USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume I > Part 43
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Joshua Dunlap, Alexander Stewart, Benajah Bill, Elias Frink, Jun.,
Eleazer Done,
Caleb Wheeler,
Joseph Spalding,
Jehiel Bryant,
Joseph Hazen,
Curtice Spalding,
Cotton Fletcher,
Samuel Webb, Jun.,
Thomas Brown,
John Fellows,
Seth Wright,
John Eddy, Judah Fay,
Job Marsh,
Nathaniel Hide,
Joseph Alexander,
John Pirkins,
Ephraim Dean, Phinehas Lewis,
James Campbell, Jun.,
Andrew Bacon,
John Strong,
Jacob Simons,
Thomas Day,
Hezekiah May,
Jeduthun Simons,
David Bredwell,
Thomas Wells,
Benjamin Parke, Henry Arnold,
Jesse Stevens,
James Lockwood,
John Wells, Jacob Sisco,
Nathaniel Crandall, Joshua Birch,
Ezekiel Porter,
Hezekiah Demmon,
Samuel May,
Samuel Douglass, James Morriss, Samuel Jackson,
Eli Colton,
Joseph Webb,
Daniel Alden,
Nathaniel Loomis,
Oliver Crery,
Aaron Crery,
George Crery, William Crery,
Peter Judson, Ephraim Robinson, Nehemiah Lewis,
Saniuel Norton,
John Cogswell, John Cone,
Lott Norton, David Bigilo, Jun.,
Hezekiah Hooker, Thomas Fellows, James Hannas,
John Coleburt,
Abraham Harden,
Jonathan Sanger,
John Royce,
Ebenezer Bebbens,
Samuel Church,
Abram Snow,
Ebenezer Lewis,
Samuel Ford,
John Larabee,
John Campbell, 3d,
Thomas Porter,
Gideon Lawrence,
Josiah Griswold,
Alexander Hinman,
Elisha Williams, Jun.,
Thomas Belding, Jun., Samuel Curtice, John Hart, William Wadsworth,
Samuel Gordon, Gideon Baldwin, Abel Barnes, Hezekiah Orten, John Wough, Thomas Lylly,
Eben Cheney,
John Young, Jacob Simons, 3d, Zebulon Hebard,
Baltazar Lydius,
Simeon Dean,
275
Joshua Read, Gideon Hebard,
Caleb Moses,
Abram Petebone,
Mark Leavensworth,
John Barker,
Joseph Badcock,
John Leavensworth,
John Spencer,
Samuel Bennit,
John Andross,
Samuel Hulbert,
Jesse Stephens,
Gideon Burr,
David Palmer, Benajah Parkes, Josiah Parkes, Gideon Haskell,
Ezra Stiles,
Richard Cooke,
Jonathan Fitch,
Nathaniel Barnes,
Seth Loomiss, Joseph Case, Jonathan Leavingworth,
Jacob Geers,
James Case,
Benjamin Geers,
Daniel Bull,
Thomas Humphries,
John Read, Jun.,
Elisha Cornish,
Moses Bellamy,
Elnathan Street,
Isaac Petebone,
Aaron Bellamy,
Constant Casten,
William Manly, Jun.,
John Hugens,
William Manly,
Giles Petebone,
Miles Riggs,
-all being of the Colony of Connecticutt aforesd to The Number of one hundred & thirty Six Persons-To each one of ye last mentioned persons to ye aforesd Number of one hundred and thirty six The one twelve hundredth and twenty Four parts of The Same large parcell of Land aforesd (of all which aforenamed Persons the sum aforesd was Receivd ) which said Given & Granted Tract of Land is Butted Bounded & Describd as followeth (viz)
"Begining from the one & fortieth Degree of north Latitude at Ten miles distance East of Suskahana River and from thence with a Northward line Ten miles East of the River To the forty second or beginning of the forty Third degree of North Latitude and so To extend west Two Degrees of Longitude one hundred and Twenty miles- & from thence south to the Begining of the forty second Degree & from thence East to the affore- mentioned Bounds which is ten miles East of Suskahana River-Together with all and every the mines minerals or ore of what kind soever standing growing being found or to be found upon any part or parcel thereof and all other the Hereditements and appurtė- nances to the said parcel or tract belonging or in any ways appertaining and the Reversion & reversions Remainder & Remainders &c.
