Chronology for the life of Samuel Griffin Jun. 1739-1808

Chronology for the life of Samuel Griffin Jun. 1739-1808 --------- For a long time the history of several generations of our line of the Griffin family lay undiscovered in the records of the town of Killingworth, Connecticut. That circumstance however did not prevent Griffin family genealogist using the material that was available from speculating on the, who, what, when and where of the Griffin family tree. If the names, dates and general locations where within acceptable parameters the assumption was made that the line must be correct. (Blog December 2012) Even today you can find multiple interpretations of the family tree of Samuel Griffin of Killingworth. You can also find other lines that have grafted themselves into our line. While we do find enough records in Killingworth to introduce us to the real Samuel Griffin and Mary Beckwith we find a rich collection of records for their children including their son, Samuel Griffin Jun. the subject of this essay. I can still remember the surprised at the realization that my line was not the only line that traced its linage back to Samuel Griffin. It came as a true surprise to discover that he in fact had three families. It is my understanding that the other two families at some point also made the same discovery. ---------- In the early records in many of the towns in New England it is quite common to turn a page and find an entry that lists all of the members of a single family recorded in one concise little entry. Such is the case for the family of Samuel Griffin and Mary Beckwith. There is just such a record in the Killingworth town records, which notes the birth of Mary, Thankfull, Jerusha, James, Samuel and Jeremiah. Each child in turn was identified as the son or daughter of “Samuel and Mary Griffin”. ---------- 1739-----So lets start our chronology with that record from Killingworth which includes the line, “Samuel ye son of Samuel and Mary Griffin was born February ye 10th 1739”. ---------- Samuel Griffin Jun. grew up in what is now Clinton, Connecticut. During his lifetime it became referred to as South Killingworth or the First Society. Deed records indicate that the family lived on the north side of Main St., which then was the Stage Road or Boston Post Road, and the east side of the road traveling to then North Killingworth. References to the property of Samuel or Mary Griffin persisted as a reference point in the land records well into the 1800’s. We have posted one such deed that references Mary Griffin. You can imply from the number of such deeds that the Griffins owned a substantial amount of property. ---------- 1746-----Whatever the amount of property it seemed to have been sufficient to support the family after the untimely death of their father, Samuel Griffin. Housed in the files of the Guilford Probate District in Connecticut is a file for Samuel Griffin “Late of Killingworth”. One of the first documents in the file is addressed to Mary Griffin, “To Mary Griffin of Killingworth …… widow and relict of Samuel Griffin Late of Killingworth”. It is dated “27th Day of November ADom 1746.” ---------- 1755-----Women by themselves did not have the legal standing before the courts in 1746 to manage their own affairs. Benjamin Gale a prominent citizen in Killingworth was charged by the court to assume responsibly for Samuel’s estate. We do not have a description of the size or make up of the estate but we do know that when Samuel Griffin Jun. turned age sixteen the court appointed a guardian to look after his interests. The document is dated May 18, 1755, “Guardian to Samuel Griffin minor Son of Samuel Griffin late of Killingworth”. Nathan Buell, who had married Samuel’s older sister Thankful, was appointed to be Samuel’s guardian. ---------- 1757-----In 1757 a young 18-year-old Samuel Griffin was serving in the Connecticut Militia in the French and Indian War. He was a member of the Fourteenth Company Andrew Ward Capt. ,Peleg Redfield First Lieutenant. According to the military records he enlisted on March 28 and served for 37 weeks and 1 day. -------- 1759-----In the Connecticut State Archives is the pay roll for the Second Regiment, Eighth Company, Peleg Redfield Captain for the year 1759. The list includes Sam Griffin who served from April 10 to December 1. ---------- 1759-----The next document that we find for Samuel is the record of his marriage to “Marah Griffin”. The document is found in the records of the Killingworth Second Society. It is a transcription from the records held in the Killingworth First Society, the original Killingworth records. Those original records were subsequently lost in a fire. It seems that the recently enlisted Samuel took a bit of time to get married before spending the rest of the year fighting with the Militia. The record reads, “Samuel Griffin and Marah Griffin was married May ye 17, 1759”. ---------- There are several things that need to be noted, Marah’s last name was also “Griffin”. As you can see each bride in the list of marriages was referred to by her