The SMITH Family of Chesterfield, Chester, New Hampshire and Leicester, Worcester, Massachusetts

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First Generation

ENS. MOSES SMITH (abt 1710 - 1777) of Leicester and Chesterfield

Parents: It has been suggested that Moses is the son of John and Susannah Smith, born 10 Jan 1711 in Weston, Middlesex, MA.

Moses Smith was born about 1710. He died on 20 Jul 1777. [Ref] He married Elizabeth Unknown. [Ref] Elizabeth died on 20 Jul 1777, age 61. [Ref]

Moses was in Spencer as early as 1728. [Ref] He sold several farms and then sold the remainder of his land to Samuel Bemis in Jun 1752 and purchased the Jenks tavern and farm. [Ref] In 1754 he sold it to John Flagg of Waltham and left the town. [Ref] [Spencer was part of Leicester until it was incorporated in 1753.]

Moses Smith, who was the first settler of Chesterfield, from Leicester. [Ref] On 20 Feb 1761 Moses of Hinsdale bought a share in the the town from Oliver Willard. [Ref] In Nov 1761, he and his son-in-law William Thomas came to Chesterfield to settle. [Ref] In 1762 John Snow and Moses bult the first saw mill in town. [Ref] On 6 Mar 1776 Moses was chosen to a selectman. [Ref]

His gravestone says: "In memory of Ensign Moses Smith, the first settler of Chesterfield, who departed this live Dec ye 30th 1785, in ye 75th year of his age." [Ref]

Children of Moses Smith and Elizabeth Unknown:

1. Mary Smith was born about 1736. [Ref] She married William Thomas. [Ref]
2. Jonas Smith was born on 18 Mar 1737/8 in Leicester. [Ref]
3. Aaron Smith was born on 27 Feb 1739/40 in Leicester. [Ref] He died on 6 Jun 1819. [Ref] He married Bathsheba Unknown. [Ref] She died on 22 Apr 1815, age 69. [Ref] He was a soldier in the Revolution. [Ref]
4. Lieut. Moses Smith was born on 10 Aut 1743 in Leicester. [Ref] He died in 1830 at age 87. [Ref] He married Phebe, the daughter of John Snow, in 1768. [Ref] He moved to Pike, Alleghany, NY. [Ref]
5. Elizabeth Smith was born on 13 Aug 1745 in Leicester. She married Benjamin Emmons.
6. Phinehas Smith was born on 30 Jan 1747/8 in Leicester. [Ref]
7. Amos Smith was born on 28 Apr 1750 in Leicester. [Ref]
8. Joseph Smith was born on 26 Mar 1752 in Leicester. [Ref] He died on 20 Oct 1812. [Ref] He married Ann Unknown. [Ref] She was born on 21 May 1759 and died on 14 Jan 1818. [Ref] He was a solder in 1775. [Ref] He moved to Leyden, MA. [Ref]
9. Benjamin Smith was born ib 25 May 1754. [Ref] He died on 26 Oct 1827. [Ref] He married Lois, the daughter of Nathaniel Bacon. [Ref] She died on 17 Aug 1840, age 81. [Ref] He lived in Chesterfield. [Ref]
10. Reuben Smith was born about 1758. [Ref] He died on 4 Apr 1843. [Ref] He married Ann Powers in 1783. [Ref] He moved to Leyden, MA. [Ref]

Fourth Generation

ELIZABETH SMITH (b. 1745)

Parents: Ens. Moses Smith and Elizabeth Unknown

Elizabeth Smith was born on 13 Aug 1745 in Leicester. [Ref] She married Benjamin Emmons on 18 Nov 1765 in Chesterfield. [Ref] Randall [Ref] says that Moses's daughter Elizabeth probably married Abel Emmons. However, but Benjamin Emmons's wife was named Elizabeth Smith and Benjamin's brother Abel married someone else.

References

Dana, Henry Swan, History of Woodstock, Vermont, Boston, Houghton, Mifflin, 1889.

Draper, James, History of Spencer, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year 1860: including a brief sketch of Leicester, to the year 1753, Worcester, Printed by H.J. Howland, 1860?.

Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850. Online Database: NewEnglandAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2007.

Randall, Oran E., History of Chesterfield, Cheshire County, N.H.: From the incorporation of "Township Number One" by Massachusetts in 1736, to the year 1881: together with family histories and genealogies, Brattleboro, Vt., D. Leonard, printer, 1882.

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