Sarah (Eaton) Johnson (1722 - 1820)

Born 1722 in Massachusetts Bay Colony

Wife of Benjamin Gary — married 29 May 1739 (to 1756) in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Wife of Jonathan Wood — married 19 Apr 1757 (to 1779) in Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony [uncertain]

Wife of Samuel Johnson — married 16 Dec 1784 in Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 24 Aug 1820 at about age 98 in Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Douglass Washburn [send private message]

Biography

[In lieu of the two-sentence "biography" formerly in this space, I substituted the "life sketch" that I wrote for Sarah's profile on FamilyTree (familysearch.org)]:

Sarah Eaton's parents and place of birth are not definitely known at present. It has been asserted that she was born in 1725 in Lunenburg, Mass. to Benjamin and Sarah Eaton, but the alleged birth place and date are highly dubious.

Much more likely, she was either the Sarah Eaton born in 1722 in Reading, the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Pearson) Eaton of Lynn and Reading, Mass.; or the "Sarah Eatone [sic] Daughter of Benjamin Eaton And Sarah Eaton his wiffe [who] was Borne March the first Day: 1722/3" in Salisbury. [See Research Notes, below.]

Mary Pearson Eaton was a native of Lynn, and lived in Reading after her marriage. Notably, Benjamin Gary, who married Sarah (Susan??) Eaton in Lynn, was also from Reading.

The definitively known facts are these:

Sarah Eaton married as her first husband Benjamin Geary (aka Gary) 29 May 1739 at Lynn, Massachusetts. {Note, however, that the published Lynn vital records list the bride's given name as "Susan" rather than "Sarah," and the husband's surname as "Garey" rather than Gary or "Geary."} Apparently he was a "Junior" to a father of the same given name.

Sarah had only two known children by Benjamin Gary Jr.: Thomas and Sarah. I cannot account for the lack of any other children over the span of a 17 year marriage. Plainly, Sarah was not infertile, as she was able to have children by her second husband. Probably Benjamin suffered some illness or injury that rendered him sterile. At a minimum, his life was cut short at a relatively young age.

Benjamin Gary, Jr. made his will on 5 Oct 1756 in Lunenburg, Massachusetts. It was proved 25 Oct 1756 in Worcester County. In it, he named his wife Sarah and his two children Thomas and Sarah Gary. The inventory of his estate was taken by Jonathan Wood.

In the following spring, on 19 Apr 1757, the widow Sarah (Eaton) Gary married, as her second husband, Capt. Jonathan Wood, in Lunenburg. They were married for 22 years, and had three children together.

He died in 1779, leaving a large estate. Five years later, she married as her third husband Samuel Johnson. She died 24 Aug 1820 in Lunenburg.

There is a burial in Miltonboro, Chittenden County, Vermont of a "Sarah Wood," and certain careless researchers have assumed that she is identical to the subject of this profile, but they were two different people (see below).

Another careless researcher detached Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson on FamilyTree from her correct husband (Capt. Jonathan Wood) and attached her instead as the wife of his son Jonathan Wood Jr. (1738-1758) (i.e., Capt. Wood's son by his first wife Sarah Whitney).

Obviously that was in error, as Jonathan Wood Jr. died in 1758. He therefore could not have been the father of the children that Sarah (Eaton) [Gary][Wood] Johnson bore to Capt. Jonathan Wood thereafter. Nor is it likely that Jonathan Wood Jr. would have married, as his first wife, a woman sixteen years his senior.

That Capt. Wood married a second wife named Sarah (Eaton) [Gary][Wood] Johnson and that she survived him is demonstrated by documents in the file on the probate of his estate. I have taken the abstract of the probate record from the "We Relate" profile on Capt. Wood (correcting a few typos and adding a few editorial comments), and entered it here as follows:

Worcester County, Massachusetts probate files, 1731–1881. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Digitized by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2012) Case 67090: Wood, Jonathan, Lunenburg 1779.

Will of "Jonathan Wood of Lunenburg ... Gen't [Gentleman], being weak in Body," names wife Sarah Wood [who is to have the homestead until son Bezaleel is 21, then half of same until son Jonathan becomes 21, then all household belongings except what belonged to the testator's first wife]; son John Wood; son Barnebus Wood; daughter Mehitabel Bridge; daughter Molly Wood; sons Bezeleel Wood and Jonathan Wood. Wife Sarah and son John to be executors. Will dated 27 Feb 1773.

Will proved 4 Oct 1779.

Notations in probate file]: 10 June 1779: John Wood was appointed executor with his Hon'd [step]mother Sarah Wood, but lives at great distance in New Hampshire, and declines this trust.