maiden name. Also note that the marriage for his brother James is part of the same record. Also of note is the fact that the marriage took place in the First Society. We can only surmise as to how the original record was organized. ---------- 1761-----One of the items that was faithfully recorded in the Congregational Societies was the list of those persons who Owned the Covenant. Those persons who after a Profession Of faith were granted full membership in the Society. In the ledgers of the Killingworth Second Society in a section dedicated to recording those that Owned the Covenant. Under the heading “In the year 1761” we find listed on April 19, “Samuel Griffin” and on the next line “Mary ye wife of said Samuel Griffin”. Marah was written as Mary. ---------- 1761-----In the same Congregational ledger we also find the baptism of the first child born to Samuel and Marah Griffin. April 19, 1761, “Lois daughter of Samuel Griffin”. ( Stephen Kelsey ) ---------- 1762-------The baptism of Polly the daughter of Samuel and Marah Griffin is recorded on August 13/15, 1762, “Polle daughter of Samuel Griffin”. The clerk had the habit of replacing the “y” on many names with an “e”. ( Reuben Doud ) ---------- 1762----- On September 13, 1762 Samuel purchased his original piece of property in North Killingworth. He built his home and joiners shop on the two and one-half acres. The location of the property was defined by its boundaries, the Burying Yard and the highway, Roast Meat Hill Road. Over the next several years he purchased a number of properties that adjoined his home lot. ---------- 1765------On April 14, 1765 we find also in the Congregational records the baptism of Azuba Griffin. “Azuba daughter of Samuel Griffin”. ( Henry Davis ) ---------- 1765-----The death of Marah Griffin is found in the transcription of the original Killingworth records that were made by the Second Society when the two towns divided. The record reads, “Marah the wife of Samuel Griffin died August ye 13th 1763”. In transcribing the original record it is obvious that the clerk made a mistake. With Azuba’s birth April 14, 1765 the correct date for Marah’s death is August 13, 1765. ---------- 1766-----With 3 young daughters to take care of it is small wonder that Samuel did not take long to find a new wife. He looked no further than his next-door neighbor Samuel Nettleton. Samuel Griffin married Mercy Nettleton May 15, 1766. ---------- 1767-----On July 26, 1767 “Mercy ye wife of Samuel Griffin” was granted the right to Own the Covenant in the Second Society. ---------- 1767----- On October 4, 1767 Joel the son of Samuel Griffin and Mercy Nettleton was baptized in the Second Society. ---------- 1769-----On January 1, 1769 Asahel “ye son of Samuel Griffin” was baptized. --------- 1770-----We do not have a death record for Mercy Nettleton. What we do have is the record for the marriage of “Samuel Griffin & Mercy Steevens”. It is dated March 15, 1770. Mercy Bailey herself was a young widow having lost her husband James Steevens. ---------- 1770-----The baptism of Molle/Molly Griffin daughter of Samuel Griffin is recorded on December 30, 1770 in the Congregational records. ---------- 1772-----Worden was baptized September 6, 1772. ---------- 1774-----“Mercy the daughter of Samuel Griffin” was baptized March 20, 1774. ( Ithamar Pelton ) ---------- 1776-----1776 marked the birth of the new nation of the United States of America. 1776 also witness the baptism of the third Griffin to carry the name of Samuel. He was born March 17, 1776. ---------- 1778-----John Griffin the son of Samuel Griffin and Mercy Bailey was baptized May 17, 1778. ---------- 1780-----Evidence suggests that the three families of Samuel Griffin were well integrated into the Killingworth Second Society. Each of his first two wives had joined the congregation with him. Full Communion granted you the right to have your children baptized. This being said it is curious that Mercy Bailey was not granted Full Communion until December 17, 1780. ---------- 1781-----Dan ( Daniel Almon ) the son of Samuel Griffin” was baptized September 16, 1781. ---------- 1784-----In December of 1784 Samuel Griffin purchased the “Burying Yard” located next to his home from the town. The idea of a family cemetery was very common in that day. There is a corner in the oldest part of the cemetery that has a number of very old unreadable headstones. I think that it is a fair assumption to think that Marah Griffin, Molle Griffin and Mercy Nettleton are buried in that corner. --------- 1796-----There are two deeds dated January 20, 1796 in the Killingworth records between Samuel Griffin and his son Worden. One deed is for the home lot, which contained “My dwelling house” the barn and Samuel’s joiners shop. The second deed is for the surround twenty acres. The two deed offer a detailed description of the property owned by Samuel and provide insights into the life he led. By 1796 Samuel and his three sons, Samuel, John and Dan along with his daughter then Mercy Pelton are preparing to move or may have already moved to