Samuel  DANFORTH (1715 – 1800) was Alex’s 7th Great Grandfather, one of 256 in this generation of the Shaw line.

Samuel Danforth was born 11 Dec 1715 in Newbury, Essex, Mass.  His parents were John DANFORTH and Dorcas WHITE.  Samuel married Mehitable BROWN on 13 Jan 1737.  Samuel died 26 Aug 1800 in Newbury, Mass.

Mehitable Brown was born in 1715.   Her parents were Joseph BROWN and Abigail PEARSON. Mehitable died in Oct 1794 in Newbury, Mass.

Children of Samuel and Mehitable:

Samuel was a millwright and farmer and resided in Rowley.

7 Aug 1765 – Sold half his homestead to his son Joseph

4 Jul 1786 – Gave certain lands to his daughter Elizabeth placing them in care of his son Joseph who secured the same to her by bond the same day.

Children

3. Lt. Joseph Danforth

Joseph’s first wife Rebecca Brown was born 22 Feb 1739. According to 19th Century sources, her parents were Deacon William Brown and [__?__]. Rebecca died 20 Apr 1798. There was a Rebecca Brown born 16 Feb 1740 Newbury to William Brown (1708-1786) and Ann Poore (1708-1792) Could this be the same person?

Joseph’s second wife Anna Quimby was born in 1738. Could Quimby have been her married name?

Joseph was a carpenter and resided in Newbury (Byfield).  During the Revolution, he was an officer in the army.

19 Apr 1775 – Joseph was a Sergeant in Capt. Jacob Gerriah’s company wich marched on the alarm to Cambridge.  Service 6 days. See my post Minutemen – April 19, 1775 for details

18 Mar 1777 – Joseph was Lieutenant in Capt Caleb Kimball’s company, Col. Jacob Gerriah’s regiment receiving wages for 4 mos. 20 days service at Winter Hill. Guard of Burgoyne’s Army Regiment detatched from militia of Suffolk and Essex counties to reinforce army under Gen. Washington.

During the Saratoga campaign General John Burgoyne surrendered his army of 5,000 men to the American troops on October 17, 1777. The terms were titled the Convention of Saratoga, and specified that the troops would be sent back to Europe after giving a parole that they would not fight again in the conflict.

Under guard by John Glover’s troops [including Lt. Danforth’s], they were marched to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they arrived on November 8. The rank and file were quartered in crude barracks that had been constructed during the 1775 siege of Boston, while most of the officers were billeted in houses. The army ended up spending about one year in Cambridge, while negotiations concerning its status took place in military and diplomatic channels. During this year, about 1,300 prisoners escaped, often because they became involved with local women while working on farms in the area.

The Continental Congress ordered Burgoyne to provide a list and description of all officers to ensure that they would not return. When he refused, Congress revoked the terms of the Convention, resolving in January 1778 to hold the army until King George ratified the convention, an act they believed unlikely to happen, as it represented an acknowledgment of American independence.

13 Nov 1777 – Danforth’s company detached from militia to guard Lieut. Gen. Burgoyne’s army.

A 1789 etching depicting the encampment of the Convention Army at Charlottesville, Virginia

After remaining in Boston for the winter, the decision was made to relocate the prisoners to Charlottesville, Virginia, where they could be more closely watched and better supplied. It was not until November 1, 1778, that General William Philips marched the prisoners southward. Many of the British officers had their wives and children with them, and wagons were provided for their transportation but the men had to march on foot. They traveled through Lancaster and York, Pennsylvania in December of the same year, and finally reached Charlottesville, 700 miles from Boston, in January 1779.

14 Oct 1779 – Joseph was 1st Lieutenant in Capt. Stephen Jenkin’s company, Col. Jacob Gerriah’s regiment.

22  Nov 1779 – Discharged

3 May 1805 – Joseph sold all his real estate in Newbury to his sons Friend and Samuel

Joseph “died in a fit” before Sept. 10, 1807, when administration of his estate was granted to his son Samuel ; the widow was mentioned in the probate account.

Children of Joseph and Rebecca:

i. Friend Danforth (Male) b. 2 May 1769 Newbury, Mass.; d. 21 Nov 1850 – Newbury, Mass.

In the 1840 census, Friend was living alone in Newbury.

ii. Samuel Danforth b. 14 Jul 1772 Newbury, Mass.; d. 5 Jun 1818 Newbury, Mass.; m. 10 Nov 1803 in Newbury, Mass. to Ednah Plummer (b. 14 Sep 1781 in Newbury – d. 22 Dec 1824 in Newbury) Edna’s parents were Simeon Plummer and Sarah Jewett. Samuel and Edna had seven children born between 1804 and 1818 in Newbury, Simeon died young.

Samuuel was a blacksmith; resided in Newbury. On the first of September after his death administration of his estate was granted to Samuel Newman at the widow’s request. Guardians were appointed for the six children surviving.

iii. Rebeckah Danforth b. 12 Sep 1779 Newbury, Mass; m1. 30 Sep 1800 in Newbury, Mass. to John Buckley (b. 1779 in Haverhill, Mass. – d. 13 May 1807); m2. 9 Dec 1809 Beverly, Essex, Mass to John Chapman ( – d. 17 Apr 1838)

iv. Joseph Danforth b. 25 Mar 1782 Newbury, Mass; d. 26 Jan 1840; m1. Phebe Kimball (b. 28 Apr 1788 Bradford, Mass. – d. 11 Oct 1835); Phebe’s parents were cousins John Kimball (1767 – 1795) and Phebe Kimball (1769 – )

m2. 12 Jan 1836 to Mrs. Mary Russell.

