Luther Bragg (1742 - 1804)

Born 16 Feb 1742 in Wrentham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Hannah (Foster) Bragg — married 14 Jun 1769 in Keene, Cheshire, New Hampshire

Descendants

Died 18 Aug 1804 at age 62 in Keene, Cheshire, New Hampshire, United States

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Biography

LUTHER BRAGG, b. at Wrentham, MA, 16 Feb 1742/3 son of Henry Bragg and Mary Bennett;^[1] Luther d. at Keene, 18 Aug 1804;^[2] m. at Keene, 14 Jun 1769,^[3] HANNAH FOSTER, b. at Keene, 3 Apr 1751^[4] daughter of David and Hannah (Gray) Foster;^[5] Hannah d. at Westminster, VT, 9 Apr 1822.^[6]

Luther and Hannah resided in Keene where Luther signed the association test in 1776 and a member of the Keene, New Hampshire company of foot.^[7]

Probate

In his will written 15 June 1804, Luther Bragg bequeaths to beloved wife Hannah one-third of the real estate and all the household furniture. There are other provisions for her support. Eldest son Calvin Bragg receives one-third of the real estate and one-half of the personal estate. Calvin is charged with paying one-half the debts and one-half the legacies and providing one-half of the support for son Luther who is not capable of caring for himself. Son Henry Bragg receives one-third of the real estate and one-half the personal estate with the same provisions as Calvin. Henry will also receive the one-third that will be used by his mother after her decease. Sons Luther, David, Ambrose, Enos, and James receive one dollar each. Son James is to be well-schooled until age fourteen and son shall have the benefit of his earnings as he is of age nineteen. Daughter Lavina Ladd receives one dollar and one-fourth of the household furniture after her mother’s decease. Daughter Sarah Bragg receives one hundred dollars and daughters Hannah Bragg and Grata Bragg receive seventy-five dollars and these three daughters each also receive one-fourth of the household furniture. Sons Calvin and Henry were named executors.^[8]

Property Records

On 10 July 1802, for payment of twelve hundred dollars, Luther Bragg conveyed to David Bragg one-half of his farm in quality and quantity, the whole of the farm being approximately 173 acres. On 7 November 1805, Henry Bragg with his wife Mary sold his interest in the estate of his honored father Luther Bragg to Calvin Bragg for payment on one thousand dollars. This included Henry’s rights to the future reversion of the dower. On 7 November 1805, Calvin with his wife Sally, for payment of twenty-one hundred dollars sold all the parcels from his father’s estate with buildings except the blacksmith shop and any of the personal estate to Thomas Dwinell.^[9]

Children

Luther Bragg and Hannah Foster were parents of thirteen children born at Keene.

i CALVIN BRAGG, b. 10 Dec 1769; d. at Keene, 10 Mar 1810; m. 13 Jun 1798, his second cousin, SALLY GRAY, b. at Keene, 11 Jun 1779 daughter of Aaron and Huldah (Clark) Gray; Sally d. at Keene, 1 Aug 1840. Sally married second Aaron Gary.

ii LEVINA BRAGG, b. 28 Jul 1771; d. after 1860 when she was living in Lunenburg, VT; m. TIMOTHY LADD, b. at Chesterfield, NH, 22 Feb 1773 son of Timothy and Rachel (Spencer) Ladd; Timothy d. at Lunenburg, 18 Apr 1825.

iii LUTHER BRAGG, b. 28 Mar 1773; d. at Keene, 2 May 1842. Luther did not marry.

iv DAVID BRAGG, b. 19 Jan 1776; m. at Keene, 10 Jul 1803, PRISCILLA WOODARD, b. at Marlborough, NH, 23 Aug 1780 daughter of Solomon and Priscilla (Holmes) Woodard.

v SARAH BRAGG, b. 16 Feb 1778; d. at Lunenburg, VT, 5 May 1869; m. ASAHEL PERRY, b. about 1773 (based on age at time of death); Asahel d. at Lunenburg, 22 Aug 1845.

vi HENRY BRAGG, b. 6 Apr 1780; m. at Keene, 15 Nov 1804, MARY FELT, b. at Nelson, NH, 8 May 1780 daughter of Joshua and Hannah (Stocker) Felt.

vii ASA BRAGG, b. 5 Apr 1782; d. 17 Apr 1782.

viii JAMES BRAGG, b. 19 Apr 1783; d. 5 Oct 1785.