Essex, Vermont. ---------- 1796-----Samuel Griffin was among the earliest settlers of Essex, Vermont. The area had been surveyed by a group of land speculators ten years previously. Samuel purchased lot No. 142 from one of the original proprietors. His sons John and Dan joined him on the property. ---------- 1798-----We find another deed dated October 5, 1798 in which Samuel purchased additional property adjacent to lot No 142. He was to eventually purchase a number of adjoining properties ending up with a large substantial farm in the middle of the most fertile part of the Essex Township. Samuel and his son John worked the property together. ---------- 1802-----The issue of where and when to begin building a meetinghouse had been an ongoing subject in Essex since 1800. From the town history, “In January 1802, the subject was again agitated and David Kellog, Simon Tubbs, Samuel Griffin appointed a committee to “stick the stake and lay out the green whereon to erect said house.” ---------- 1802----We find an entry in, “The History of the town of Essex”, ”At a legal town meeting held at Samuel Griffin’s on the first of April, 1802, the First Ecclesiastical Society was organized according “to the Laws of this State”. “made and provided for the building of meeting houses and settling ministers.” Thirty-six Congregationalists signed. ---------- 1808-----Samuel Griffin’s will is dated May 16, 1808. In the will he names all of his children except Molly, who probable died at a young age and Worden. He names :”my son John”, “My three daughters …..Lois Kelsey, Polly Doud, Azuba Davis”, “My five sons viz Joel, Asahel, Samuel, John, Dan”. He also makes allowances for “my daughter Mercy Pelton”. ---------- 1808------Samuel Griffin died in Essex July 27, 1808, “in his 69th year”. He is buried in the Essex Common Burial Ground. ---------- 1822----- On April 30, 1822 Mercy, “consort of Samuel Griffin’ died “in her 85th year”.

Rhoda Bailey / Bayley 1785-1869 Corinth, VT

Rhoda Bailey, the daughter of Jesse Bailey and Sarah Thurston, was born in Newport, New Hampshire September 26, 1785. Rhoda moved with the family seventy miles west to Corinth, Orange County, Vermont. Her marriage to John Ford is found in the Corinth town records dated January 26, 1803. She is listed as Rhoda Bayley the family still using the old world spelling of the family name.---------- Rhoda’s husband John Ford is always referred to in Corinth as Capt. John Ford. His death record even refers to him as Capt. John Ford. Maybe because of his local prominence when recording the family of her parents the Thurston Genealogies include a short biography for Rhoda. It notes that she was the mother of sixteen children. We have only been able to discover twelve. I suspect the number is actually closer to the twelve than the sixteen.---------- There is a list of seven of the children recorded in the Corinth town records. The remainder are quite easily identified in town, cemetery and probate records.---------- Robert 1805, Jemima 1807, Sally (McCrillis) 1808, Polly (Southwick) 1810, John 1812, Francis 1814, Rhoda (Woodworth) 1817 Mercy 1818, James 1822, Wesley 1826, Mary 1837.---------- Rhoda and John are buried along with a number of their children in the West Corinth Cemetery. She died September 5, 1869, John November 3, 1867.---------- Rhoda is the niece of Mercy Bailey wife of Samuel Griffin

Jesse Bailey Jr. 1779-1862 East Montpelier, VT

Jesse Bailey Jr.’s birth is recorded in the Newport, New Hampshire town history. The entry records the birth of four children of Jesse Bailey and Sarah Thurston including Jesse Bailey Jr. born Feb. 9. 1779.---------- The family moved to Corinth, Vermont around the turn of the century. Jesse Jr. married Rhoda Pease. In Vol-1 of the Corinth town records we find an entry that lists the children born to Jesse Bailey Jr. the Jr. an acknowledgment that both father and son lived in Corinth. Note on the spelling, the double “s” in Jesse is written with a large “s” and a small “s” that some misread as a single “s” writing the name “Jese”.---------- The list of children includes; Samuel, born March 20, 1808, Squire, November 28, 1812, Jesse born January 26, 1811 who died March 6, 1811. They then named a second son Jesse born May 17, 1815, Noah, September 30, 181 and Daniel born January 31, 1822 died September 7, 1822.---------- Jesse Bailey Jr. spent most of his married life in East Montpelier, Vermont. He along with his wife, Rhoda, and two sons Jesse and Squire are buried in the Cutler Cemetery in East Montpelier.---------- Jesse’s death is recorded in the East Montpelier town records. Dated January 12, 1862 it lists his age as 82 years, 11 months and 3 days. His parents are listed as Jesse & Sally Bailey.---------- Rhoda’s death is also recorded in East Montpelier. Her death record contains the only biographical information we have of her life; dated July 18, 1858, Rhoda Bailey, age 77 years, 2 months ad 26 days, born Harford, Vt., daughter of Samuel and Sarah Pease.---------- Jesse is the nephew of Mercy Bailey, wife of Samuel Griffin.