"TO HAVE AND TO HOLD all The above Granted And Bargained Premises (with all The appurtenances thereof) unto all the above & forenamed persons in manner and Pro- portion aforesd and to Their Heirs and Assigns and to their only proper use benefitt & Behoof forever as a free Clear & absolute Estate of Inheritance in fee Simple free of all Incumberances whatsoever.
"And we the aforesd CA-HIK-TOTON, ABRAM PIETERS, WILLEM TARIGJORIS, BRANT CONWIGNOGE &c &c &c Sachems & Cheifs as aforesd Do Hereby Covenant to and with all the aforenamd Grantees and each & every of them that att and untill the ensealing & Delivery hereof we are the True Sole and Lawfull Owners of The above Granted Premises and Have good right power & authority to Bargain & sell the same in manner & form as above written.
"And furthermore we the aforenamd CAHIK-TOTON, ABRAM PIETERS, WILLEM THARIGJORIS, BRANT CONWIGNOGE Sachems & Cheifs as aforesd do by these presents for us our Heirs & Successors Covenant and promise to and with all & every of the afore- namd persons Grantees in this Deed all the above Granted & Bargained Premises and appurtenances Thereof Unto all & Every of ye forenamd persons, Grantees in this Deed and to their & every of their Heirs & Assigns in Manner & Proportion aforesd forever to Warrant Secure & Defend.
"IN WITNESS WHEREOF We have each of us hereunto sett our marks and affixd our seals This eleventh day of July In the Twenty Eight year of The Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George ye 2d of Great Britian &c. King Annoq. Domini one Thousand seven hundred & Fifty Fore.
"Signed Sealed & Delivered )
his
Cheif of
mark the Senekas." [L. s. ]
his "ABRAHAM A PETERS
mark
Sachem of Canajoharie of ye Tribe of [L. s. ] ye Bar [Bear]."
his "WILLIM [Turtle] THARIGIORIS mark his Sacham "BRANT [Wolf] CONWIGNOGE of ye Mohoks." [L. S.]
mark his
"GAGSWIGTIONE + | + RODHAD" [L. S.]
"His [Turtle] CANAGEGAIE
mark one of ye Sachems
mark of Onondage." [L. S.]
In presence of
"Eph. Williams Ju!
"Joseph Kellogg.
"KAHIK-TOTON [Raccoon]
Sachem of Canajoharie." [L. S.]
276 -
"Signed Sealed & Delivered ) In Presence of
"James Sharpe
"Martin Lydius
His
"SETH | JESTARARIE of ye Mohoks -ye Turtel." [L. s. ]
inark
His
"JOHANIS C SOGEHOWANE Do. Do." [L. s.] mark
His "SENOSIES [Turtle] Onider." [L. s.] His
mark Bar,
"JOHANIS X CANADEGAIR Do. Mohok." [I. S.] mark
His Wolf, Canajoharie." [L. s. ] mark
His
"CANAGGAJESE [Turtle]"
mark [L. s.] ]
His
"JOHNS [Bear] TEGNAGERAT Bar." [L. s. ] mark
Oniders.
His "AKWEIOTA [Turtle]" ---
mark [L. S.]
"His [Weasel] CARISTAGO" [L. s.]
mark
His
"SCARONAGE ( HALF KING" [L. s.]
Mark
"His
SCANERADIE" [L. S.]
mark
His
"TAGIGEADON'T X DRONKERD"
mark [I. S.]
This deed covers thirteen and a-half pages of paper, foolscap size, and is in the handwriting of different persons. The names of sixteen grantors-including "King" Hendrick Peters-were undoubtedly in- serted, in a blank space left for them on the first page of the deed, about the time of the execution of the same; and those names, as well as the names of the several grantors appearing on page 11, are in the hand- writing of one and the same person. The amount of the consideration was inserted also at the same time, as well as the date of the execution of the deed-all written apparently by the same person. The descrip- tion of the land conveyed occupies the first fifteen lines of page 11, and is in the handwriting of two different persons. All the grantors named in the body of the deed, excepting "King" Hendrick and "Caristago," executed the same on the 11th of July. Hendrick would never sign the deed, but Caristago signed it March 4, 1755, in company with the three other chiefs whose names follow his.
.
