PUFFER, Lt. John Jr.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 22
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

He lived in Stoughton and owned half a pew in the church there. He was a soldier in the French and Indian War, a private in Major Steven Miller's company, Colonel Miller's regiment, May 3, 1757 (then aged sixty years) on the alarm list.

His headstone, one of the original proprietors, "Old Lieutenant Puffer," as he was called, is in a sad condition; it is broken so as to be almost illegible, and some kind hand has set it up against the wall.

FindaGrave:
GRID=104520378

John married VOSE, Abigail on 14 Dec 1725 in Boston, MA. Abigail (daughter of VOSE, Capt. John and CLAPP, Sarah) was born on 24 Dec 1701 in Stoughton, MA; died on 8 Feb 1774 in Stoughton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=158520845 no marker

Hannah married BAKER, Elijah on 29 Nov 1744 in Stoughton, MA. Elijah (son of BAKER, John Thomas and WITHINGTON, Hannah) was born on 14 May 1720 in Dorchester, MA; died on 8 Nov 1802 in Sharon, MA; was buried in Sharon, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=173530552 no stone found

Mary married FARRINGTON, Jonathan Abel on 15 Apr 1756 in Stoughton, MA. Jonathan (son of FARRINGTON, Jonathan and CHILDS, Prudence) was born on 29 Apr 1728 in Dedham, MA; died on 25 Feb 1807 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 46
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

He was solder in the French and Indian War, a drummer in Capt. Stephen Miller's company (list dated May 3, 1757). He was also in the Revolution in Captain James Endicott's company, Col. Lemuel Robinson's regiment, April 19, 1775; also in Capt. Samuel Fisher's company, Col. Jonathan Titcomb's regiment; also in Capt. John Bradley's company, Col. Benj. Gill's regiment and marched to Manchester, Vermont, to join the northern army; also in Capt. John Baxter's company, Maj. Job Cushing's regiment at Hull; roll dated at Medfield. Abner Crane was appointed administrator over his estate. After the death of his 2nd wife, the estate was divided by a committee. "Division of the Real Estate that now remains which is that part of said Deceased Real Estate that was set off unto his Late widow Patience Puffer who is since deceased. And we find that said Estate Lyeth in Five Seperate pieces of land which we have proceeded to Appraise and assign in the following manner viz.: No. 1 Consisting of about Five Acres of Land be the same more or less together with the Westerly part of the dwelling house, the yard room, the privilege of the well of water, the cellar &c near said house being what was set to said widow near the house and is bounded as by the sitting of said thirds recorded in the Probate Office may appear, this lot we appraise at the sum of Twenty Pounds Twelve Shillings and this lot we have assigned unto Elijah the eldest and only son of said deceased he to pay unto Nathl. Tilden Junr and Sarah his wife Seven Pounds Two Shillings to help make up said Tilden's part reserving the barn on this piece of land it being the property of Nathaniel Hunt. No. 2 consisting of about 8 acres of land lying at the South east corner of said deceased homested farm be the same more or less bounding on the Northerly on Nathl. Hunt's land, Easterly on Jonathan Farrington land and Southeasterly and Southwesterly on and John and Abel Puffer's land. His part of pasture l and we value and appraise at the sum of Twenty Pounds Six Shillings and this lot we have assigned and set off unto Abijah Tisdale and Meriam his wife in her right they to pay unto Nathl. Tilden Jun and Sarah his wife in her right Five Pounds Six Shillings and to pay John Randall the 2nd of Easton and Hannah his wife in her right thirty shillings to make up said Randall right in said estate. No. 3 consisting of about one acre and seventeen rods of Cedar Swamp bounding Westerly on John and Able Puffers Cedar Swamp Easterly on Seth Wentworths land Southwerly on Adam Blackman's upland and Northwerly on Poye Pond Boggs - this piece we appraise at the sum of One Pound Two Shillings and this piece of Cedar Swamp we have set off and assigned unto Nathanial Tilden Junr. and Sarah his wife in her right 1 2 0 And they to receive of Abijah Tisdale and Meriam his wife 5 6 0 And of Elijah Puffer 7 2 0 _ _______ making up in the whole 13 10 0 No.4 A piece of wood land containing about Twelve acres be the same more or less bounding Southwerly on Punke Poye Pond so called Easterly on Elijah Puffer's land Northerly and Westerly on John and Abel Puffer's land - this piece of Wood land we appraise at Thirteen Pounds and Ten Shillings and we have sett off and assigned this piece of land unto Ebenezer Tisdale the 2d and Mace Tisdale Junr. of Easton Minors and children of Mace Tisdale of said Easton and Unice his late wife the said Eunice being a daughter of said Seth and she being lately deceased. No. 5 a peice of Meadow lying in Burnt Swamp so called containing by estimation one acre and ten rods be it more or less bounding Northeasterly on Joseph Puffing's meadow Southeasterly on a ditch Southwesterly on Benj'n Busseys meadow and Northwesterly on Joseph Whitings meadow. This piece of meadow we value and appraise at the sum of Twelve Pounds and we have sett off and assigned the same meadow unto John Randall the 2d of Easton and Hannah his wife in her right L 12 0 0 They to receive from Abijah Tisdale of said Easton and Meriam his wife 1 10 0 _ _______ making in full their share 13 1 0 0 (The heirs assenting, there are name of five men, each writing for hims elf.)