Phineas Bailey 1783-1864 Corinth, VT

Phineas Bailey was the son of Jesse Bailey and Sarah Thurston. I would like to think that he dropped in on his aunt, Mercy Bailey Griffin, while they were both living in Vermont. Phineas was born in Newport, New Hampshire July 13, 1783. He died in Corinth, Vermont on November 24, 1864.---------- There is an entry in Vol-1 page 75 of the Washington, VT. town records. It is a list of the children of Phineas Bailey. It lists both their date and place of birth. The record provides clues to the life of Phineas. ---------- The record starts with Sarah S. Bailey born in Corinth Feb 17, 1811. Next is John Bailey born Salem N.H. Feb 17, 1813, Elizabeth Bailey, Salem, May 7, 1816. The forth child is Joel, born August 8th 1819 in Corinth, VT. The next three children were probably born in Washington, VT. Abial, April 3, 1822, Luther, March 17, 1825 and Calvin, March 26, 1828.---------- Phineas probably moved from Newport, N.H. to Corinth, VT with his father, Jesse, around 1800. As a young man it seems that he returned to New Hampshire. Even though the Washington record lists Corinth as the birthplace for Sarah evidence argues that the first three children were all born in Salem, New Hampshire. In the New Hampshire vital records index is the record of the marriage of Phineas Bailey and Dorcus Morrison in Salem, New Hampshire January 31, 1809. The 1810 census places the family in Salem. There are also military records from the War of 1812 that record his enlistment in New Hampshire in September of 1814. Without the entry in the Washington records this Salem connection would be easy to miss. It has also proved to be the cause of some confusion. Given the reference to a to “Salem” in the family history some historians have mistakenly listed the more well know Salem, Massachusetts as the birthplace of the children.---------- By the time Joel is born in 1819 Phineas is living Vermont. The census records place him in Washington and neighboring Corinth, Vermont. Phineas’s death is recorded in the Corinth town records. It shows Phineas Bailey age 81 years, 4 months and 11 days, born in Newport, N.H. ,the son of Jesse and Sally Bailey. A poorly written Sally has been misread as” Raley” in several subsequent transcriptions of the original record. We also find the death of Dorcus recorded in Corinth. Dated January 22, 1778 she is listed simply as Mrs. Dorcus Bailey age 89.

Joel Bayley/Bailey 1746-1813 Middletown, NY

Joel Bailey was the younger brother of Mercy Bailey, the wife of Samuel Griffin. His birth is recorded in the town records in Killingworth, Connecticut. The entry for his birth reads; “Joel ye son of John & Mercy Bayley was born June ye 1st 1746”. Joel and his brother Jesse used the old world “Bayley” spelling of the family name. His children spelled the name “Bailey”.--------- The search for the historical Joel Bailey centers on information retained by his extended family from what they referred to as the Joel Bailey Family Bible. We have posted a copy of the Bible information below. It comes from a publication title, A Chronicle of Everyday People, by Catherine Marshall Gardiner. There are also several entries in the, Sons of the America Revolution, that are available that also reflect a well know family genealogy.---------- Joel followed his younger brother, Jesse, to Newport, New Hampshire. In Newport Joel married Elizabeth Deming March 9, 1773. In Newport Joel and his brother were both very involved with the local Militia during the American Revolution. We have documented their service in the entry for Jesse Bailey. The family Bible lists six children born in Newport; Mary b. Nov 1773 (Josiah Winslow), Mercy b. Oct. 6, 1775, Twins, John and Joel b. Dec. 2, 1777, Elizabeth b. Sept. 3, 1779 and Benjamin b. Aug. 24, 1782.---------- There are records of the birth of three more children that were born in nearby Sunapee/ Wendell N.H. Their birth is recorded on page 44 of the original town records, James b. March 6, 1785, Anna b. Jan. 20, 1788, Peter b. Aug. 23, 1780. Family tradition suggests that anther child, Sally, was also born in Wendell June 13, 1794. At the turn of the century both Bayley brothers left New Hampshire with Joel moving to Middlefield, Otsego County New York. The area historically has been referred to as Cherry Valley. Family tradition suggests that the last child in the family, Hannah, b. Nov 4, 1797 was born in Middlefield.---------- Joel died in Middlefield December 1, 1813. Elizabeth lived until August 13, 1840. His generation maintained a presence in the area for some time.---------- The most prominent citizen of Cherry Valley at the time was James Fenimore Cooper, 1778-1851. It tantalizing to think he may have added a line to one of his novels based on a conversation he had with the old soldier Joel Bailey.

