Benjamin Sprague (1686 - 1754)

This profile is part of the Sprague Name Study.

Biography

Benjamin Sprague was born July 15, 1686, the son of John and Lydia Sprague in Duxbury, Massachusetts^{[1] [2]}

Circa 1703, he moved to Lebanon, Connecticut along with his parents^[2]

On December 29, 1707, he married Mary Woodworth^[3][2], and their children included:

1. Barnabas, born March 1708, who died April 10, 1708, aged 1 month^[4]
2. John, b. Sept 5, 1709^[5], who married Susanna Hodges^{[2] [6]}
3. Eliakim, b. Oct 10, 1711^[7], who married Hannah ^{[2] [6]}
4. Mary, b. March 5, 1713/4^[8], d. bef 1754, m. Ignatius Barker^{[2] [6]}
5. William, b. Sept 29, 1715^[9], who married Elizabeth^{[2] [6]}
6. Phineas, b. Sept 5, 1717^[10], who married Sarah^{[2] [6]}
7. Jerusha, b. Oct 20, 1720^{[11] [2]} , who married Elias Tupper and emigrated to Nova Scotia^{[12] [13] [6]}
8. Freelove, born 1722, who died 6 Oct 1722 at age 3 months^[14]
9. Benjamin, born March 1723, who died June 17, 1723, aged 3 months^[15]
10. Benjamin, b. June 5, 1725^[16]; m. May 29, 1748 Abigail Tredway of Bozrah, Conn. Prob. rem. to Vt or Old Hampshire Co, Mass^{[2] [6]}

Mary (Woodworth) Sprague died in 1725 in her 43rd year^[2]

On January 26, 1726 in Stonington, Connecticut, Benjamin remarried Prudence (Minor) Denison, widow of Joseph Denison and daughter of Dr. Joseph Minor. No children are noted. She died in Stoningham May 18, 1726, aged 38 yrs. (Lebanon Insc.)^{[17] [2]}

Circa 1727, he married a third time, to Abigail (Hodge) Tisdale, widow of Elkanah Tisdale of Taunton, Mass, who died leaving Abigail with two childen, viz. Elkanah and Elijah Tisdale^[18][2], and their children included:

1. Silas, b. Jan 30, 1727-8 ^[19], who married Hannah Binney and Abigail Hill^{[2] [6]}
2. Abigail, b. Nov 23, 1729^[20], m. Sept 19, 1751 Benjamin Smith^{[2] [6]}
3. Elkanah, Jan 25, 1732-3^[21], who married Mehitable Moulton^{[2] [6]}
4. Minor, b. Mch 3, 1734-5^[22], who married Deborah Godfrey, daughter of Brig. Gen. George Godfrey and Lydia Hodges^{[2] [6]}
5. Lydia, Mar 30, 1736-7^[23], m. Nov 16, 1761, James Cooper^{[2] [6]}
6. Esther, b. Mar 3, 1738-9^[24], m. June 3, 1763, Abner Gardner^{[2] [6]}
7. Mary, b. Sept 10, 1740^[25], m. June 19 1762, Daniel Loomis^[26] & rem. to Coventry.^[2][6]

He died in 1754. His will was dated January 27, 1747-8 and probate was administered July 8, 1754^{[6] [2]}. He noted his children as follows:

• farm to his oldest son John
• to son Eliakim a farm and a house
• to daughter Mary, and after her death to her two children sufficient to make Mary's portion
• to son William value of 324 pounds
• to daughter Jerusha 100 pounds
• to son Phineas the little house and barn across the way and all the land which adjoins it
• to son Benjamin 250 pounds
• to four daughters by his present wife, Abigail, Lydia, Esther, Mary, 100 pounds.
• to three youngest sons by present wife, Silas, Elkanah, and Minor, equal division of residue. (Windham Probate iv, 438)

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts Vital Records Duxbury Volume 1, page 168, also found in NEHGS, which states Benjamen [dup. Benjamin], s. John and Lidea [dup. Lydia], July 15, 1686.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20} Sprague: Benjamin is person #7, on pages 13 and 15-16
3. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
4. ↑ See FindAGrave Memorial 46179805 for a photo of the headstone and inscription
5. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14} Windham probate iv,438
7. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
8. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
9. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
10. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
11. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
12. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 309
13. ↑ Wright, Esther Clark, 1895-. Planters And Pioneers. rev. ed. [Canada: s.n.], 1982
14. ↑ see FindAGrave Memorial 46179836 for a photo of the headstone and inscription
15. ↑ See FindAGrave Memorial 46179821 for a photo of the headstone and inscription
16. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
17. ↑ Barbour Collection: Stonington Vol. 2, Page 71
18. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
19. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
20. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
21. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
22. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
23. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
24. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
25. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 277
26. ↑ Barbour Collection: Lebanon Vol. 1, Page 187

See also:

• The Barbour Collection (1994) by Lorraine C. White
• Sprague, Warren Vince, M.D. Sprague Families in America (Tuttle Co., Rutland, 1913)
• http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=2701874&pid=1215
• Supplement to Sprague Families in America: Author: W. V. Sprague, 1941

Acknowledgments