6 Sep 1779: Widow and heirs cited.

23 Sep 1779: Inventory of the estate of Cap't. Jonathan Wood Late of Lunenburg Deceas'd: £7491:13:4 [a very substantial estate for the time], appraised by George Kimball, Obadiah Walker and John Thurston.

7 Jun 1780: Division of the real estate of Jonathan Wood late of Lunenburg which was not contained [meaning disposed of] in the last will: Set off to:

The widow Sarah Wood; John Wood, the eldest son; Barnabas Wood second son; Mehetable Wood (wife of Ebennezar Bridge and eldest daughter); Barzaleel Wood; Jonathan Wood [Jr.], and Mary Wood the youngest daughter.

Signed by:

Sarah Wood, Guardian for Mary and Jonathan Wood; Ebenezer Bridge & Mehetebel Bridge, Barnabas Wood, John Wood, and Bezeleel Wood.

Same day: division of property given to Bezaleel and Jonathan in will.

16 May 1786: "Account of Samuel Johnson & Sarah Johnson, formerly Sarah Wood, executors in her right to the will of Jonathan Wood, Late of Lunenburg Deceased -- allowed."

[Note that the last entry proves that Sarah (Eaton) Wood married a third time, to this Samuel Johnson. The Lunenburg Town Records, at page 277 (original numbering) mention the notice of the "Intentions of marriage of Mrs. Sarah Wood and Mr. Samuel Johnson, both of Lunenburgh, December 16, 1784."]

From the town records (film 007009535, image 159) as transcribed circa 1868 by George. A. Cunningham (page 296 of the transcription):

1820 August 24 Mrs. Sarah Johnson died. [August 23, aged 99 years, on her grave-stone - August 25, in the church-records] {The notations in square brackets here are those of Mr. Cunningham.} Benjamin Johnson died February 27th 1823 [aged 74 years] [February 28 in church records]. Widow Mary Johnson died April 14, 1831 [aged 69 years] {Note: As is obvious, the death of Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson was recorded with the family register of Benjamin and Mary (Wood) Johnson. Mary was the daughter of Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson, and Benjamin Johnson was her son-in-law as well as her step-son.}

{Contrary to what was stated in the previous version of the FamilyTree profile, the birth of Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson does not appear in the Lunenburg town records. Whether she was born in 1720, 1725 or somewhere in between, such date would be very early in terms of the settlement of Lunenburg, which did not even come into existence as a Town until 1728. The correct year of birth appears to be 1723 (1722 on the Julian calendar) based on the entry in the Salisbury town records transcribed at the start of this sketch.

{This would make her "merely" 97 years old (i.e., in the 98th year of her age) at death, as compared with the age of 99 carved on her tombstone. However, it is not unusual for the age of someone with an exceptionally long life span to be exaggerated somewhat. For the avoidance of doubt, the photograph of her tombstone on FindaGrave shows the age at death very clearly to be "99." But it is an exaggeration.

--Barry Wood 11 Jan 2023

Research notes:

From the town records of Reading, Mass:

born 8 December 1722, Sarah Eaten [sic], daughter of Joseph and Mary.

From the Salisbury town records (film 007009706, image 615, right-hand page):

"Sarah Eatone [sic] Daughter of Benjamin Eaton And Sarah Eaton his wiffe was Borne March the first Day: 1722/3."

This contradicts the assertion, formerly in this profile, that she was born in Lunenburg. However, it is more consistent with the fact of her first marriage eastern Essex County rather than on the then-frontier in Lunenburg. On the other hand, the Salisbury town records show that "a" Sarah Eaton married Jabez True in 1741 (intentions December 1740; marriage 10 Feb 1740/1).

There was also a born 8 February 1721 in Boston to Joseph and Lydia Eaton - but she is recorded as having married Samuel Sprague (as his second wife).

Finally, there were a Sarah Eaton born 23 July 1726 to Samuell and Hannah Eaton in Salisbury, and a Sarah "Heaton" born 3 August 1721 at Wrentham to Nathanael and Mariah Heaton.

Militating in favor of Sarah (Eaton) (Wood) (Johnson) being the daughter of Joseph & Mary Eaton of Reading is the fact that Joseph and Mary had a younger son, Pearson (or "Pierson") Eaton, born 6 August 1725, who settled in Lunenburg.

Mary (Pearson) Eaton, "wife of Joseph," died in 1730. While Joseph's death is not recorded in the Reading town records, a search for a will or administration of his estate might answer the question whether his daughter Sarah was the Sarah Eaton who married Benjamin Gary Jr. in 1739 in Lynn and then moved to Lunenburg.

It's very doubtful that Sarah Gary Wood was born as early as 1711, since she was still bearing a child in 1761. In my view she was likely born about 1721.