The first six chiefs who signed the deed did so in the presence of Col. Ephraim Williams, Jr., and Capt. Joseph Kellogg, mentioned on page 269 ; then five other chieftans came to Lydius' house and signed in the presence of Martin Lydius (Col. John Henry Lydius' second son, aged nineteen years) and James Sharpe, aged thirty-three years-then, and for many years thereafter, a respectable and credible citizen of Albany. Later in the same day (July 11th)* three Oneida chieftans came to Lydius' house and signed the deed in the presence of Johannis
* See page 35 of "The Susquehanna Title Stated and Examined ;" a pamphlet published at Catskill, New York, in 1796.
"March 4, 1755. Signed Sealed and Delivered In Presens of "Sybrant Van Schaick, Jr. "Jacob Van Woert, Jun!
"Martin Lydius
-
"Signed Sealed and Delivered in Presens of
"Sybrant Van Schaick, Jr.
"Johannis J. Wendel
"NIKES N CARIGIAGTATIE
Aginny from the one & fortelle degpe of north Latitude al Fix Mile Mellan ) Lille of deflationa dever, and from there with I worth endungen miles, part of the lower to the forty decong
Granted & Bargain Franc & Daypun trans
Therea
grantees in the
I'll our Marks
per our Hals This Seventh day of
July - In the Sunuly Rights
the
Real Britain With Domine
and utrect & Fifty Store
Signed Sealed & Deliand.
ne fre Eh, Williams just
this Kahil, toton
Chief of
with all the annanfrancs thereyinte the above & foreman porfers in Manner Ch Proportion Onel di th per Use benefit & Behalf
Jagged orbu Char & White State of in kort. as in for Simple Tree of all humberantes who locker
his
Much Jochem of Parmapodane 3
Willim - Thorikura
math Jachum of Camayohajde
His
Garantia
markering
Jacham of y monster.
Willy Thorigjoris Brant You Givingnage Jachoms & Chips is afeny.
chefe frefonts for Amis outs our Heins & cae cours per to an with all & every of the afore
Rodria) gagswightone +1 + hoch
perjons grantees in this Des all the above
Mark
-
THE INDIAN DEED OF JULY 11, 1754. Photo-reproduction of pages 11 and 12.
for haag
tymiles abystade one hundred and then- from theme louth to the beginning of
the forty account degree & from there litt to the offerte men home bound which is tom miles fett of dufhahana- given Together withall and every the mines minerale or one of what kind never Handing growing being found or to befound upon wart ihr parte nel thered and all offer the the Gift ments and appartenance to the lei percelor trad belonging of in any ways apper canning and the Readingh & reversions Reinander & Kommenden PS
I all The elece granted
sind ve the offered Cahil toton, Abram Biter Whitem Jarigjong Grant Sauvignoge He He ye lichens & Phei to us . 20 to and with at the above man's panties Osbeach & every of them that all ane intill the Prefeitura Delivery hereof we are the fre Jol a) Lawfull Owner of the Ilove partes The heunifies And be good night power & buthe A Bargain & the Same In Manner & Join its theve written furthermore we the opennam Bahistoton Abram Picture
.
277
J. Wendel, a member of a well-known Albany family, and Sybrant Van Schaick, Jr., a son of Sybrant G. Van Schaick who was Mayor of Albany in 1761. March 4, 1755, Caristago, whose name appears in the body of the deed as one of the grantors-as previously mentioned- together with Scarooyady, or Scaronage, the "Half King" (mentioned in the note on page 262), signed the deed at Lydius' house, in company with two other chiefs and in the presence of Sybrant Van Schaick, Jr., and Martin Lydius, previously mentioned, and Jacob Van Woert, Jr. An inspection of the deed shows that the name of each chief was signed to it by either Colonel Lydius or one of the subscribing witnesses ; that then each chief, with his own hand, attached either his totemic device or his private "mark," after which a seal of red wax was affixed to the document opposite each signature.
After the European came to this country the sachem or civil head of an Indian tribe, besides presenting a belt of wampum as a pledge of good faith in diplomatic bargains, almost invariably attached his totem,* or that of his clan, to every public paper he was required to sign. It was only the repetition by an American Barbarian of the ancient custom of the Civilized Man in affixing a seal-the common custom of mon- archs who, like Indian sachems, could not write their names.