Joseph was a housewright and ship-joiner. He removed to Salem. He sold land in Newbury to his brother Friend in 1805, and conveyed a tract to him for life-use in 1819. With wife Phebe, he sold land in Salem Feb. 9, 1816, and other tracts without her at later dates.

Administration of his estate was granted Feb. 18, 1840, to his son ” John K. Danforth, of Boston, tailor”; guardians were appointed for George F., aged 18, and Edward Francis, aged 7 years. Joseph A. and Willam H., of Salem, housewrights, were sureties on the bond, and Samuel G., of Salem, housewright, on the bond for sale of real estate in 1852.

4. Eunice Danforth

Eunice’s husband Stephen Brown’s origins are unknown, but his 5 Dec 1757 marriage to Eunice Danforth in the South Hampton Church is recorded in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 52. Other Browns marrying in that church that year: Jan 11: Isaac Eastman and Ann Brown, Mar 3: Ephraim Brown and Mehitable Flandes, Jun 14: John Eastman and Lydia Brown.

5. Lois DANFORTH (See John COLEMAN‘s page)

6. Ruth Danforth

Ruth’s husband Abner Woodman was born 1 Aug 1742 in Newbury, Mass. His parents were Moses Woodman and Dorothy Hale. Abner died 15 Jan 1813 in Newbury, Mass.

Children of Ruth and Abner:

i. Sewell Woodman b. 16 Dec 1771 Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. 29 Nov 1845 Newbury; m. 23 Mar 1798 in Newbury to Lydia Thurlow (b. 27 Jul 1769 in Newbury – d. 27 Oct 1845 in Newbury) Lydia’s parents were Abraham Thurlow and Lydia Boynton. Sewell and Lydia had three children born between 1798 and 1804 in Newbury.

ii. Bathsheba Woodman b. 22 Apr 1783 Newbury, Mass

iii. Ebenezer Woodman b. 3 May 1784 Newbury, Essex, Mass.; d. 19 Oct 1845 Newbury; m. 21 Nov 1815 in Newbury to Apphia Jackmon (b. 1798 in Boscawen, Merrimack, New Hampshire) Ebenezer and Apphia had four children born between 1816 and 1826 in Boxford, Essex, Mass.

iv. Isaac Woodman b. 17 Aug 1789 Newbury, Mass

v. Paul Woodman b. 29 Oct 1792 Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. 11 Mar 1859 Newbury; m. 7 Sep 1814 in Newbury to Judith Kent (b. 12 Jun 1792 in Newbury – d. 19 Jan 1884) Judith parents were Richard Kent and Eunice Keazar. Paul and Judith had four children born between 1814 and 1829 in Newbury.

vi. Samuel Woodman

vii. Stephen Woodman b. Newbury, Mass; d. Sep 1825

8.  Anna Danforth

Anna’s first husband Joseph Downer was born 30 Nov 1756 in Newbury, Essex, Mass. His parents were Andrew Downer and Sarah Pike. Joseph drowned on the Newbury bar before 1792 when Anna remarried.

Anna’s second husband Josiah Carr was born 9 Sep 1765 in Newbury, Mass. His parents were Samuel Carr and Emma Chase. Josiah died 13 Apr 1830 West Newbury, Mass.

Capt. Josiah Carr appears in the 1810 Newbury census with a large household of 10, but in the 1820 census, Anna is gone and Josiah living only with a boy under 10 and a girl between 10 and 15. On the other hand, Carr family records show Anna’s death as 29 Aug 1849.

Children of Anna and Joseph

i. Samuel Downer b. 9 Oct 1779 Newbury, Essex, Mass; m. int. 16 Apr 1808 Newbury to Sarah Moody (b. 12 May 1787 Newbury ) Some believe Sarah to be the daughter of Ebenezer Moody and Lydia Bartlet. However, Ebenezer and Lydia’s Sarah married 5 Jun 1805 to Colonel John Emery Adams (1780-1840) and had nine children between 1805 and 1828.

In the 1850 census, Samuel Downer was living in Boscawen, Merrimack, New Hampshire with daughters Ann (b. 15 Feb 1811 Boscawen, NH – d. 25 May 1882 Hopkinton, New Hampshire) and Elizabeth (b. 1820 NH) In the 1860 census, the two daughters were living on their own.

Ann’s 1882 death and burial record shows her parents were Samuel Downer and Sarah Moody

ii. Anna Downer b. 8 Mar 1781 Newbury, Essex, Mass; d. 2 May 1813 in Newbury; m. 1799 Newbury Falls, Essex, Mass to Nathan Longfellow (b. 26 Dec 1773 Newbury Falls – d. 26 Oct 1840 in Newbury) Nathan’s parents were Samuel Longfellow (1724 – 1800) and Rebecca Chase (1739 – 1788) Nathan’s Uncle Stephen Longfellow (1723 – 1790) was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow‘s (1807-1882) great grandfather. Anna and Nathan had six children born between 1800 and 1810.

iii. Mary “Polly” Downer b. 23 Mar 1783 Newbury, Essex, Mass.

iv. Elizabeth “Betsey” Downer b. 15 May 1786 Newbury, Essex, Mass; m.23 Jun 1805 to John Dow; m2. Joshua Sheldon (b. 1782 – d. Wenham, Mass.) Joshua’s parents were John Sheldon (1759 – 1844) and Sarah Pierce (1760 – 1834). Elizabeth and Joshua had nine children between 1808 and 1829.

Sources:

http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/b_d.htm

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=111419359

Danforth Genealogy – Nicholas Danforth of Framington England (1539 – 1648) and Cambrige NE  and William Danforth of Newbury Mass (1640 – 1721_ and their descendents – Google Books 1902