Ancestor Report
Ancestor Report
Seventh Generation
96. Zachariah FITCH12, GGGG Grandfather, son of 192. Samuel FITCH & 193. Elizabeth WALKER. Born 13 Feb 1712/3 in Billerica (later Bedford), Massachusetts. Died on 8 Dec 1800.
“He was a farmer of Bedford.”12 Note that this Zachariah Fitch and his brother Joseph married sisters Elizabeth and Sarah Grimes of Lexington. Note also that three of Zachariah and Elizabeth (Grimes) Fitch’s children all died in September 1749, perhaps from a common cause. The town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, was named for this Zachariah’s brother John Fitch.
He married Elizabeth GRIMES12,59, GGGG Grandmother on 1 Oct 1733.
They had the following children:
48i.
Capt. Zachariah, GGG Grandfather (1734-1820)
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
97. Elizabeth GRIMES12,59, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 194. William GRIMES & 195. Mary SIMONDS. Died on 12 Mar 1790. was baptized on 30 Jun 1717.
Hudson gives the date of their marriage as 1 Oct 1735, probably a simple error.62
98. John LAKIN61,32, GGGG Grandfather, son of 196. William LAKIN & 197. Elizabeth ROBERTSON. Born on 31 Mar 1700. Died on 16 Jan 1770.
According to Manning63, “13. JOHN5 LAKIN (William4, William3, William2, William1), born 31 Mar. 1700, resided in Groton. He married first, SARAH _____, and secondly, 27 Oct. 1729, LYDIA PARKER, daughter of Nathaniel and Lydia (Nutting), born 30 Oct. 1711. In 1730 John and Lydia deed ‘all our right in the estate of our father Nathaniel Parker.’ John died 16 Jan. 1770. Lydia was made administratix, but after [p. 10] two years requested that her ‘son-in-law’ Zachariah Fitch be appointed in her place. She was living 27 June 1800,* [original footnote: “*Inferior Court for 1800, Williams v. Lakin. See also deed vol. 138, p. 38.”] aged nearly eighty-nine.”
99. Lydia PARKER61,32, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 198. Nathaniel PARKER & 199. Lydia NUTTING. Born on 30 Oct 1711. Died aft 27 Jun 1800.
100. Timothy DAVIS64,65, GGGG Grandfather, son of 200. Eleazer DAVIS & 201. Eunice POTTER. Born on 8 Dec 1709 in Concord, Massachusetts. Died in 1800.
101. Hannah SMITH4, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 202. Joseph SMITH & 203. Mary RICHARDS. Born on 21 Jan 1716 in Lexington, Massachusetts. Died in 1787.
102. Amos SAWTELL13,66, GGGG Grandfather, son of 204. Ephraim SAWTELL & 205. Abigail FARNSWORTH. Born on 22 Dec 1718 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died on 24 Aug 1799. Buried in Townsend, Massachusetts.
103. Elizabeth FLETCHER13,67, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 206. Jonas FLETCHER & 207. Elizabeth ROBBINS. Born abt 1726 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died on 21 Apr 1790.
104. James PRATT7, GGGG Grandfather. Born in 1752 in England? Died in Lancaster, Massachusetts, on 14 May 1784.68
The 1998 Pratt Directory69 provides the following information on James Pratt (with square brackets in the original): “JAMES b. 1752, Eng. M. 16 Nov 1769, Lancaster (Worc.) Ma., at age 17 Zerviah RUGG several yrs his senior. Both rec’d full comm’n 17 Mar 1771, First Ch. there. He d. there 14 May 1784, ‘suicide.’ Zerviah d. there 22 May 1806, age 60, ‘injury by a fall in a fit of insanity.’ Index to Worc. Co. Prob. Series A lists #47681 adm. of est. 1784 for James of Lancaster; #47682 guard. for minor James; #47767 guard. for Samuel; #47609 guard. for Betsey; #47765 guard. for Sally; all in 1786. On p. 225 Lancaster 1790 is Zerviah: 0-0-2. [Note: in adj. Shirley one Zerviah PRATT, ‘gr’dtr of John DWIGHT,’ was bapt 1804, par. unnamed. This was poss. a d/o Ebenezer b. 1766 or an adult baptism for Zerviah (RUGG) PRATT.]”