Jesse Bailey 1750-1837 Corinth, VT

Jesse Bailey was born in Killingworth, CT. April 22, 1750 the son of John Bailey and Mercy Farnam. His sister Mercy Bailey, wife of Samuel Griffin, was the oldest child in the family. As a young man Jesse moved to Newport, New Hampshire to seek his fortune. Newport was a land grant founded by men from Killingworth and New London, CT. If you look at the first volume of the Newport town records you will see that the first twenty or so pages were recorded in Killingworth. In Newport Jesse met and married Sarah Thurston. If you follow the family’s history you will see her referred to in many records as, Sally. ---------- One of the prominent themes in the early history of Newport was the activity of the local Militia. Both Jesse and his brother Joel were members. Their names appear on the proclamation of war signed in Newport, ---------- “We, the Subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage, and promise, that we will, to the utmost of our Power, at the Risque of our Lives and Fortunes, with Arms, oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies, against the United American, COLONIES.”---------- There are references to the two brothers found in the, Sons of the American Revolution, documentation. One such record comes from the family of Joel Bailey, “Joel Bailey was one of the early settlers of Newport, N.H. which was first settled by men from Killingworth, CT. Jesse Bailey a brother proceed him in going to Newport, N.H. Bothe Jesse and Joel served as privates in Capt. Samuel Wetherbee’s company of Col Isaac Wyman’s regiment.”---------- The two brothers served in two call-ups the first time for 6 months. Their service involved actions around Boston. Their most famous service was for a two-month duration in which they fought in the Battle of Bennington. Jesse’s service records noting these events are part of his pension file. A copy is posted below.---------- The Battle of Bennington was an important prelude to the war changing Battle of Saratoga. British General John Burgoyne led a large British force down from Canada with the goal of splitting the American colonies in half. In the area surrounding Bennington, VT he sent out a detachment of Hessians let by Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum to gather horses, draft animals and supplies to aid in the build up of his forces for the larger battles that were to eventually be fought. A contingent of New Hampshire militiamen under the command of General John Starks was dispatched to aid in the campaign. Counted in the ranks were brothers Jesse and Joel Bailey. A series of skirmishes between the two forces led to a general confrontation ten miles from Bennington. In anticipation of a coming clash the Hessians entrenched themselves on high ground. General Starks was determined to drive them away. He famously said,” If we fail Molly Starks will be a widow tonight.” Attacking with a determined ferocity the militiamen drove the Hessians from their position. Later in the day as British reinforcements came up the two sides clashed again. This time the New Hampshire regiments were supported by the Green Mountain Boys let by Seth Warner who threw his troops headlong into the fight. One of Seth Warner’s leading non commissioned officers was Sargent Samuel Bradley, future father in law to Samuel Griffin.---------- The result of the Battle of Bennington was the death of Col. Baum and the destruction of the British units as an effective fighting force. The lost of these units proved very costly for the British at the pivotal Battle of Saratoga.---------- As a result of his Revolutionary War service the early histories written for Newport contain a short biography for Jesse along with the other prominent men of his day. It notes his marriage to Sarah Thurston Sept. 13, 1775. It lists four children; Amanda b. Mar 25, 1777, Jesse Jr. b. Feb 9, 1779, Elizabeth b. Mar 12, 1781, Phineas b. July 13, 1783. The New Hampshire vital records contain the birth and death record for another child Mary born Feb 12, 1776 died Feb 16, 1776.--------- Sometime around the mid 1790s Jesse moved his family 70 miles west to Corinth, Vt. His life in Corinth is well documented in the Corinth town history and in land and census records. His sister Mercy lived sixty miles away in Essex, VT. I am hard pressed to believe that during those twenty plus year they both lived in Vermont they did not get together.----------- Most of what we know of Jesse’ children comes to us from the Thurston Genealogies. The Thurston family published a detailed well research family history in 1892. The volume contains a detailed entry for Jesse and Sarah Thurston Bailey.