Inasmuch as it was early and often asserted by the opponents of the Susquehanna Company-and more particularly by the agents, depend- ents and friends of the Pennsylvania Proprietaries, who exhibited a good deal of either ignorance or mendacity with regard to the matter-that the deed of July 11, 1754, had been executed by a small number of irre- sponsible Indians, of no account, the present writer has taken consider- able pains to ascertain, so far as possible, who some of those Indian grantors were. With aid from the Rev. Dr. Beauchamp-previously mentioned-he is able to give the following information : In 1754 the principal sachem of the Eastern Senecas was Takeghsatu, Tagechsadou or Sagechsadou-as his name was indiscriminately written-while Ga- hikdote, Kahickdodon, or Kahiktoton ("A tree with thorns and fruit upon it"), alias "Groote Young," was the head of the Western Senecas. Both of these chiefs signed the deed of July 6th to the Penns-the name of Kahiktoton appearing first and that of Takeghsatu second. In the deed to the Susquehanna Company Kahiktoton's name stands first among the signers; but Takeghsatu's name does not appear therein. Ka- hiktoton fought with the English under Braddock, as is shown by the note on page 262. Later in 1755 he removed to Canada, where he lived until his death in 1757. In 1756 the French expected that he would join them with twenty Seneca warriors.
"Abraham Peters," the second signer of the Susquehanna Company's deed, was also a signer of the deed to the Penns. He was the younger brother (mentioned on page 229) of "King" Hendrick, and succeeded Nicklaus Brant as principal sachem of the Mohawks at their Upper Castle. He was born about 1691, and his Indian name was Tyanhasare, or Kanosteahse (often written Canusta). He is said to have been "a man of excellent sense and fine talents, but exclusively a civilian, and possessing no reputation as a warrior." Dr. Beauchamp says "he was the best of the [Peters] family." In 1768 he was at the Fort Stan- wix Treaty (mentioned in Chapter VII), and was the first signer of the
* See pages 103 and 120.
278
important deed then executed by the Indians to the Pennsylvania Pro- prietaries. He was the father of "Little Abe," a well-known Mohawk of the Wolf clan and for some years a sachem of the "Lower Castle" of the Mohawks, mentioned on page 264.
Old Abraham Peters was the father also of two daughters, the elder of whom became the wife of Nicklaus Brant and the mother of Joseph, mentioned in note į on page 264. The younger daughter was baptized under the name of Caroline, and according to Buell "received as com- plete an education as the mission-school at Fort Hunter and a private school in Schenectady could impart." In 1747, when she was twenty- two years old, she was reputed to be the handsomest girl among the Six Nations. About that time she attracted the attention of Sir William Johnson-who then had been a widower with three young children about two years-and she was soon installed as "mistress of his house- hold." As in the case of "Molly" Brant, later, Sir William did not wed this Indian beauty, Caroline Peters, but she lived with him until her death in 1753, and bore him one son and two daughters-William, Charlotte and Caroline. Abraham Peters, then, may be described as having been the common-law father-in-law of Sir William Johnson !
"Willim [William] Tharigioris," the third signer of the Susque- hanna Company's deed, was one of the subscribing witnesses to the Penn deed of July 6th. He was Tarrachioris, or Taregiorus, a Mohawk of the Turtle clan, and resided at the "Upper Castle." He was killed at the battle of Lake George, mentioned on page 281.
"Brant Conwignoge," the fourth signer, was a Mohawk sachem of the Wolf clan, and resided at the "Lower Castle." In a list of Mohawk chiefs prepared in 1754 his name was set down "Gaweaghnoge." There were many of the Brants, and their names changed often. Dr. Peck, in his "Wyoming" (mentioned on page 20, ante), refers to the deed of July 11, 1754, and states (page 23) with reference to the signers of the same : "Among these 'chief sachems' is the famous Mohawk chief Brant, who figured so largely in the War of the Revolution." This statement was based by the author merely on a wild guess, as Joseph Brant, the famous chief to whom he refers-who has been denominated as "unquestionably the greatest of American Indians"-was only twelve years of age in 1754.
"Gagswigtione Rodhad," the fifth signature attached to the Sus- quehanna deed, represents the name of Kaghs-waugh-ti-o-ni ("Wampum- belt lying down"), or "Red Head." He was the Iroquois speaker and sachem of Onondaga. "The fact that he had been a French partizan," writes Dr. Beauchamp, "would account for his using crosses [in making his "mark"], as all French Christian Indians did." He died at Onon- daga Castle in 1756, and there, on June 18th, "the full Council of all the nations met, with Sir William Johnson at their head, to perform the grand solemnity of condolence for the death of the great Onondaga chief." Abraham Peters, previously mentioned, conducted the cere- monies* at that time.