But there seems to be some conflict here with other sources. The SAR Patriot Index70 includes a James Pratt d. 1784 who m. Zerviah Rugg, and who is identified as a private in the Massachusetts militia, but this James’ birthdate is given as 1739. This SAR record would seem to derive from the following entry in MSSRW71 (with square brackets in the original): “PRATT, JAMES. Descriptive list of men raised in Worcester Co. to serve in the Continental Army, agreeable to resolve of Dec. 2, 1780, as returned by Seth Washburn, Superintendant for said county, June 12 [?], 1781; Capt. Thurston’s co., Col. Whitney’s regt.; age, 42 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 5 in.; complexion, light; occupation, farmer; engaged for town of Lancaster; engaged May 27, 1781; term, 3 years; also, Private, Capt. Elnathan Haskell’s co., Col. William Shepard’s (4th) regt.; muster rolls for June-Sept., 1781; enlisted May 28, 1781; also, muster rolls for Oct., 1781-Feb., 1782, dated York Hutts.” Whether this James Pratt who served in the Continental army is the same James Pratt who m. Zerviah Rugg is not clear, although they both apparently lived in Lancaster. Further research into the sources of the Pratt Directory entry is needed to resolve the matter. The MSSRW James Pratt who was born in 1739 would seem to be closer to the likely age for a husband of Zerviah Rugg (who was b 1745). The Pratt Directory72 does have a very short entry for the MSSRW James: “JAMES, 17 Mar 1739, Sudbury, Ma., s/o Josiah c. 1690 and Keturah (Graves). Listed in DAR Pat. Ind. as a Pvt.”
Update: Apparently the earlier 1980 edition of the Pratt Directory listed James Pratt the son of Josiah and Keturah (Graves) Pratt as the James who married Zerviah Rugg. What was the basis for claiming in the revised edition that Zerviah’s husband James Pratt was born in England in 1752? All the circumstantial evidence points to the James Pratt b. 1739 in Sudbury as the James who married Zerviah Rugg. An age-at-death statement (as from a gravestone) could resolve this question, but I have not been able to locate one.
105. Zerviah RUGG7, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 210. Nathan RUGG & 211. Zerviah FROST. Born on 10 Aug 1745 in Lancaster, Massachusetts.74 Died in Lancaster, Massachusetts, on 22 May 1806.75
For a comprehensive treatment of her descent from the immigrant John Rugg (1632-1696), an early settler of Lancaster, see “The Descendants of John Rugg” (Ellen R. Rugg, 1911. New York: Frederick H. Hitchcock, Genealogical Publisher)
Marriage intention 21 October 1769 in Lancaster.76
She died as a result of “Injury by a fall in a fit of Insanity.”77
106. Robert HENRY41,42, GGGG Grandfather, son of 212. Robert/Robard HENRY & 213. Charity Ash THOMSON. Born in 1732 in Leicester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts.
“Robert Henry served as sergeant in Capt. Loring Lincoln's regiment, which marched at the Bennington Alarm. He was born in Leicester, Mass., 1732, and died in Vermont.” (DAR Lineage Book #17970, ancestry of Helen Eliza Nye Rupp, including her descent from Robert Henry and his wife Susannah Young)
“Robert was a sergeant in the Revolution from Leicester. In 1794 the family removed to Charlestown, N.H., and later to Vt.”36
107. Susanna YOUNG41,78, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 214. William YOUNG & 215. Jean (Jane) FOSTER. Born on 9 Oct 1741 in Worcester, Massachusetts.