ix AMBROSE BRAGG, b. 15 May 1785; d. after 1860 when he was living in Warrensville, OH. Ambrose may not have married.

x HANNAH BRAGG, b. 5 Jan 1787; d. at Westminster, VT, 9 Mar 1827; m. at Westminster, 5 Nov 1817, her first cousin, SAMUEL SESSIONS, b. 25 Jun 1773 son of John and Ann (Worstly) Sessions; Samuel d. at Westminster, 9 Jan 1824.

xi ENOS BRAGG, b. 6 Jul 1789. Enos enlisted in the army during the War of 1812 on 14 May 1812 and was reported as deserted at Grand River, OH in 1813.^[10] It is not clear what became of him, but he is not mentioned in his sister Gratia’s will.

xii GRATIA BRAGG, b. 28 Apr 1792; d. at Westminster, VT, 9 Aug 1824. Gratia did not marry. In her will written 12 May 1824, Gratia made bequests of one dollar each to the heirs of brother Calvin and brothers Luther, Daniel, Henry, Ambrose, and James. There were bequests of personal and household items to sister Lavina wife of Timothy Ladd, sister Sarah wife of Asahel Perry, sister Hannah wife of Samuel Sessions, and Mary wife of brother Henry Bragg. There are other bequests to her nieces and nephews each named.^[11]

xiii JAMES BRAGG, b. 14 Nov 1794; likely the James who d. at Sacramento, CA, 16 Jan 1853;^[12] m. at Berrien County, MI, ABIGAIL HART, baptized at Berlin, CT, 3 Dec 1803 daughter of Gideon and Cynthia (Langdon) Hart;^[13] Abigail d. at Bainbridge, MI, 25 Apr 1861. James likely went to California to the gold rush with his nephew Justus. After his death, Abigail and children were living with Justus in Berrien County in 1860.^[14]

Sources and Footnotes

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4JS-426 : 10 November 2020), Luther Bragg, 16 Feb 1742; citing Birth, Wrentham, Suffolk, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007010771.
2. ↑ "New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSKW-X32 : 22 February 2021), Luther Bragg, 18 Aug 1804; citing Keene, Bureau Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,001,060.
3. ↑ "New Hampshire Marriage Records, 1637-1947," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL65-CSW : 22 February 2021), Luther Bragg and Hannah Foster, 14 Jun 1769; citing Keene, , New Hampshire, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,000,963.
4. ↑ "New Hampshire Births and Christenings, 1714-1904", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDJY-GJF : 18 January 2020), Hannah Foster, 1751.
5. ↑ The will of deacon David Foster of Keene (probate 14 Jul 1779) includes a bequest to daughter Hannah Bragg, New Hampshire. Probate Court (Cheshire County); Probate Place: Cheshire, New Hampshire, Estate Files, E238-E243; Estate Files, F1-F80, 1769-1808, Estate of David Foster
6. ↑ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XFNV-69D : 19 February 2021), Hannah Bragg, 1822.
7. ↑ Griffin, A History of the Town of Keene, p 162, p 205
8. ↑ New Hampshire. Probate Court (Cheshire County); Probate Place: Cheshire, New Hampshire, Estate Files, B139-B197, 1803-1811, estate at Luther Bragg
9. ↑ New Hampshire Land Records, Cheshire County, 40:193, 47:195, 52:84
10. ↑ U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914
11. ↑ New Hampshire Will and Probate, Cheshire County, Estate of Gratia Bragg, Case 407
12. ↑ California State Library Mortuary Records (Northern California), 1849-1900; Sacramento, California; Microfilm Reel #: 2
13. ↑ Hooker, The Descendants of Rev. Thomas Hooker, p 127
14. ↑ 1860 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Bainbridge, Berrien, Michigan; Roll: M653_537; Page: 54; Family History Library Film: 803537

• Griffin, Simon G. 1904. A History of the Town of Keene from 1732, When the Township Was Granted by Massachusetts, to 1874, When it Became a City. Keene, NH: Sentinel Printing Company.

• Hooker, Edward, and Margaret Huntington Hooker. 1909. The Descendants of Rev. Thomas Hooker, Hartford, Connecticut, 1586-1908. Rochester, NY: Printed for Margaret Huntington Hooker.

Other Online Records
Allied Bragg Families of New England

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Walter Corey for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Walter and others.