) came as a little boy into the home of Dea. Josiah Seward, at 139. We regret exceedingly, for that reason, that we cannot give a more perfect account of this virtually adopted son of the writer's ancestor; but the most diligent search has yielded only very meagre results. When Michael reached maturity, he married and settled in Sullivan. We have been un- able to ascertain the place and date of his birth or of his death, or his parentage. He m., Aug. 30, 1797, in Keene, by Rev. Aaron Hall, Eliza- beth (or Betsey) Dimick, b. in that part of Gilsum which is now Sulli- van, at 242, April 13, 1779; the place and date of her death being un- determined; dau. of John, Jr., and Prudence. (DeWolf, sometimes spelled Dolph) Dimick. He settled on the farm of his father-in-law, John Dimick, Jr., at 242, which he eventually purchased. In 1818, he sold the farm in parcels to various purchasers. This spoiled the farm, but the house was tenanted for a few years by transient tenants. Mr. Saunders moved to Pittsford, Vt., where he probably died. We know of only three chil- dren, but there may have been more. Sullivan records are practically silent concerning them. 1. The late Charles Franklin Wilson, Esq., told the writer that he went to school with a son2 of Mr. Saunders, but could not give the name. 2. There was a dau. named Mary2, 2. An infant2 died or was buried May 29, 1809. The sex is not given. The birth was probably not long before the death.
2. MARY2 SAUNDERS, dau. of Michael1, 1, m. in Keene, Jan. 25, 1824, by Rev. Z. S. Barstow, to Joseph Foster (name originally spelled Forster), a famous glass-blower of Keene. They had a son, William3 which died, March 15, 1833, at eight years of age, evidently their eldest . child. They had three or four other children. One of these, Joseph Ezra3 Foster, was b. in Stoddard, Jan. 17, 1847; d. at the Marshall House,
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in Boston, Mass., June 13, 1903. He m., Feb. 5, 1879, Helen Ardelle Steele, b. in Lawrence, Mass., March 24, 1852; dau. of William Patter- son and Adeline Emerson (Putnam ) Steele. They res. at Boston, Mass .; Somerville, Mass .; Scranton, Pa .; and Olean, N. Y. They last res. at South Lyndeborough, N. H. He was a glass-blower, like his father. They had one ch., Edna Livadia4 Foster, b. at South Lyndeborough, Oct. 23, 1885. We have been unable to get the record of the remaining children of Mary (Saunders ) Foster.
SAWYER.
JAMES SAWYER was b. about 1755, perhaps Lancaster, Mass., but we have not discovered his birthplace or his parentage. It is thought that he belonged to the Swanzey Sawyers. He lived at first, after his marriage, in Keene near the junction of the Beaver Brook road to Gilsum with the west road leading to Sullivan. He lived a short time in the south part of Gilsum, and bought the Sullivan place at 248 in 1798, where he lived until his death, which occurred Nov. 23, 1834 at the age of 79. He m. Nov. 13, 1777 in Swanzey, by Rev. Edward Goddard, Mary Ellis, b. in Keene abt. 1757; d. Swanzey Feb. 5, 1843; dau. of Joseph Sr. and Lydia Ellis. We know of eleven ch. The first six were b. in Keene, the next four probably in Gilsum, and the last in S .: 1 Prudence2, b. Jan. 11, 1778; 2. Sarah2, b. Apr. 2, 1780; 3. Joseph2, b. Mar. 9, 1782; d. Mannsville, N. Y., Dec. 11, 1848; m. in N. H. Mary Harper, dau. of John Harper of Jaffrey, and had ten ch .; only two were living in 1902, Mrs. Sarah Sweet of Auburn, N. Y. and Mrs. Anne Bick- nell of Fairfield, Clay Co., Neb .; 4. Lydia2, b. Oct. 25, 1783; 5. Sidney2, b. Mar. 10, 1788; 6. James2, b. Aug. 5, 1790, lived and died in Water- town, N. Y .; 7. Mary2; 8, Melissa2; 9. Elisha Ellis2; 10. Relief2, who never m .; 11. Rachel2, b. in Sullivan, at 248, abt. 1803, who was m. in Keene, Apr. 1, 1823, by Rev. Z. S. Barstow, to Abijah Ellis, b. abt. 1781; d. in Roxbury, Aug. 20, 1865. Rachel also d. in Roxbury, Dec. 11, 1825, aged 22. She had a dau. Rachel3 Ellis, b. in Roxbury, Dec. 4, 1825; d. Jan. 6, 1826. It is possible that both the ninth and tenth chil - dren of James Sawyer were b. in S. instead of Gilsum as we have stated. We have been unable to learn any further particulars concerning this family.
SEWARD.