“MOSES SLEEPER, doubtless a relative of Benjamin and Nathaniel, settled quite early [in Francestown, N.H.] upon the John Sleeper place near the road leading to Garvin Sleeper’s. His name appears on the list of tax-payers of 1793, but there is reason to believe that he did not live long in this town. It is known that he had three children.”22
Two of his children are said to have resided in “Whitefield, Vt.”22 Is that now Whitefield, New Hampshire, near the Vermont border?
“I believe, this Moses might be a son of David Sleeper b1721 - I can't get at my Bristol History by Musgrove right now. In case I am right, the heritage would be: Thomas 1;Aaron 2; Moses 3; David 4 (b1721); Moses 5; John 6. This is worth investigating -- Remember too, that at various different times of border disagreements, the home of David Sleeper b1721 was in either Bristol or Alexandria; but David's place of abode never did change; just the borders and the township." (Virginia Sleeper-Terry, 9 Jan 2004, on the Sleeper Family Genealogy Forum, genforum.genealogy.com/sleeper/messages/267.html)
There are a number of detailed Sleeper genealogies in Richard W. Musgrove’s History of the Town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire (Bristol, N.H.: R.W. Musgrove, 1904), but neither this Moses Sleeper nor any of his children appear to be included. The given name Moses seems to have been a common one in the family for several generations.
The New Hampshire Sleepers all descend from the immigrant Thomas Sleeper (abt. 1616 – 30 July 1696), who was living in Hampton, New Hampshire, by 1645.82
David Sleeper, the father of Moses as conjectured above, was born 18 Nov 1721 in Kingston, New Hampshire, the son of another Moses Sleeper and his wife Margaret Sanborn.
110. Simeon DODGE84, GGGG Grandfather, son of 220. Dea. William DODGE & 221. Mary BAKER. Born on 26 Mar 1755 in Beverly, Massachusetts. Died in Francestown, Hillsborough Co., New Hampshire, on 25 Dec 1827.
According to the Dodge Genealogy,85 Simeon Dodge was “b. 26 March, 1755, in Beverly, where he remained till about 1781, except as stated below. Served in Revolutionary War from 13 February, 1777, till 13 February, 1780, in Capt. Billy Porter’s company in Col. Benj. Tupper’s Regiment. He was in battles of Concord and Lexington, following the British back to Boston. The pursuit was close, and he saved his life by taking refuge in a cellar. Soon after 1781 he moved to Francestown, N. H., where he died, 25 December, 1827. He m. Mary Balch in Beverly, 31 December, 1780.” A list of their children follows.
There are two entries in MSSWR86 that appear to refer to this Simeon Dodge, although it is possible the two entries pertain to two different people. The first entry is: “DODGE, SIMEON, Beverly. Private, Lieut. Peter Shaw’s co. of Minute-men, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 2 days.” The second entry is (with square brackets in the original): “DODGE, SIMEON, Beverly. Return of men raised to serve in the Continental Army from Capt. Larkin Thorndike’s, Capt. John Woodbury’s, and Capt. Joseph R[ae]’s 1st, 2d, and 3d, cos. in Beverly, dated Beverly, Feb. 13, 1778; residence, Beverly; engaged for town of Beverly; joined Capt. Billy Porter’s co., Col. Francis’s regt; term, 3 years; said Dodge reported as belonging to 2d Beverly co.; also, Private, Capt. Billy Porter’s co., Col. Benjamin Tupper’s regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Feb. 13, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; also, Capt. Billy Porter’s co., Col. Ebenezer Francis’s regt.; subsistence allowed from date of enlistment, Feb. 13, [1777], to time of arrival at Bennington; credited with 40 days allowance; company to march March 12 [1777]; also, Capt. Porter’s co., Col. Benjamin Tupper’s regt.; muster roll for Jan., 1779, dated West Point; also, same co. and regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to Feb. 13, 1780.”
