Arad Sheldon was born in 1754 in Bernardston, Massachusetts, to Amasa Sheldon and Sarah Bardwell[1]. He served in the American Revolution[2]. He married Elizabeth Gibbs[3][4] on April 15, 1791. They had five known children. He died on March 26, 1813, in his hometown at the age of 59, and was buried there.[5] His will was probated May 11, 1813.[6]
From History of Bernardston...
"7. Sheldon, Arad, (Amasa Lieut. Ebenezer, John, Isaac, Isaac,) b. 1754; served three years in the Revolutionary Army, being sergeant in 1779. His name appears on a coat-roll for eight months' service in Capt. Joseph Stebbins' Co., Col. J. Brewer's Reg., Sept. 28-9, 1775; m. Apr. 15, 1791, Elizabeth Gibbs of Greenwich, who d. Feb.. 1837, ae. about 62. He d. Mch. 26, 181 3 ; resided at East Bern. Children:
i. Amasa, b. 1796; m. Asenath, dau. of Rufus Guellow of Townshend, Vt. She d. Mch. 11, 1870, ae. 67. His home was the old Gamaliel Kingsley place. He d. Mch. 2, 1869. Had: i. Sarah E, b. Oct. 16, 1824; m. Jan. 28, 1842, Samuel F. Warner, who was b. in Sufifield, Ct., in 1812. Mrs. Warner now resides in Greenfield. 2. Eliza Ann, b. Feb. 25, 1827; m. Russell Sheldon of Bern. She d. July 10, 1859. 3. Alexander C., b. May 25, 1829. He owned the "Squire Hamilton Farm"; served in the l0th Reg., Mass. Vol., during civil war; d. in Leyerett Jan. 7, 1881. 4. Mary Jane, b. Sept. 3, 1833; m. Oliver T. Smith; d. in Greenfield. 5. George Potter, born May 22, 1837; drowned Dec. 13, 1857, while engaged in carrying mails from Indian River to New Smyrna, Fla.
ii. Sara, m. Alexander Campbell of Putney, Vt.
iii. Israel, went south and is supposed to have there d.
"Shelden, Arad. Sergeant, Capt. Abel Dinsmor's co.. Col. Ruggles Woodbridge's regt.; engaged Aug. 26 (also given Aug. 17), 1777; discharged Nov. 29, 1777; service, 3 mos. 14 (also given 3 mos. 23) days, including 10 days (190 miles) travel home ; company raised to serve with Northern army until Nov. 30, 1777. Roll sworn to in Hampshire Co."[8]
"Sheldon, Arad (also given Ard), Bernardston. Private, Capt. Joseph Stebbins's CO., Col. Jonathan Brewer's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 28, 1775; service, 95 days; also, company return [probably Oct., 1775]; also, order for bounty coat dated Cambridge Camp, Nov. 20, 1775 ; also. Private, Capt. Amasa Sheldon's co.. Col. Elisha Porter's regt. ; enlisted July 10, 1777; discharged July 15, 1777 ; service, 8 1/2 days, on expedition to Northern department, including travel (70 miles) home. Roll sworn to at Deerfield."[9]
Children
Arad Sheldon's estate papers list five children, four sons and one daughter. Three sons were underage and had guardians appointed for them at the time of his death in 1813[10]
Arad's estate was probated May 11, 1813. Estate papers show a large inventory of goods and mention his five children.[11]
Guardianship papers state the sons Amasa and Arad, above the age of 14, selected Elisha Snow of Bernardstown as their guardian on June 22 1813. Elizabeth Sheldon of Bernardston (widow) was appointed guardian of youngest son, John Dwight Sheldon.
The estate papers list five children: "To Sally Sheldon, Israel Sheldon, Amasa Sheldon, Arad Sheldon and Dwight Sheldon, children of the said deceased, the sum of one hundred fifty three dollars, twenty six cents, and four milles each."
Sources
History of Deerfield, Massachusetts, A: The Times when the People by Whom it was Settled, Unsettled and Resettled, Volume 1., by George Sheldon, Press of E.A. Hall & Company, 1895 - Deerfield (Mass.). - Google Books, p. 297
↑ History of the Town of Bernardston, franklin County, Massachusetts, 1736-1900, by
Lucy Cutler Kellogg, p. 76, 252
↑ Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Ancestry.com, Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
↑ Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Book of the Charter Members of the DAR Vol 074, p. 318
↑ Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Ancestry.com, Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records. Provo, UT: Holbrook Research Institute (Jay and Delene Holbrook).
↑ Franklin County Probate Files, Ca. 1812-1915 (Franklin County, Massachusetts); Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Franklin County); Probate Place: Franklin, Massachusetts, Case Number 4261, Ancestry.com
↑ History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin county, Massachusetts. 1736-1900. With genealogies, by Kellogg, Lucy Jane Cutler, 1866-, Pub. 1902, p. 491-2
↑ soldiers and sailors of the Rev. War. Comp. By secy. Of the commonwealth, Ms. Boston. 1896-1908. (17v.):14:99
↑ soldiers and sailors of the Rev. War. Comp. By secy. Of the commonwealth, Ms. Boston. 1896-1908. (17v.):14:104
↑ Franklin County Probate Files, Ca. 1812-1915 (Franklin County, Massachusetts); Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Franklin County); Probate Place: Franklin, Massachusetts, Case Number 4261, Ancestry.com
↑ Franklin County Probate Files, Ca. 1812-1915 (Franklin County, Massachusetts); Author: Massachusetts. Probate Court (Franklin County); Probate Place: Franklin, Massachusetts, Case Number 4261, Ancestry.com
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Joe Lehnerz for creating WikiTree profile Sheldon-781 through the import of moore 2011 - 17022013.GED on Mar 11, 2013.
Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Joe and others.
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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Arad by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA.
Y-chromosome DNA test-takers in his direct paternal line on WikiTree: