Araunah Eaton (1784 - 1868)

Born 4 Feb 1784 in Adams, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Candace Esther (Raymond) Eaton — married 31 Dec 1807 in Fairfield, Herkimer, New York, United States

Husband of Mary Ann (Blodgett) Eaton — married 30 Jan 1827 in Gorham, Ontario County, New York

Descendants

Died 7 Nov 1868 at age 84 in Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio, USA

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Biography

Birth

Born: 4 February 1784 in East Hoosick (now Adams), Berkshire Co., Massachusetts.

Marriages and Children

Married: 1st - Candace Esther Raymond on 31 December 1807 in Fairfield, New York. She was born 26 December 1784 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, the daughter of Lemuel Raymond and Hannah Underwood. They had 4 children. Candace died on May 25, 1826 in Peru, Ohio.

Married: 2nd - Mary Ann Blodgett on 30 January 1827 in Gorham, New York. She was born 30 May 1803 in New York, the daughter of Solomon Blodgett and Thankful Blair. They had 2 children. Mary Ann died 28 February 1885 in Peru, Ohio.

Children of Araunah Eaton and Candace Raymond:

1. Sewell Raymond Eaton. 1809–1869
2. Esther Adeline Eaton. 1810–1896
3. Edwin Eaton. 1818–1872
4. Delos Eaton. 1824-1899

Children of Araunah Eaton and Mary Ann Blodgett:

1. Candace Eaton. 1829–
2. Helen Eaton. 1833–

Death

Died: 7 November 1868 in Norwalk, Huron, Ohio.

Burial: Peru Center Cemetery in Huron county, Ohio.^[1]

Will: WILL OF ARANNAH EATON

In the name of God, Amen, I, ARANNAH EATON of the township of Peru, in the county of Huron and state of Ohio, being of sound mind and memory, and considering the uncertainty of this frail and transitory life, do therefore make, ordain, publish and declare this to be my last will and Testament. That is to say,

First, after all my lawful debts are paid and discharged,the residue of my estate, real and personal, I give, bequeath, and dispose of as follows, to wit. To my beloved wife, Mary Ann, the use of all such property real and personal as shall remain, or so much of it as may be necessary for her maintenance during her natural life, in which maintenance I wish to be included so much as she may, under the circumstance, deem it her duty to give toward the support of the gospel both at home and in the mission fields of the world, and further, it is my express wish and will that if the said Mary Ann (My Wife), should through blindness or other infirmity become so helpless that the use of my property shall be insufficient to afford her a comfortable support, then so much of my personal assetts as may be necessary shall be taken by my executors hereafter named and appropriated to that purpose. And further; if the interest or use of the property remaining as above specified shall be more than sufficient for the support of my said Wife, it shall be the duty of my Executors to pay such sum plus funds annually into the treasury of the American Bible Union to aid that society in its benevolent and praiseworthy effort to give the Word of God purely translated, first to those who speak the English language, and then to the other nations.

And further I will that at the death of my said Wife Mary Ann, an inventory of all my effects real and personal be taken, one Sixth of which shall then be payed to my oldest son, Sewall R. Eaton or to his children, if the said Sewall should not survive at that time. The remaining Five Sixths of said effects, I will that my Executors shall invest where good and approved securities can be obtained, the interest, or avails of which shall annually be payed into the treasury of the American Bible Union to promote the purpose above specified; the funds to remain so invested and the avails so appropriated till my oldest daughter, Esther A. Patterson shall have attained the precise age to which the above named Sewall had attained when he received his Sixth of said funds, then another Sixth of said funds shall be subtracted and payed to the said Esther A. Patterson or her children if she does not survive at that time.

The remaining Four Sixths is to remain invested as before till by third son Delos Eaton (is this a transcription error? should be second son Edwin) shall have attained the precise age reached by the preceding three children when their respective shares were received, then he too shall be entitled to draw his sixth of said funds. The use of the three Sixths in the mean time to be appropriated in the same manner and for the same purpose as before specified.

The remaining two Sixths to remain invested, and the avails therof to be annually appropriated for the promotion of the same object as above specified and through the same society, until My Second son Edwin Eaton shall have attained the precise age attained by the aforesaid Sewall R & Esther A. when they each received their respective Sixths when he, the said Edwin or his heirs shall be entitled to draw his Sixth of said funds which shall be subtracted from said investment for such purpose.

The remaining Three Sixths to remain invested as before till by third son Delos Eaton shall have attained the precise age reached by the preceding three children when their respective shares were received, then he too shall be entitled to draw his Sixth of said funds. The use of the three Sixths in the mean time to be appropriated in the same manner for the same purpose as before specified.

The remaining two Sixths to remain invested and the avails thereof to be appropriated as before till My Second daughter Candace E Close shall have attained the precise age reached by the before mentioned children at the time of their receiving their respective shares of said fund.

The remaining Sixth to continue invested as before and for the same purpose till my third daughter, Helen Eaton, shall have reached the precise age at which each of the before named heirs received the irrespective portions according to the specified manner herein prescribed, then she the said Helen shall be entitled to her portion of the said fund.