--------- “Sally b. in Straham, N.H., Feb 6, 1756; m. September 13, 1774 or 5 Jesse Bailey of Dracut Mass. He was a farmer and settled in Corinth, VT., where he died, September 5, 1837; she died Sept. 12, 1853, aged 97y. 7 m. 7 d.”--------- The reference to Dracut Mass. has been the source of a good deal of confusion over the identity of Jesse Bailey. Many genealogies list Dracut as the birthplace for his children. How or why that mistake crept into the Thurston genealogy is a mystery.--------- In addition to the children listed in the Newport history the Thurston genealogy lists; Rhoda b. Sept 26, 1785, Dolly b. April 5, 1788, Alotty b. May 26, 1790, Polly b. Aug 8, 1792, Sarah b. Dec 27, 1794, Abial b. Feb 11, 1798 and Permelia b. Aug 12, 1801. Permelia’s birth is also recorded in the Corinth, VT town records. The history of Corinth also lists another child Beriah born in 1802.--------- The families of Rhoda , Jesse Jr. Phineas and Permelia are well documented in Corinth. There is very little if anything regarding the remaining children.---------- The final documentary chapter in the life of Jesse Bailey plays out in his Revolutionary War pension files filed in Vermont. It is interesting historical journey to trace Jesse Bailey from Killingworth CT. to Newport, N.H. and then on to Corinth, VT. There are historically multiple interpretations for the journey. He has been confused with another Jesse Bailey born in Mass. the son of Ebenezer Bailey. This second Jesse was also in the Revolutionary War but his history plays out in Weare, N.H.---------- The pension records included a copy of a marriage record for Jesse Bailey and Sarah Thurston provided by the town clerk of Newport. N.H. In his testimony before the commission Jesse relates his history from his time in Newport and service in the war and subsequent move to Corinth. He also testifies, ---------- “He was born in Killingworth in Connecticut in there year 1750, where he supposes that there is a record of his age.”---------- The final documentary chapter in the Jesse Bailey story is the 1850 census taken in Corinth. In the household of James and Rhoda Bailey Southwick is the 92 years old Sally Bailey. I find it amusing that in all of the official documents she is referred to as Sarah and in census and other references she is referred to as Sally.

Jerusha Griffin and Asa Landon

Jerusha Griffin was born July 23, 1736 in Killingworth, Middlesex, Connecticut the daughter of Samuel and Mary Griffin. The history of Jerusha Griffin is shaded in more mystery than any of her siblings. Her story is told in two parts. The first part takes place in Killingworth, CT. In Killingworth we find her listed with the rest of her siblings in a concise little entry found among the pages of land deeds. The only other record of her in Killingworth is found in the ledgers of the Congregational Society dated in 1753. The entry records Jerusha being granted Full Communion in the Society. After her father's early death land records indicate that her mother Mary took control of the family property and family fortunes. At some point in time Jerusha became part of her older sister Thankful's household. Thankful had married into the prominent Buell family. The Buell family is chronicled in a number of histories relating to Killingworth. In addition Thankful's son Jeremiah wrote a very good family history. In those histories we find mention of Jerusha as part of Thankful's household. Some mistakenly refer to Jerusha as Thankful's daughter. The point to be made is that we find record of Jerusha growing to young womanhood in Killingworth.---------------The second part of her story takes place in Salisbury, CT and later Ontario, Canada. There is a marriage record for Jerusha Grifface and Asa Landon dated in 1757 in Salisbury, CT. The Salisbury records also contain the birth records for their children. Salisbury was a hot bed for supporters of the English Crown. Asa choose to support the British cause in the Revolutionary War. His actions resulted in his removal to Canada where he and Jerusha lived out their remaining days. Their history in Canada is well documented. Below is a biography that is found in LDS Family Search.