Also, I believe that she was a widow when she married Jonathan Wood as his second wife, but I need to dig back into my files to be sure about that.

As noted in the explanation for my [prior] change, Sarah's name on the 1757 marriage record is "Gary," not "Gray."

Barry Wood 30 Sept 2019

Research Notes

These notes are on her familysearch.org profile, and were written by contributor barrywood1:

Sarah (Eaton) [Gary] [Wood] Johnson Sarah Eaton's parents and place of birth are unknown at present. It has been asserted that she was born in 1725 in Lunenburg, Mass. to Benjamin and Sarah Eaton, but this is difficult if not impossible to verify. The definitively known facts are these: She married as her first husband Benjamin Geary (aka Gary) 29 May 1739 at Lynn, Massachusetts. {Note, however, that the published Lynn vital records list the bride's given name as "Susan" rather than "Sarah," and the husband's surname as "Garey" rather than Gary or "Geary."} Apparently he was a "Junior" to a father of the same given name. Benjamin Gary, Jr. made his will on 5 Oct 1756 in Lunenburg, Massachusetts. It was proved 25 Oct 1756 in Worcester County. In it, he named his wife Sarah and his two children Thomas and Sarah Gary. The inventory of his estate was taken by Jonathan Wood. In the following spring, on 19 Apr 1757, the widow Sarah (Eaton) Gary married, as her second husband, Capt. Jonathan Wood, in Lunenburg. He died in 1779, leaving a large estate. Five years later, she married as her third husband Samuel Johnson. She died 24 Aug 1820 in Lunenburg. There is a burial in Miltonboro, Chittenden County, Vermont of a "Sarah Wood" who is evidently not identical to the subject of this profile (see below). Someone recently detached her from her correct husband (Capt. Jonathan Wood) and attached her instead as the wife of his son Jonathan Wood Jr. (i.e., Capt. Wood's son by his first wife Sarah Whitney). Obviously that was in error, as Jonathan Wood Jr. died in 1758. He therefore could not have been the father of the children that Sarah (Eaton) [Gary][Wood] Johnson bore to Capt. Jonathan Wood thereafter. That Capt. Wood married a second wife named Sarah (Eaton) [Gary][Wood] Johnson and that she survived him is demonstrated by the probate file. I have taken the abstract of the probate record from the "We Relate" profile on Capt. Wood (correcting a few typos and adding a few editorial comments), and entered it here as follows: Worcester County, Massachusetts probate files, 1731–1881. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Digitized by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2012) Case 67090: Wood, Jonathan, Lunenburg 1779. Will of "Jonathan Wood of Lunenburg ... Gen't [Gentleman], being weak in Body," names wife Sarah Wood [who is to have the homestead until son Bezaleel is 21, then half of same until son Jonathan becomes 21, then all household belongings except what belonged to the testator's first wife]; son John Wood; son Barnebus Wood; daughter Mehitabel Bridge; daughter Molly Wood; sons Bezeleel Wood and Jonathan Wood. Wife Sarah and son John to be executors. Will dated 27 Feb 1773. Will proved 4 Oct 1779. Notations in probate file]: 10 June 1779: John Wood was appointed executor with his Hon'd [step]mother Sarah Wood, but lives at great distance in New Hampshire, and declines this trust. 6 Sep 1779: Widow and heirs cited. 23 Sep 1779: Inventory of the estate of Cap't Jonathan Wood Late of Lunenburg Deceas'd: £7491:13:4 [a very substantial estate for the time], appraised by George Kimball, Obadiah Walker and John Thurston. 7 Jun 1780: Division of the real estate of Jonathan Wood late of Lunenburg which was not contained [meaning disposed of] in the last will: Set off to: The widow Sarah Wood; John Wood, the eldest son; Barnabas Wood second son; Mehetable Wood (wife of Ebennezar Bridge and eldest daughter); Barzaleel Wood; Jonathan Wood [Jr.], and Mary Wood the youngest daughter. Signed by: Sarah Wood, Guardian for Mary and Jonathan Wood; Ebenezer Bridge & Mehetebel Bridge, Barnabas Wood, John Wood, and Bezeleel Wood. Same day: division of property given to Bezaleel and Jonathan in will. 16 May 1786: "Account of Samuel Johnson & Sarah Johnson, formerly Sarah Wood, executors in her right to the will of Jonathan Wood, Late of Lunenburg Deceased -- allowed." [Note that the last entry proves that Sarah (Eaton) Wood married a third time, to this Samuel Johnson. The Lunenburg Town Records, at page 277 (original numbering) mention the notice of the "Intentions of marriage of Mrs. Sarah Wood and Mr. Samuel Johnson, both of Lunenburgh, December 16, 1784."] From the town records (film 007009535, image 159) as transcribed circa 1868 by George. A. Cunningham (page 296 of the transcription): 1820 August 24 Mrs. Sarah Johnson died. [August 23, aged 99 years, on her grave-stone - August 25, in the church-records] {The notations in square brackets here are those of Mr. Cunningham.} Benjamin Johnson died February 27th 1823 [aged 74 years] [February 28 in church records]. Widow Mary Johnson died April 14, 1831 [aged 69 years] {Note: As is obvious, the death of Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson was recorded with the family register of Benjamin and Mary (Wood) Johnson. Mary was the daughter of Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson, and Benjamin Johnson was her son-in-law as well as her step-son.} {Editorial note: Please do not change the years of birth and death back to the wildly erroneous 1711 and 1779 previously identified with this profile. By entering those as "standardized dates" I was able to get FamilyTree to list Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson's correct years of birth and death. {Contrary to what was stated in the previous version of this profile, the birth of Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson does not appear in the Lunenburg town records. Whether she was born in 1720, 1725 or somewhere in between, such date would be very early in terms of the settlement of Lunenburg. The correct year of birth appears to be 1723 (1722 on the Julian calendar) based on the entry in the Salisbury town records transcribed at the start of this sketch. {This would make her "merely" 97 years old (i.e., in the 98th year of her age) at death, but it is not unusual for the age of someone with an exceptionally long life span to be exaggerated somewhat. I have placed a request on FindaGrave for a photograph of her tombstone so as to be able to evaluate the accuracy of the "age 99" allegation. --Barry Wood 22 Feb 2022

