Fifth generation

  • Posted on: 24 September 2009
  • By: David Thrale

SAMUEL, the fifth child of John 2d was born July 11, 1737, In Windsor, and married Lucy Winchell, daughter of Martin and Lucy Winchell. They had eleven children: Theodosia, Lucy, Mary, Samuel, Aaron, Jesse, Eliphas, Worthy, Chauncey, Mary and James. The first Mary and James died young. All the others had large families.

Samuel 1st (the writer’s grandfather) was a farmer, active vigorous and industrious. He was an officer in the English service in the French war of 1762 and a Captain in the American service in the war of the Revolution. Before the Revolution he removed from Windsor to Granville, Massachusetts. He sympathized with the malcontent Shays, in 1784, and suffered considerably thereby. In 1788 he was a member of the Legislature of Massachusetts.

In 1790 he removed to Rutland, Vermont. All his sons and daughters moved there about the same time, except Samuel, Jr., Lucy and Worthy. Samuel 1st had the reputation of a sensible honest man, and exercised considerable influence in society. He was about 5 feet 9 inches in height and weighed about 150 pounds, which was lighter than the average of his brothers or children. He was many years a consistent member of the Congregational Church in West Rutland. He died December 3, 1821 aged 84 years and 5 months. He was the last survivor of his generation.

In the year 1820 he had six living sons and daughters, sixty-two living grand children, twenty-eight great grand children, and several of the fifth generation — over one hundred descendants. Their descendants have probably doubled each twenty-five years since; if so there were, in 1845, two hundred, and will be in 1870, four hundred. [The population of the United States has, for fifty years past, doubled in each twenty-three years.]

Samuel’s wife, Lucy, was a woman of plain manners, stout frame and robust health; a kind-hearted Christian, always ready and willing to do her whole duty to her family and neighbors. Her father died February 15, 1785. Her brothers were Martin, Nathaniel and Dan. She had one sister, Deborah, who married Simeon Lewis, of Windsor, Connecticut.

Thanks to Sharon Thrall Becker Sharon Thrall Becker, whose kind assistance and contribution helped to bring this information to you.