Benoni Shurtleff (1730 - 1803)

Born 7 Apr 1730 in Plympton, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Submit (Pike) Shurtleff — married 23 Jul 1753 in Southboro, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 1803 at about age 72 in Berlin, Washington, Vermont, United States

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Biography

Benoni Shurtleff, son of John, was b. a twin in Plympton, Mass., Apr. 7, 1730 (Apr. 18, N. S.) ; d. in Berlin, Vt., abt. 1803; m. in Southboro, Mass., July 23, 1753, Submit Pike, b. Mar. 31, 1735; dau. of Nathaniel and Mary (Buck), who were m. Jan. 18, 1711. Mary Buck, b. Oct. 28, 1691; dau. of Ephraim and Sarah (Brooks), who were m. Jan. 1, 1670.

Sarah Brooks, b. Nov. 21, 1652; dau. of John and Eunice (Monsall), who were m. Nov. 1, 1649. Eunice Monsall d. Jan. 1, 1684; dau. of John. John Brooks d. Sept. 29, 1691; son of Henry. Ephraim Buck, b. July 26, 1646; d. Jan., 1720/1; son of Eoger and Susanna, who d. Sept. 10, 1685. Eoger Buck, b. 1617; d. Nov. 10, 1693; son of William. Nathaniel Pike, son of James and Hannah (Cutler), who were m. Nov. 25, 1681. Hannah Cutler, b. June 9, 1662 ; dau. of Nathaniel and Mary, who were m. Sept. 29, 1655. Mary d. Feb. 4, 1708, and her husband, pt. 29, 1655. Mary d. Feb. 4, 1708, and her husband, Nathaniel Cutler, d. 1724, aged 94; son of John and Mary. He m. (2) Nancy Wise. He m. (3) in Berlin, Apr. 20, 1803, Experience Wheeler, who m. in Berlin, Jan. 31, 1809, William Ware. "The intention of Mar- riage between Mr. Wm. Ware of Barre & Mrs. Experience Shurtleff of Berlin was published at Barre Jan. 1, 1809. According to law. Attest Minott T. Clerk."

When fourteen years of age, Benoni, the twin, was put to work at the blacksmith trade in Windham, Conn. He afterwards went to Southboro and Barre, Mass., and several other places before going to Vermont. Nineteen thousand nine hundred acres of wild land, comprising the present town of Barre, Vt., was chartered on Nov. 6, 1780, to William Williams and 60 others, and to this tract of unbroken wilderness the name of Wildersburg was given. In 1788 John Goldsbury and Samuel Eogers with their families began the work of colonization, and from that time the little town prospered till Mar. 11, 1793, when they had their first town meeting.

To this territory Mr. Shurtleff removed his family, but lived a little over the line in the town of of Berlin. He was a sentinel in Capt. John Fay's company, Col. Josiah Brown's regiment; entered service, Sept. 15, 1755; served till Dec. 13, 1755; service, 12 weeks, 6 days; reported allowed 10 days' subsistence before marching and 12 days' travel from Albany to Southboro; on a return, made by Col. Abraham Williams to Lieut.-Gov. Spencer Phips, of the men enlisted out of said William's regiment for the expedition against Crown Point, states that said men received $4 each and were well armed and all sworn; also Col. Timothy Brigham's company; reported on training band list dated Southboro, Apr. 29, 1757; also private, Capt. Aaron Fay's company; entered service from Southboro, Apr. 25; served till Nov. 2; service, 27 weeks, 3 days; endorsed company, 1759, in the expedition to Crown Point; roll dated Boston, Feb. 19, 1760. He had no issue by second and third wives.

Children, by first wife:

1. William, b. Jan. 1, 1754, in Southboro; d. unm. and was in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was a private in Capt. John Black's company. Col. Jonathan Brewer's regiment; enlisted Apr. 29, 1775; service, 3 mo., 4 days; aZso 'private, Capt. Aaron Haynes's company. Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment; enlisted from Hutchinson (now Barre), Jan. 1, 1776, for during war; reengaged, Nov. 15, 1776, in Capt. Matthew Fairfield's company, Col. Edward Wigglesworth's regiment, but continued in Col. Whitcomb's regiment till Dec. 31, 1776; service, Jan. 1, 1777, to June 1, 1779 ; was in Capt. Joseph McNall's company. Col. Edward Wigglesworth's regiment ; in Capt. Peter Page's company. Col. Calvin Smith's (late Wigglesworth's) regiment; and in Col. John Greaton's third regiment; residence, New Eutland; reported deserted, June 1, 1779 ; reported returned to duty for the year 1780; also private, Capt. Fowler's company. Col. Smith's regiment; service, Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780; residence, Winchester; descriptive list dated West Point, Jan. 25, 1781; age 27 yrs. ; stature, 5 ft., 5 in. ; complexion, dark ; hair, dark ; eyes, blue.
2. Anna, b. Jan. 20, 1756, in Southboro.
3. Benoni, b. May 15, 1757, in Hardwick, Mass.
4. Freeman.
5. Jonas.
6. Lucinda.
7. Jeddediah, b. 1762.
8. Amos, b. July 18, 1763, in Barre, Mass. ; m. Martha Kenyon, b. in Hall, Mumford; went to Plainfield, Vt,, then Hatley, Quebec, and then back to the States; they had Mumford, Amos, Edith, Sabrie, and Martha.
9. Troas, b. 1765, in Barre, Mass.
10. Joel, b. 1767, in Barre, Mass.
11. Hannah, b. Jan. 19, 1768, in Barre, Mass.; d. there Feb. 5, 1770.
12. Heman, b. 1769, in Barre, Mass. ; m. in Hardwick, Nov. 30, 1788,
13. Sarah Merrick, b. in Eochester, Mass., Dec. 19, 1769, and had one son and one daughter. In 1790 he lived in Shrewsbury, Eutland Co., Vt.
14. Otis.
15. Visa, m. in Pelham, Mass., Apr. 12, 1789, Edward Foster, Jr.
16. John Carver, b. 1774.

Sources

• Shurtleff, Benjamin. Descendants of William Shurtleff of Plymouth and Marshfield, Massachusetts (Revere, Mass., 1912) Vol. 1, Page 58.
• Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Mass. by Henry Bond, M.D. Boston, 1860.
• http://www.magma.ca/~mmackay/wc01/wc01_385.html