Research notes: From the Salisbury town records (film 007009706, image 615, right-hand page): "Sarah Eatone [sic] Daughter of Benjamin Eaton And Sarah Eaton his wiffe was Borne March the first Day: 1722/3." This contradicts the assertion, formerly in this profile, that she was born in Lunenburg. However, it is more consistent with the fact of her first marriage eastern Essex County rather than on the then-frontier in Lunenburg. On the other hand, the Salisbury town records show that "a" Sarah Eaton married Jabez True in 1741 (intentions December 1740; marriage 10 Feb 1740/1). There was also a Sarah Eaton born 8 November (or December?) 1722 in Reading to Joseph & Mary Eaton, as well as a Sarah Eaton born 8 February 1721 in Boston to Joseph and Lydia Eaton and a Sarah Eaton born 23 July 1726 to Samuell and Hannah Eaton in Salisbury, and a Sarah "Heaton" born 3 August 1721 at Wrentham to Nathanael and Mariah Heaton.

Sarah (Eaton) Gary Wood Johnson appears not to be the same person as the "Sarah Wood" identified by a marker in the cemetery at Miltonboro, Chittenden County, Vermont. Nearby is a stone marking the graves Jonathan Wood, believed to be Jonathan Wood Jr. (second), 1767-1828, and his wife Elizabeth. This marker bears the inscription "Sarah Wood died Sept. 18, 1826 [possibly "1820"] aged 101 Years." Either this is an unrelated family, or the burial monument was erected substantially after Sarah's death with an incorrect death date and age at a death by an overly zealous descendant, as sometimes happens. Reversion to her prior married name is understandable, especially if Jonathan Wood Jr. did not get along with his stepfather. Exaggeration of the age at death is likewise not uncommon, but the discrepancy in the death date (of either 25 days or six years and 25 days) is puzzling. Another explanation might be that the person buried in Miltonboro is the antecedent of Elizabeth (wife of Jonathan Wood Jr.) rather than the mother of Jonathan Jr., and that both his mother and mother in law had married names of "Wood," at least at one time. Finally, there is the chance that the person buried in Miltonboro is an aunt or great aunt of Jonathan Wood Jr. (or Elizabeth) rather than a parent. At a minimum, further research is needed to confirm that the Jonathan Wood nearly buried in Miltonboro is in fact the same person as the son of Capt. Jonathan Wood of Lunenburg. It seems very strange that his mother could have two different tombstones in two different states, unless one of the stones is a memorial rather than a tombstone as such.

Sources

• Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP8G-GRG3 : 11 May 2022), Benj'a Garey and Sarah Eaton, 29 Mar 1739; citing Marriage, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004269393.

• Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHLQ-5QF : 28 July 2021), Sarah Gary in entry for Jonathan Wood, 1757.

• Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910, 1921-1924", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHLQ-NY6 : 28 July 2021), Sarah Wood in entry for Samuel Johnson, 1784.

See Also:

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org), entry for this profile (PID FamilySearch Person: LY7H-FST); contributed by various users.