He married Mary BALCH, GGGG Grandmother on 31 Dec 1780 in Beverly, Massachusetts.
They had the following children:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
55v.
Lydia, GGG Grandmother (1790-1862)
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
111. Mary BALCH, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 222. Joshua BALCH & 223. Joanna WILLIAMS. Born on 20 May 1755 in Beverly, Massachusetts.
There were two Mary Balchs born in Beverly in the mid 1700s, and which one of them was the Mary Balch who married Simeon Dodge is not absolutely established. The two Marys are (according to information supplied by email correspondents from the Beverly Vital Records):
Mary Balch, dau. of Joshua and Joanna, born 20 May 1755 (Beverly VR 1:34)
Mary Balch, dau. of Freeborn Jr and Mary, born 25 July 1761 (Beverly VR 1:34)
All the Balchs of Beverly descend from the immigrant John Balch, one of the “Old Planters” of Cape Ann who arrived in 1624 as part of the Dorchester Company, so whichever Mary Balch married Simeon Dodge, that Mary’s line extends back to the immigrant John Balch. I have concluded, however, that the Mary b 20 May 1755 was Simeon Dodge’s wife on the grounds that Simeon and Mary’s second child was named Joshua Balch Dodge85 (apparently after 1755 Mary’s father, Joshua Balch). Although this identification seems likely, additional information should be sought that will either support or contradict it.
112. Isaac Stevens WOODS10, GGGG Grandfather, son of 224. Capt. Solomon WOODS & 225. Mary TAYLOR. Born on 13 Feb 1775 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died in Dunstable, Massachusetts, on 21 Feb 1849. Buried in Dunstable, Massachusetts (Central Cemetery).87
According to H. E. Woods88, Isaac Woods “married first at Dunstable, 28 Nov. 1799, PRUDENCE LAKIN, born at Groton 6 Apr. 1774, died at Dunstable 10 Aug 1808, daughter of Levi and Hannah (Lakin) of Groton; and secondly, intention recorded at Dunstable 9 Oct. 1809, CHARLOTTE FRENCH, born at Dunstable 13 Oct 1774, died there 11 Dec. 1843, daughter of Ebenezer and Susannah of Dunstable.” A record of his five children follows.
According to Nason, Isaac Woods is buried in the Central Cemetery in Dunstable, his stone reporting that he “d. Feb. 21, 1849, aged 74.”89
113. Prudence LAKIN10,32, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 226. Levi LAKIN & 227. Hannah LAKIN. Born on 6 Apr 1774 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died on 10 Aug 1808.
114. Job SHATTUCK91, GGGG Grandfather, son of 228. Capt. Job SHATTUCK & 229. Sarah HARTWELL. Born on 10 Dec 1758 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died in Groton, Massachusetts, on 4 May 1827. Buried in Groton, Massachusetts (Old Burying Ground).92
Shattuck’s Memorials93 provides these details of the life of Job Shattuck, Jr.: “174. JOB SHATTUCK, s. of Job, (p. 131) was b. in Groton, Dec. 10, 1758, and d. upon the old homestead, May 4, 1827, ae. 68 y. 4 m. 24 d., by a ‘decay of nature,’ brought on by excessive labor, and over-exertion of body and mind to accumulate property. When he entered the Continental Army in 1780, (p. 122) he was described as ‘21 years old, 5 feet 8 inches high, and dark complexion.’ About 1790 he came into possession of a large part of the real estate of his father, on condition that he should support his parents during life, and pay a specific sum in money to each of his brothers and sisters. These conditions were subsequently altered, and in 1791 he received a full title to a portion of the estate, and instead of the bond he relinquished the farm known as the ‘William Green Place,’ since owned by his brother Noah. On the 2d of March, 1812, he bought of the town of Groton the estate bequeathed by Josiah Sartell, Esq.,* [original footnote: “* See Butler’s History of Groton, pp. 208, 298; and ‘The Prentice Family,’ pp. 245-248.”] for ‘the support of the Gospel Minister,’ on condition that he should maintain the [p. 181] poor of