"Canagegaie," the sixth signature, stands for Canatsiagaye, or "Old Kettle," a prominent Onondaga chief of the Turtle clan. He was a friend of David Zeisberger, the Moravian missionary mentioned on page 220, and was at Fort Johnson in June, 1757.
* For an interesting account of the ceremonies then performed see "Bulletin of the New York State Museum," Vol. VIII, No. 41, page 449.
279
The ninth signer, "Senosies," was Senughsis, an Oneida sachein of the Turtle clan. He was at the Fort Stanwix treaty in November, 1768, and was one of the few principal chiefs who then executed to Thomas and Richard Penn the deed for the last purchase of lands made by the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania from the Indians.
"Johanis Canadegair," or Johannes Kanadagaye, or Canadagaia, the tenth signer, was a Mohawk of the Bear clan. He headed the deputa- tion from the "Lower Castle"-as noted on page 264-and was also one of the signers of the Penn deed of July 6th.
The eleventh signature-"Nikes Carigiagtatie"-stands for Karo- chyaktatty, or Karaghiaghdatie, alias "Nickas, or Nicholas, Peters." He was a Mohawk of the Wolf clan, was a half-brother of Hendrick and Abra- ham Peters,* and resided at the "Upper Castle." He was one of the prin- cipal sachems at the treaty held at Easton, Pennsylvania, in October, 1758 (see Chapter V), and was the first signer of the important deed (explana- tory and confirmatory of the Albany deed of July 6, 1754) then executed by the representatives of the Six Nations to Thomas and Richard Penn.
"Caristago," or Saristaquoh, or Saristagoa, the fifteenth signer, was an Oneida chief of the Weasel clan. He took an important part at treaties held in 1736 and 1742.
"Scaronage, the Half King," the sixteenth signer, we have already referred to on page 277.
"Scaneradie," the next signer, was Skanearade, or Scanuraty, a Cay- uga chief, who was also one of the signers of the Penn deed of July 6th.
The territory conveyed by this deed to the Susquehanna Company is plainly and correctly indicated on the "Map of a Part of Pennsyl- vania" shown in Chapter XI. The consideration named in the deed -£2,000 in current money of New York-was equivalent to 5,000 Spanish milled dollars, or to $5,450. in American money of to-day.t
It will be noticed that by a specific clause in the deed the Indians conveyed to the Susquehanna Company "all and every the mines, minerals or ore" in and upon the land in question. That there had been for a long time previous to that day a belief in the existence of certain precious ores or minerals at Wyoming, we have shown on page 210. Further, in relation to this matter, we present the following ex- tract from an original, unpublished letter written at Bethlehem, Penn- sylvania, January 12, 1818, by the Rev. J. G. B. Heckewelder (men- tioned on page 42) to Isaac A. Chapman, Wilkes-Barré, and now in pos- session of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.
"While these Shawanese were settled at Wyoming the white people had come into the country, and as Indian reports say, had been very intent in examining any stones or minerals that glittered ; making the Indians sensible that they (the white people) struck medals-such as they produced -- and also coined money out of the same. All which had tended to make the Indians distrustful of them, that these were come into their country for the purpose of making themselves rich, and which had probably given rise to the report that the hills adjoining to the Wyoming flats were rich in silver ore, or that these contained 'silver mines' (as the report had been), and which yet to my knowledge was believed for a great number of years. Believing this to be the case, they guarded against the white people's coming on the ground ; and, indeed, the Six Nations had charged them never to suffer these to go near those hills or mountains."±
The Susquehanna Company's deed as executed, and herein printed, contains the names of 694 grantees-being 541 whole-share and 153 half-share "proprietors," as the shareholders or members of the Company
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 174.
+ See note on page 252.
[ See also, in this connection, the reference to precious minerals and ores in the royal Charter to William Penn, page 245, ante.
280
were denominated. However, when the deed was carefully examined by the officers of the Company a few weeks after its execution and delivery, it was found that the names of a number of the proprietors (or shareholders) had been omitted from the deed as grantees, while the names of others were incorrectly inscribed, and the following names "ought not to be in the deed," to wit : "Abram Fencump" [Van Camp ?], "John Panather," "Solomon Gennings" [Jennings], "Samuel Depew" [De Pui] and "Aaron Depew" [De Pui]. These five men were all resi- dents of Northampton County, Pennsylvania.
The corrections made with reference to the other errors and the omissions referred to were as follows : "Abijah Crery" should be Abijah Cady, "Thomas Kennedy" should be Thomas Kenney, Jr., "Benjamin Callwell" should be Benjamin Colovis, "John Rathbone" should be Jonathan Rathbone, "Samuel Stoughton" should be Lemuel Stoughton, "Hubbard Pride" should be Hibbard Pride, "Elizar Tallcott" should be Elizur Talcott, "Silas Wells" should be William Wells, "Constant Cat- len" should be Constant Kirtland, "Ebenezer Grover" should be Eben- ezer Grover, Jr., "John Adkins" should be John Atkins, "Daniel Hen- shaw" should be James Hyndshaw and "Daniel Bull" should be David Bull. "The following names of whole-share proprietors should have been included in the deed" :
Joseph Wheeler,
Joseph Parkhurst,
Dennis Reeser,
Samuel Handy,
Joseph Haines,
Jr Drake,
William Levon,
Johns McDole,
Patrick Maconnal,
Pierce Golden,
Lambert Brink,
Anthony Westbrook,
Eman! Gansanby,
Samuel Drake,
Nathan Park,
Duty Gerald,
John Fisk, .
Ebenezer Baldwin,
Joseph Griswold,
Abram Thompson,
Ebenezer Tiffany,
Richard Thornton,
Samuel Read,
James Ely,
John Kellogg,
Nathaniel Emerson,
James Jones,
Jonathan Latimore,
Jabez Jones,
Jonathan Root,
Jeremiah Mason,
Lebbeus Harris,
Solomon Hanıbleton,
Jeremiah Mason, Jr.,
Silas Helmes,
Joshua Smith,
Charles Bulkeley,
John Smith,
Joseph Burt,
Consider Tiffany,
David Bigelow,
John Whitney,
Daniel Burg,
Elijah Johnson,
Charles Dewees,
Charles Foot,
Amos Stiles,
Thomas Lewis,
Daniel Foot,
John Clark,
Joseph Buckley.
Ephraim Taylor,
"The following names of half-share proprietors should have been included" :
James Perkins,
William Root,
John Chamberlain,
Daniel Kellogg,
Nathan Man,
Ephraim Harris,
Joseph Case,
Joseph Burt,
John Bigelow,
Benjamin Kilburn, James Tracy,
Asa Bigelow.
In view of these changes it will be seen that the members of the Susquehanna Company at the time of the purchase of the Wyoming territory in July, 1754, really numbered 753-there being 588 whole- share and 165 half-share proprietors.
The original deed shows the erasure of the name "Col. John Henry Lydius" from the list of grantees, and the insertion in its place of the name of Abraham Lansing of Albany. Baltazar Lydius, whose name appears as one of the grantees in the deed, was a brother of Col. John H. Lydius. It will be noticed that the name of but one woman appears in the list of grantees-that of Sarah Huntington. She was the widow of Col. Jabez Huntington of Norwich, Connecticut, who was born there January 26, 1691, and died there in 1752.
281
Hezekiah Huntington-whose name heads the long list of grantees in the deed-was the younger brother of Col. Jabez Huntington previously mentioned, and was born at Norwich in 1696. He was the sixth child of "Deacon" Christopher Huntington (the first male child born in Nor- wich), who was the son of Christopher, who was the son of Simon, who was born in England and died of small-pox on the voyage to this country in 1633. The last-named was undoubtedly the ancestor of all the Hun- tingtons in this country in early days. Hezekiah Huntington was com- missioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 3d Connecticut Regiment in 1739. He was a Representative to the General Assembly of Connecticut for a number of years prior to 1752, and then, until his death, was annually chosen an Assistant .* In 1761, in connection with Jonathan Trumbull, William Williams and others he was concerned in a contract to furnish supplies to the Colonial army. He was prominent in all town affairs and the early Revolutionary movements. At the time of his death he was, and had been for some years, Judge of the Norwich District Pro- bate Court, and one of the Judges of the New London County Court. While engaged in his official duties at New London in 1773 he died suddenly. He was buried at Norwich, and on his grave-stone is this epitaph : "His piety, affability, prayers and example, wisdom and ex- perience, endeared him to his friends and the State."
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