1. SAMUEL1 SEWARD and Elizabeth, his wife, were in Boston, Mass., early in the eighteenth century. According to the printed records of the Boston Record Commissioners, they had a son, Thomas, b. in Boston, May 1, 1730. II. THOMAS2 SEWARD of Pepperell, Mass., is the earliest Seward who has been positively identified as an ancestor of the Sullivan family of that name. He d. in Pepperell, Aug. 19, 1757;
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"ae. about 28," according to the town records. It is known that he had lived in Boston before going to Pepperell, and that he had a brother, James, who lived permanently in Boston. He would have been born about 1729 or 1730. It is, therefore, reasonably certain that he is to be regarded as the same person as the Thomas, son of Samuel, who was born in 1730, for it is hardly probable that two persons of such an uncommon name, both born in the same year, would be living in the same town. There has been a family tradition that the Pepper- ell Thomas was born in England, but traditions get confused in trans- mission. It is more likely that he was the son of Samuel, and born after his parents arrived in Boston. Thomas settled in Pepperell about the middle of the eighteenth century, and lived in a house of which no trace remains, which stood a few rods north-west of the place where Birkinshaw's mill was built. He was hardly more than a boy when he died, at the age of 28. He left a young widow of the same age, with three little sons, neither of whom could walk, because the eldest was a cripple, the second had not learned to walk, and the third was a new- born babe. The brave young mother, by strenuous exertions, brought up her family most creditably. Her name was Hannah. There is good evidence that her full maiden name was Hannah Martin. We have not ascertained her birth date and parentage. She d. in what is now Sulli- van, at the house of her son, Josiah, which stood, then, at 140, March 23, 1787, in her 58th year. She was, therefore, born about 1729 or 1730, probably in the same year as her husband, Thomas and Han- nah had three ch., all b. in Pepperell, Mass .: 1. Thomas3 Jr., b. July 11, 1754; d. in Pepperell, March 12, 1835, nearly 81 years of age. He was a cripple from his birth and unable to undertake any remunera- tive employment. His two brothers, who were in easy circumstances, attended to his needs, but he could not be induced to remain contentedly in Sullivan, for he was devotedly attached to his native town. It is also said that his infirmities had made him irritable, and that he did not bear patiently the restraints which the wives of his brothers laid upon him. 2. Josiah3, b. Feb. 22, 1756, 1 3. Samuel3, b. April 12, 1757, 2.
1. DEA. JOSIAH3 SEWARD, second son of Thomas2, was one of the famous minute men who marched from Pepperell, Mass., under their distinguished fellow townsman, Col. Prescott, helped to throw up the earthworks on the renowned Bunker (more properly Breed's) Hill, and participated in the memorable-battle of June 17, 1775. His brother Samuel was with him. Both were invited and accepted the invitation to join the survivors of that battle, on the fiftieth anniversary, at the laying of the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill Monument. The veterans were all personally introduced to Lafayette and invited to sit on the platform. The names of the Pepperell minute men who participated in the battle are enrolled in the records of the old first church of that
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SEWARD.
town. The widow of Gov. Roger Wolcott of Massachusetts has erected a magnificent granite memorial to their memory in Pepperell, upon which are engraved the names of the same men. Josiah was m. upon his twenty-fifth birthday anniversary, in Townsend, Mass., by Rev. Samuel Dix, to Sarah Osgood, b. in Billerica, Mass., Jan. 31, 1749-50 (O. S.); d. in Keene, July 2, 1835; dau. of Joseph and Sarah (Pierce) Osgood. She was a first cousin of Gov. Benjamin Pierce of New Hamp- shire, father of Pres. Franklin Pierce. In 1781, Josiah settled in that part of the former town of Stoddard, which is now included in Sullivan, where the Fifields are living (1917). His first house was at 140. He lived in that small, temporary house about seven years. In 1788, he erected a framed house nearly upon the site of 139. In 1797, he erected the fine old mansion, which is now only a wreck of what it was once. A part of the house built in 1788 became the ell of the Martin Rugg house at 59, a part formed the shed between the two barns on the Seward homestead. He was an early deacon of the First Congrega- tional Church of Sullivan, which office he held many years until his death, which occurred at 139, July 10, 1828. He held all the important town offices and served as a representative to the General Court. He was afflicted with poor health for several years before he died. He de- rived some benefit by going to Saratoga Springs and taking the waters there. He was an early guest in the original Congress Hall. He had eight ch .: 1. Hannah4, b. in S., at 140, Sept. 29, 1781, 3; 2. Josiah4 Tr., b. in S., at 140, Oct. 30, 1783, 4; 3. Sarah4, b. in S., at 140, Feb. 6, 1785, 5; 4. Abigail4, b. in S,, at 140, June 11, 1787; m. Edward Wilder, q. v .; 5. Thomas4, b. in S., at 139, March 5, 1790, 6; 6. Betsey4, b. in S., at 139, Dec. 1, 1792; d. in Walpole, Jan. 21, 1850, at the house of her brother-in-law, Dea. Amos Wood; an unmarried woman, who had been a nurse for many years in Boston, and a member of the Park St. Cong. Church; 7. Fanny4 b. in S., Nov. 13, 1794; m. Amos Wood, q. v .; 8. Rebecca4, b. in S., at 139, April 20, 1796; d. there, June 17, 1796. Betsey's funeral was at the house of her cousin, Joseph Seward, in S., and the interment in her father's lot in the old Sullivan cemetery. These eight ch. were all born on the same farm, but the first four were born while it continued to be a part of the original Stoddard, the last four, after Sullivan was incorporated.
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