Gershom Noyes (1764 - 1850)

Born 8 Jul 1764 in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Stanton) Noyes — married 2 Feb 1790 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Oct 1850 at age 86 in Clyman, Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States

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Biography

Gershom Noyes, born in 1751 @ Stonington, Connecticut, was a son of Mercy (Breed) Noyes (1727-1811) & John Noyes Jr (1718-1808). His birth date is uncertain, ranging from 1751 as published in the Wheeler ^[1] and Breed ^[2] publications, to 1764 (estimated) based on a 1850 U.S. census record, at which time his age was 86 ^[3]. The later date of 8 Jul 1764 appears on his "grave" marker ^[4], which is of recent manufacture, emplaced probably during the late 20th century. The bronze plaque gives his rank as 'PVT' (Private).

The narrative of Gershom Noyes's life which appears in the caption of this online memorial site states "Born in [sic Stonington], Connecticut. He subsequently moved to Guilford, Vermont. At age 17, Gershom enlisted for a nine-month tour with Captain Blakely's Company of Colonel Fletcher's Regiment of Vermont State Troop. During his tour, Noyes served as an Orderly Sergeant of the Rangers at Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Independence. He earned a pension for his service." This description also supports the premise that he was born about 1764 because the construction of fortifications on Mount Independence, located near Orwell, Vermont, was not started until 1776, thus if Gershom was born in 1751 he would have been older than 17 by then. The described rank of 'Orderly Sergeant', though, probably is not valid from a 9 month tour of duty, so the rank of Private appearing on his grave marker plaque probably is more accurate.

The caption proceeds, "Sometime after the revolution Noyes moved to Preston in Chenango County, New York. Gershom Noyes married Mary Stanton on Feb. 2, 1790, in Stonington, New London, CT. Minister was Valentine W. Rathburn, Elder^[5]. Gershom lived with Mary Stanton, the companion of his youth, for some 50 years. They raised nine children to a mature age, and saw the third generation. After Mary's death in Solsville, New York, Noyes moved to Wisconsin in 1845 to live with his son, Samuel."

The identity and ancestry of the Mary Stanton who became Gershom's wife are not easily discernible. Her birth date of 22 Mar 1767, at Stonington, Connecticut, is unsourced ^[6].

Some of their children, as listed in Gershom's online memorial site, were:

• Samuel Noyes (1792–1857)
• Gershom Noyes (1792–1867)
• Mercy Noyes Barnes (1797–1871)
• Henry Noyes (1799 – unknown)
• Persis Noyes Christie (1807–1887)

Again per the caption of his online memorial site (italics added for emphasis), "Obituaries state that Gershom Noyes died on October 1, 1850, at the age of 86. It is believed that Gershom is buried in his son's plot in the Clyman Center/School #3 Cemetery in Section 20, Town of Clyman, Dodge County. Records show Samuel Noyes once owned the property where the cemetery is located. The location of the old cemetery is near the intersection of Highways 16 and 60 and Highway 26, near Clyman." The equivocal caveats are not compelling that the marked "grave" for Gershom Noyes is precisely depicted.

Notes: "Genealogical record of some of the Noyes Descendants" by Henry E Noyes & Harriette E Noyes 1904 vol 2 - page 102. Lists Gersham as son of John and Mercy (Breed) Noyes. Born in Groton, Conn, 1751; married Mary Stanton, 1790. Lists children as Mary, b. 22 Sept 1791, Gersham, b. 13 May 1792, Samuel, b. 13 May 1792, Mercy, b. ?, Fanny, b. ?, Henry, b. ?, Isaac, b. 1801. Gersham (sr) is credited with service in the Revolutionary War. An Ancestry user states that not all children were born in VT: Mary, Gersham and Samuel were born in Connecticut and Isaac in NY.

Sources

1. ↑ Wheeler, Richard Anson. History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut; p. 495, 500, #292: https://archive.org/stream/historyoftownofs00whee_1#page/n522/mode/1up
2. ↑ Breed Family Association #16 (1963) p. 11, no 96: https://archive.org/details/BreedFamilyAssociationVol161963OCR/page/n54
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4DF-2DW : 23 December 2020), Gershom Noyes in household of Samuel Noyes, Clyman, Dodge, Wisconsin, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #24712025
5. ↑ Free Ancestry Image Mary Stanton married Gershom Noyes, b. of Stonington, Feb 2, 1790. Ancestry.com. Connecticut, U.S., Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
6. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LH51-7HC