Likewise I make, constitute and appoint my two said sons Sewall R and Edwin Eaton to be Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In witness whereof, I have here unto subscribed my name and affixed my seal on this the ninteenth day of July ____ in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred fifty three. Araunah Eaton (L.S.)

The above written instrument was subscribed by the said Arannah Eaton in our presence and acknowledged by him to each of us. And he at the time published and declared the above instrument so subscribed to be his last will and testament, and we at the testator?s request, and in his presence, have signed our names as witness hereto, And written opposite our names our respective places of residence. Jesse Kingsbury, Peru, Huron Co, Ohio Frank Remington, Fredricktown, Knox Co, Ohio Sally Sun City, AZ

Narrative Biography

Araunah Eaton was born February 4, 1784 in East Hoosick (now Adams), Massachusetts. His name in various records is spelled Arunah, Araunah, Arrunah and Arunnah. His father, a Revolutionary War soldier, moved the family from Massachusetts to New York in 1787 to first Eatonville, New York and then Herkimer, New York. He married Candace Esther Raymond, the daughter of Lemuel Raymond and Hannah Underwood, on December 31, 1807 in Fairfield, New York. She was born 26 December 1784 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

The family of Arunah Eaton moved to Cincinnatus, Cortland Co., New York in 1809 when the land was still wilderness and there were just a handful of families living there. Like every generation before him, he was a pioneer who had to clear his own forests and build his own roads. His farm would now be in the town of Freetown which was carved out of Cincinnatus in 1818. By the time of “the War of 1812, the town had become sufficiently settled so that neighbors could reach each other without a pilgrimage of a half day or more through the woods.” During the War of 1812, “Araunah Eaton” was appointed Lieutenant of the 58th Regiment of Lt. Col. Martin Keep of Cortland County. No other records of his involvement in the War of 1812 have been found other than this appointment. In 1813, Arunah Eaton purchased land in Ontario Co., New York and moved his family there. In 1816 and 1817, Arunah Eaton appears on the jury list of Gorham, Ontario Co., New York.

In 1819, the family of Arunah once again headed to the wilderness and became one of the first few who moved to what is now Peru, Ohio. He followed his brother Richardson Eaton who appears to have moved west the year before. Sometime soon after, his brothers Owen and Jonathan Eaton moved to Peru. In addition, his cousins Henry, Comfort and Zelora Eaton (all children of his uncle Comfort Eaton) moved to Ohio. The area was still wilderness with the first inhabitants moving to the region only four years before in June of 1815. “Their home differed from their neighbors', being built into and beside a high bank, and was warm and comfortable in winter. A short time after a new house of hewn logs and a "sawed plank floor" was built beside a never-failing spring, a fine residence for those days.” In 1822, Arunah Eaton sold his land in Ontario Co., New York. Arunah Eaton was a farmer and in June 1833 was selected a director of the newly formed Huron County Agricultural Society. It is thought this was the first agricultural society in the state. Newspaper notices indicate he also served the town of Peru as Justice of the Peace. The first conference and praise meeting of the Baptist church in Peru was held at the home of Arunah Eaton on August 26, 1837 and the church was officially formed at the school house on January 13, 1838. His son, Edwin Eaton D.D., would become a very prominent Baptist preacher.

Candace Raymond Eaton died on May 25, 1826 in Peru, leaving behind four children including Delos who was only 1 year old. Arunah Eaton m. 2nd MARY ANN BLODGETT, the daughter of Solomon Blodgett and Thankful Blair, on January 30, 1827 in Gorham, New York. She was b. May 30, 1803 in New York. “Mary Ann Blodgett was a quiet home body whose home was her kingdom, which she seldom left. She was so quiet and retiring that only her relatives and nearest neighbors knew her true worth and nobility of character.”

Arunah Eaton died November 7, 1868 in Norwalk, Ohio. He left a will dated July 19, 1853. In it he provides for his wife Mary Ann, then on her death that his assets be split among his 6 children, namely Sewell R. Eaton, Esther A. Patterson, Edwin Eaton, Delos Eaton, Candace E. Close, and Helen Eaton. He also provided for significant annual payments to be made to the American Bible Union. Mary Ann Eaton d. February 28, 1885 in Peru. Arunah and both of his wives are buried together in Peru Center (School House) Cemetery in Peru. His brothers Richardson, Jonathan and Owen are also buried nearby.

Sources

Footnotes and citations:

1. ↑ findagrave.com

Source list:

• Find A Grave Memorial #156153484.

• 1820 United States Census, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGS-B9R ), Aminah (sic) Eaton, Peru, Huron, Ohio, United States.

• 1840 United States Census, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYV-5ZW : 16 August 2017), A Eaton, Peru Township, Huron, Ohio, United States; citing p. 416.

• 1850 United States Census, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXQX-KZ5 : 16 August 2019), Aeaunak (sic) Eaton, Peru, Huron, Ohio, United States; citing family 1833.

• https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A093731