Israel Bailey was born in 1761, the son of Moses Bailey and Elizabeth Merrill.[1][2] Israel's childhood was spent in Salem, NH then in Haverhill, NJ. His parents made the move from Haverhill, NH to Peacham, Vermont in about 1779, at which time (14 June 1779) his father purchased 300 acres of land there, from one Benjamin Patterson of Piermont, NH.[3] His father Moses was town officer in Peacham in the 1780s.[4] On 4 Sep. 1783, Israel's father carved off a 67 acre portion of his land (Lot Nbr. 5) in Peacham and deeded this for $67 to "my son Israel".[5]
Israel married Miriam Sawyer in Peacham, VT in Nov. 1787.[6] On 17 Oct. 1787, just prior to marriage, Israel had exchanged his farm in Peacham, VT with that of Jacob Jennes in nearby Groton, VT.[7][8] Israel and Miriam became one of the very first families to settle in Groton.[9] They settled on 50 acres being the northern half of Groton Lot #3.
Israel and Miriam gave birth to 9 children in Groton over the next 17 years[10] as follows:
Israel was recorded on the first (1790) census for Groton.[12] He was recorded with a household of himself and three females. His was one of only 8 families recorded in Groton at that early time.
At the first annual town meeting on 28 March 1797, Israel was chosen "tithingman".[13] A bit later (19 Sep. 1801), he expanded his Groton land holdings, with the purchase in 1801 from Edward Pollard of an additional 100 acres.[14] Israel was listed on the Groton taxpayers/voters list of 1802, with two oxen and two cows,[15] and on the 1800,[16] 1810,[17] 1820[18] and 1830 censuses for Groton.[19]
In a Groton land transaction in Feb. 1832, Israel deeded his Groton land to son David.[20] In a companion deed, David committed to provide for the housing (in Groton), care and food for his parents Israel and Miriam, for the rest of their "natural lives". In the event of failure to do so, the Groton property would revert to Israel, although the latter signed a release of this obligation on 23 Jan. 1833.[21] It is surmised that about this time (1833), Israel moved to live with one of his sons in Irasburg, VT, probably Levi. Sons Ephraim, Levi, David and Josiah all lived in Irasburg in this era, and son Jonathan lived in adjacent Albany, VT. In Sept. 1839, Israel was recorded in the town records of Irasburg as having cast his vote for representatives.[22] On 15 July 1838, a Vermont State Attorney called Jesse Cooper was assigned as Guardian for Israel Bailey, since he was "incapable of taking care of himself".[23]
In 1839, the town of Irasburg, VT made a claim against Groton, VT for the cost of having cared for this pauper Israel Bailey. Meanwhile, they had forced his return from Irasburg to Groton. The Groton town records describe their dealing with this matter at their 30 Nov. 1839 town meeting, where they sought bids for the care of Israel, the winning bid being George Welch at $0.98 per week for room and board.[24] The Groton town records include a number of annual entries from 1840 to 1853 (all viewable at the familysearch link below) covering the annual funds required for the care of Israel Bailey. In 1850, Israel was living at the town "poor house" in Groton, VT, operated by Peter Whitehills.[25] He probably died in the mid-1850's (after 1853) being by then over 90 years of age. His death record has not been found, and he was not recorded on the 1860 Groton census.
Israel's place of burial is unknown. Given that he was living in a Groton, VT "poorhouse", supported by the town, with no support from family, it is reasonable to assume that he was buried in a pauper's grave without marker of any kind.
There were two Moses Bailey's living in Salem, NH in the mid 1700's, both with wives called Elizabeth. These were Moses Bailey, b. 1730, son of John Bailey, and Moses Bailey, b. 1733, son of Edward Bailey. These two Moses were third cousins, the first from the "Richard" line, and the second from the "James" line (Richard and James being the Immigrant brothers of Rowley, MA). This situation has as a result given rise to occasions where Bailey children born in the 1750s/1760s in Salem, NH to parents Moses and Elizabeth Bailey have been attributed to the wrong Moses.
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