the town for five years, the whole expense of which was estimated at $4,000 or $800 per annum. This contract was executed between April 13, 1812, and 1817, and proved to be a good one for Mr. Shattuck. This estate was the subject of a long controversy, first between the inhabitants of the town, and subsequently in the Supreme Court. The heirs of Col. Sartell brought an action of ejectment against Samson Shattuck, to whom the estate was conveyed by his father in 1821. The case was assumed by the town, and finally resulted in its favor; and it was the occasion of settling important legal questions having a general bearing on parochial affairs. (See Pickering’s Reports, Vol. X., p. 306.) By his sagacity, energy, untiring industry, and perseverance, Mr. Shattuck added farm after farm to his possessions, until he became the largest owner of real estate, and paid the highest tax, of any person in Groton. His lands consisted of more than 1200 acres, bordering on the Nashua River, and extending easterly between three and four miles to Baddacook Pond. He was able to give a good farm to each of his nine surviving children at their marriage. The old homestead was settled upon Warren and Merrick, which, after the death of their father, was divided. Warren took the central portion, and Merrick the outlands, which were divided into lots and sold in 1829. The old place, after being owned by the name for more than 125 years, thus passed from the family. Mr. Shattuck, towards the close of his life, regretted most deeply, that, instead of laboring so earnestly to lay up wealth for his children, he had not educated them more thoroughly, and taught them how to earn and take care of property themselves; and thus impress upon them a character for self-reliance, which would be more likely to secure success in life. ‘A family properly educated is a family provided for.’
“He m. in 1781, ELIZABETH BLOOD, b. July 14, 1762, dau. of Simon Blood, (p. 137). She d. April 26, 1840, ae. 77 y. 9. m. 12 d.”
The entry in MSSWR94 for Job Shattuck, Jr., reads as follows: “SHATTUCK, JOB (also given JOB, Jr.). List of 6 months men raised agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph Hosmer, Superintendant for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated Springfield, Aug. 6, 1780; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the Continental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. John Glover, at Springfield, July 8, 1780; age, 21 yrs.; stature, 5ft. 8 in.; complexion, dark; engaged for town of Groton; marched to camp July 8, 1780, under command of Ebenezer Kent; also, pay roll for 6 months men raised by the town of Groton for service in the Continental Army during 1780; marched June 26, 1780; discharged Jan. 1, 1781; service, 6 mos. 18 days, travel (220 miles) included.”
115. Elizabeth BLOOD91, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 230. Simon BLOOD & 231. Anna SHATTUCK. Born on 14 Jul 1762 in Groton, Massachusetts. Died on 26 Apr 1840.
116. Peter TURRELL51, GGGG Grandfather, son of 232. Edward (John?) TURRELL (TUREL) & 233. Ann CHAPMAN (CHATMAN?). Born on 7 Mar 1777 in Dunstable, Hillsboro Co., New Hampshire. Died in Nashua, New Hampshire, on 17 Jul 1830.
According to Nason’s History of Dunstable (Massachusetts), “A Universalist society was formed by citizens of Dunstable and the towns adjacent, and a constitution adopted, Jan. 21, 1818.”95 The name Peter Turrel appears on the list of original members. The name Peter Turril also appears on a list prepared in August 1800 of the rank and file of a company of “soldiers who should attend the muster to be held at Concord.”96
There is considerable variation in the spelling of the surname: Turel, Turrell, Terrill, etc.
117. Sarah (Sally) BLOOD51, GGGG Grandmother, daughter of 234. Caleb BLOOD & 235. Rebecca HOPKINS. Born on 4 Sep 1784 in Dunstable, Hillsboro Co., New Hampshire. Died on 29 Mar 1861.
Some online sources give her birthdate as 14 September 1784.
