Miriam (Benedict) Blackmer (1775 - 1834)

Born 12 Dec 1775 in Sharon, Windsor County, Republic of Vermont [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Solomon Blackmer — married 7 Oct 1796 in Randolph, Orange County, Vermont

Wife of Ebenezer Burnham — married 4 Apr 1822 in Barnard, Vermont

Descendants

Died 11 Dec 1834 at age 58 in Barnard, Windsor County, Vermont, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ellen Smith [send private message]

Biography

Miriam Benedict was a daughter of Samuel Benedict and his wife Mary (Dibble) Benedict, born 12 December 1775, probably in Sharon, Vermont.^[1][2]

The history of Royalton, Vermont, includes an account of Miriam Benedict's experience in the Indian raid on Royalton in 1780, when she was almost 5 years old. Her parents were away from home. She and her siblings heard that the Indians were coming, so they hid beside the riverbank, and were not found by the Indians. Their father, Samuel, returned to the house. The Indians beckoned to him, but he turned away and hid behind a large log. One of the Indians actually stood on the log, but didn't see him. The children's mother returned home on horseback while the Indians were pillaging the house. The Indians threatened her with a hatchet and stole her horse. She managed to cut the gold beads off her necklace and hide them in her hand, thus preventing them from being taken. The Indians left with the possessions they had plundered from the house, but the house was not burned, and the family was unharmed.^[3]

Miriam married Solomon Blackmer on 7 October 1796 in Randolph (Orange County), Vermont.^[4]

Solomon Blackmer died in January 1813. Miriam Blackmer was the executrix for his estate, which was probated on 13 February 1813.^[5]

As of the 1820 Census, Miriam Blackmer was a head of household living in Barnard (Windsor County), Vermont. Other members of the household were a male of 45 years or older, a male between 16 and 25, and two males ages 10 to 15. One member of the household was engaged in agriculture. ^[6]

Miriam was married for a second time, to Ebenezer Burnham of Windsor, Vermont.^[7] The marriage was recorded in Barnard on 4 April 1822.^[8]

Eben Burnham of Windsor, Vermont, made his will on 23 October 1834. The will provided for "my dearly beloved wife, Miriam Burnham" to have the use of one third of his real estate "during such period as she shall remain single and unmarried after my decease."^[9] Miriam died not long thereafter, at age 59, on 11 December 1834. Her death was recorded in Barnard, Vermont; the death record names her as Miriam Blackmer, wife of Solomon Blackmer.^[10] Miriam Blackmer is buried in Barnard Village Cemetery (the death record calls it Center Yard) in Barnard, Vermont.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ Benedict, Vol. 1, p. 257
2. ↑ Smith, page 21.
3. ↑ Lovejoy, - page 150. Note: The story is said to have come from her son Joel Blackmer, born 1810.
4. ↑ Benedict, Vol. 1, p. 257
5. ↑ Smith, page 20.
6. ↑ United States Census, 1820, record.
7. ↑ Smith, page 21, citing William M. Newton, author of History of Barnard Vermont. Smith also states that Orlando C. Blackmer reported that Miriam had removed to Williamstown, Vermont, not Windsor, after her second marriage.
8. ↑ Marriage Record - Bride, Town of Barnard, Vermont. Name of Bride: Minioram Blackmer. Name of Groom: Ebenzer Benneam. Residence of Bride: Barnard, Vt. Date of Marriage: April 4, 1822. Color; White. Name Party Officiating: Joel Davis, Pastor.
9. ↑ Probate File: Eben Burnham, Ancestry.com. Vermont, Wills and Probate Records, 1749-1999 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.
10. ↑ Record of Death, Miriam Blackmer, age 59, wife of Solomon Blackmer, Barnard, Vermont. "A true copy," October 10, 1919.
11. ↑ Find-A-Grave

• Benedict, Henry Marvin. The Genealogy of the Benedicts in America, 2d ed. rev. and enl. 1969, by Elwyn Ellsworth Benedict. 2 vols. Joel Munsell, Albany, 1870 Note: RIN#2
• Find-A-Grave, Miriam Benedict Blackmer. Inscription on photographed gravestone: MIRIAM, wife of SOLOMON BLACKMER, DIED Dec 11, 1834, AE. 59
• Lovejoy, Evelyn M. Wood. History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911. Town of Royalton and Royalton Women's Club, 1911. Printed by Free Press Printing Company, Burlington, Vermont.
• Smith, Rev. Alven Martyn, Three Blackmore Genealogies. Privately published, South Pasadena, California, 1930.

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Benedict-312 created through the import of MOORMAN FAMILY.GED on May 31, 2011 by Mary Elizabeth Stewart. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Mary Elizabeth and others.