FindaGrave:
GRID=173359246

Buried:
GRID=unknown

Seth married BATES, Mercy on 22 Dec 1752 in Dighton, MA. Mercy was born about 1732 in Stoughton, MA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Seth married TOLMAN, Patience on 5 Jun 1755 in Sharon, MA. Patience (daughter of TOLMAN, Bliss and BEAL\BEALE, Mary) was born on 22 Dec 1734 in Stoughton, MA; died on 22 Dec 1790 in Sharon, MA; was buried in Sharon, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=173382768 no stone or record

Sarah married WENTWORTH, Samuel on 1 Feb 1754 in Stoughton, MA. Samuel (son of WENTWORTH, Charles and FENNO, Bethiah) was born on 24 Apr 1728 in Stoughton, MA; died on 23 Dec 1783 in Stoughton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 47
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

He was a soldier in the French and Indian War, in the train-band from Stoughton, Major Stephen Miller's company, Col. Miller's regt., May 3 1757; also in expedition against Canada in 1760 and in Capt. Lemuel Bent' s company, April 8, 1762.

(Ed. note: "Trainbands" were early English/American training militia units. They were not combat units. Actual fighting companies and regiments were made up of men selected from trainbands. See Wikipedia article for more explanation- DMC)

He was also in the Revolution in Capt. John Endicott's company, Col. Lemuel Robinson's regt., 1776; becoming 2nd Lieut. in Capt Theophilus Lyon's company and in 1777 first Lieut. in Capt. Samuel Fisher's company, Col. Jonathan Titcomb's regt.

He owned real estate in common with his brother Dr. Abel, the homestead at Canton, land at Randolph, Lyon place, the Tisdale lot, land at Milton, pew in the Canton meeting house. His will was identical with Abel's, dated 1810, bequeathing to Abel, to nephew John Wentworth, to Elijah Puffer in trust; Elizabeth Blackmer, Sarah May ( daughter of Thomas Baker); to sister Mary Farrington; children of brother Elijah; sister Sarah Wentworth's children; sister Abigail Endicott; sister Bathesheba Shepard; brother Joseph. Codicil, April 13,1813, shows that brother Elijah was deceased.

FindaGrave:
GRID=84143124

Family/Spouse: Abigail. Abigail was born in CA 1737 in MA; died in 1822; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 48
• _COLOR: 11
• Milit-Beg: 25 Sep 1777, MA
• Milit-End: 28 Oct 1777, MA

Notes:

He owned half a pew in the Canton meeting house. He was a physician at Canton.

He was a soldier in the French and Indian War in Major Stephen Miller's company, Col. Miller's regt. on the the train band list May 3, 1757.

He was also in the Revolution. Pvt, Capt. Abel Richardson's company, Col. Benjamin Hawes' Regt. Served 1 mo, 7 days, on a secret expedition to Rhode Island.

He left no issue.

His will, dated April 16,1810, was identical with of his brother and partner, Lt. John. The court appointed a committee to divide his estate, Apr. 2, 1816. His homestead was on Ponkapog Pond, Canton.

In an almanac for 1771, was found the following:
"A sure and certain cure for the bite of a Rattlesnake made public by Abel Puffer of Stoughton.