----------- The task before us is to connect the two stories together. Almost all of the histories written for Jerusha list her date of birth as May 23, 1736. They also note that she was born in Salisbury, CT. Most of those histories were written by her descendants working backward from Canada. Buried deep within the Landon family traditions was the knowledge that Jerusha was born in Connecticut in about 1736 the daughter of Samuel Griffin and Mary Beckwith. Looking at the family history in Salisbury, CT they referenced the marriage record for Jerusha Grifface and Asa Landon which included the phrase, "both of Salisbury". Using his phrase as evidence her place of birth was thought to be Salisbury. But key to the story is the fact that Asa Landon was born in Lichfield, CT not Salisbury. the phrase "both of Salisbury" in this instance is only an indication that at the time of the marriage both parties were citizens of Salisbury. The Landon family in its search for Jerusha, the daughter of Samuel and Mary, found record of that connection in the Barbour Collection for Killingworth which notes the birth of Jerusah the daughter of Samuel and Mary on May 23, 1736 a date that resonated with Landon family traditions. The problem is that the Barbour Collection is a transcription taken from original town records. The date, May 23, is a transcription error of the original, July 23, 1736. Despite many seeming contradictions a profile has been created for Jerusha that list her birth as May 23, 1736 in Salisbury. Added to that is the little twist of the misspelling of her name as "Grifface" in the marriage record even though it was spelled Griffin everywhere else. Although there is no direct documentary or historical evidence that states the case that the two Jerushas are one and the same person, the deeply embedded Landon family traditions make a positive connection between the Jerusha from Salisbury and Canada and the Jerusha Griffin found in Killingworth, CT.------------ To complete her story let us state that the documentary evidences places Jerusha's date of birth as July 23, 1736 in Killingworth, CT. The evidence points to the fact that Jerusha grew to young womanhood in Killingworth. But how did she get to Salisbury? Salisbury, CT was founded by families mainly from Killingworth. At some point in time Jerusha followed those souls moving to Salisbury where she met and married Asa Landon. Their story is chronicled in the biography printed below.--------------- ASA LANDON was born, 27 July 1736, at Litchfied, Litchfield, Connecticut. He was the third child of James Landon and Sarah Bishop. He married, 20 Oct. 1757, Jerusha Grifface (Griffin or Griffith?). They were married by the Rev. Jonathan Lee, who also baptized the couple’s first four children in Salisbury. Asa’s early life assumed an uneventful pattern. He had sufficient income for some speculation, as he invested in land in Vermont in 1763. In the Landon tradition, there was also a commitment to community service. Asa was commissioned as an Ensign in his father’s militia company in 1769, and promoted lieutenant in 1773. By this time Asa must have been experiencing a growing crisis of conscience. A very real probability was developing that he would be called to active military service against the Crown. After the battle of Bunker Hill, he wanted to get nearer to British territory, perhaps also to keep his options open. His original Vermont holdings had evidently been sold, for Asa bought, from his brother-in-law, Oliver Evert, a 200-acre partially cleared farm south-east of Castleton to which he moved. On this farm he led a bachelor existence, as it seems, his wife and children did not move north with him. Events were polarizing America, and with it the Landon family. Asa’s brother Samuel was ‘in the Secret Service’ spying for the British; another brother, James, was serving, rather lackadaisically, in the American Militia; cousin David Landon was raising volunteers for Washington all up and down Connecticut. Given his background and circumstances, Asa’s struggle within himself inevitably led to the same conclusion common to the great concentration of Tories in upstate New York, which made that colony’s contribution to British military power the largest of all. Burgoyne’s Sweep down from Canada in 1777 resolved Asa’s and many other Loyalist’s problems of conscience. During the summer Burgoyne slowly moved down Lake Champlain past deserted forts, and finally defeating the American forces at Fort Ticonderoga. He then settled down to a Fete Champetre, made merry by the companionship of his commissary’s wife. This lengthy picnic, refreshed with spring-cooled champagne on the long halts, took on a surrealist quality against the mountainous landscape. King George was in a fever of exultation with the news of the capture of Ticonderoga and that General von Riedesel had successfully chased the American rearguard over the mountains at Hubbardton. But, as Burgoyne paused at Skenesborough only 600 loyalists answered the call to arms that ‘Lord’ Philip Skene had promised would raise the whole countryside. Only six men from Castleton met the call: Asa Landon, his three Evert brothers-in-law, and two others. Unfamiliar with British musket drill, Burgoyne’s recruits spent the next six weeks guiding him south towards Bennington, felling trees and clearing roads as they went. For this service, holders of American militia commissions threw them away to hold fast by their “principle of loyalty to the King and his Government and laws.” Ten years later, Asa described how he delivered his good yoke of oxen (never seen again) to Burgoyne’s contractors, carried messages to General ‘Redheazel’ and guided the latter’s German soldiers through Roadless woods. As Burgoyne’s subordinates struggled to maintain fighting sprit in a slow moving disheartened army, encumbered with officer’s wives and children, General Stark began concentrating the Green Mountain Regiment on Bennington arms depot. Already the British troops suspected that Burgoyne’s planned juncture with General Howe, moving up from New York, would never take place. Burgoyne’s troops were defeated at Bennington, 16 Aug 1777 and retreated to Saratoga where they met further disaster. A French observer at Bennington noted that captured Loyalists were executed as traitors. Thus, Burgoyne’s American soldiers started to slip away, among them Asa Landon. He was never to see another Vermont autumn color the hills. Six short weeks had cost him his new farm and his personal belongings and put his life in danger. Asa returned to Connecticut to fetch his family where he hastily wound up affairs and fled to Canada with Jerusha and their five small children. It is possible that he took his father with him as well. He and his family arrived in St. John’s, Quebec, in 1777. The family drew provisions until 1784. Meanwhile, Asa worked first as a Surveyor for the Army engineers, then in the Quartermaster’s Department. While surveying, he and his teammate Sergeant Ward captured a Colonial spy. Asa seems to have felt this was the reason he was put on the ‘traitors’ list in the Vermont Assembly’s 1779 Act to Prevent Return in State of Certain Persons. Though described as “old and infirm” in the Haldimand Papers, Asa was still under 50. His experiences had marked him. In 1785, Asa arrived at Oswegatchie, on the way to take up his Loyalist grant at Augusta. Once settled at Augusta, he served on the grand jury, as arbitrator in a contested will case, and was one of the committee which organized and built the old Blue Church at Prescott. By 1802, he had a farm of 509 acres. Jerusha, who accompanied him to Augusta, survived at least until 1813. Asa so impressed the reporter who took his deposition for the Loyalist Claims Commission that the latter jotted in the margin of his notes “A very good man.” Respected in his community, he died at the ripe age of 78 in 1814. His will was filed for probate 14 Aug 1814. Asa’s material losses from confiscation are rather hard to assess quantitatively. He made no claim for loss of Connecticut property. Since Asa’s eldest child, Lois, remained in America and married James Sellich in 1773 (?) it seems likely that she and her husband settled with Asa for any property he retained in Salisbury. In his claim for compensation for the Castleton farm Asa valued it at 341 Halifax pounds (about $2,728 New York). This farm eventually was appraised by Rutland County Sales Commissioners, who set a value of £350 on the real property alone (at the rate of six shilling to the dollar that came to about $1,167) Children of Asa Landon and Jerusha Griffice: •Lois Landon, born 20 May 1759, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; married, 17 Jan 1783, James Sellich. •Sarah Landon, born 1 Oct. 1761, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; •Hannah Landon, born 6 Jan 1764, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; married about 1780, Caleb Closson, son of Caleb Closson and Elizabeth _____; she died, about 1810, at Augusta, Greenville, Ontario, Canada. •Asa Landon, Jr. born 13 Apr. 1766, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; married Elizabeth Bissell, daughter of David Bissell; he died in May 1822. He served in the British army from 1781 until the Treaty of Separation. •Herman Landon, born 15 Jul 1768 Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; married in Jul 1789, Dorothy Brown, daughter of Jesse Brown and Hannah Gray; he died 8 Aug 1832 near Trois Rivieres, QC, Canada. He served in the British Army in 1783. •Electra Landon, born 9 Aug 1770, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; married in Augusta, Leeds, Ont., Daniel Burritt, Jr.; •Ezra Landon, born 22 Feb 1773, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; died 11 Sep 1776. •Nancy Landon, born 26 Sep 1775, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut; •(A Daughter) Landon, died 15 Sep 1776, Salisbury, Litchfield, Connecticut. Reference: Aline G. Haornaday, “The Landons in Ontario: A Loyalist Family;” Canadian Genealogist, Vol. 1 No. 1. 1979; pp. 4-23.