As soon as may be after the Person is bit, cut a Gash or Split in the Place where the Bite is, as the Teeth went in, and fill it full of fine Salt. Take common Plantain and pund it, add a little Water to it, then squeeze out the juice and mix it with clean Water; then make a strong Brine with fine Salt and the Juice, till it wil not dissolve the salt; then make a Swath or bandage with Linnen cloth, and bind it around just above the swelling (but not too tight); then wet the Bandage with the aforementioned Brine - and keep it constantly wet with Brine for it will dry very fast - and keep stroking the Part with your Hands as hard as the patient can bear, towards the Cut you made, and you will soon see the poison and virulent Matter flow out of the Cut; and it will often flow so fast that it will swell below the Cut, and, if it should, you must cut below the swelling to let out the virulent matter, and it will not leave running till it is discharged. You must keep the bandage moving downward as the Swelling abates. It is proper to give thie Patient something to defend the Stomack, as Sweet Oil, Safron or Snake Root. It often bleeds after the Poson is out; but be not surprised at that- it is Good for it. It will run some time after the poison is out; there must be Care taken the none of the poison that runs out gets to any sore, or raw Flesh, for it will poison the Person.
I expect that some will slight this publication, for the Remedies being so simple a Thing; but I hope no one will so slight it, if he is bit, as to neglect trying the Experiment, and the Effect will prove what I have said to be true. I should not have published this had I not been certain of it performing the Cure by my own Experience; for I have cured two Persons dangerously bit, and a Horse and Dog, with no other This but what is mention in the before Direction, and make this Public for the Benefit of Mankind, tho I have been offered a considerable Sum by some Persons to make it known to them, but then it must be kept as a secret.
ABEL PUFFER
Stoughton, Oct 4th, 1770."

At that time the towns paid bounties for killing rattlesnakes. In Stoughton a shilling each was paid. In 1808 the price had risen to a dollar each.

Birth:
Nutt says 1737,calcluated gravestone says 1739

FindaGrave:
GRID=72234115

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 49
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

Her husband's father John was a prominent patriot, born in 1739 in Stou ghton, Captain of Minute Men; town treasurer; Representative to the Gen eral Court.

FindaGrave:
GRID=27219453

Abigail married ENDICOTT, Capt. James on 5 Mar 1761 in Dedham, MA. James (son of ENDICOTT, Capt. John and JACOBS, Elizabeth) was born on 17 Aug 1738 in Stoughton, MA; died on 4 Apr 1799 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 50
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

He served in the French and Indian War in Capt. Stephen Miller's company from April 8, 1757 to 1759, and in Capt. Moses Curtis's company 14 months, 1759-'60, and was at Lake George April 6, 1759. The records show that he was aged 18 years in 1759, and that his father was John. He fought through the Revolution.

At the Lexington Alarm, he was in Capt. James Endicott's company, Col. Lemuel Robinson's regiment, and later in 1775 in Capt. William Bent's company, Col. John Greaton's regiment. In 1776 he was in Capt. James Endicott's company, Col. Benj. Gill's regiment (the 36th), and later in Capt. John Gill's company (sixth), Col. Thomas Craft's regiment (artillery) and is called a matross (a soldier ranked below a gunner whose duty was to assist the gunners in loading, firing and sponging the guns. Akin to a private of artillery), June 6 to Nov 1, 1776. He was in Capt. Abner Crane's company, Col. John Robinson's regt., enlisting July 4, 1777, in the Rhode Island campaign. He enlisted July 1, 1778, and served the rest of that year in Capt Jeremiah Putnam's company, Col. Nathaniel Wade's regiment. He enlisted in July, 1779, in the Continental Army, Capt. Endicott's company, then aged 39 years; 5 ft. 81/2 or 9 in. in height; dark hair; dark eyes. He was corporal Feb 3, 1779, in Capt. Abner Crane's company of body guards at Boston, and from May 19 to Jul 1, 1779, was at Tiverton, RI, in Capt. Job Cushing's company, Col. Samuel Pierce's regiment; and corporal in Capt. Caleb Champney's company, Maj. Nathaniel Heath's regiment, May 15 to July 8, 1780.

A guardian was appointed July 7, 1817. John Endicott of Dedham was appointed as administrator, Aug 4, 1818. His sister, Abigail Endicott, was one of his heirs, showing that he left no children. His other brothers and sisters petitioned for a division of property, Aug 6, 1818. The heirs were Hannah Baker, Mary Farrington, Seth Puffer, Sarah Wentworth and Bathsheba Shepard. The inventory, May 1, 1821, amounted to $1,260. The census of 1790 shows that he had no family.

FindaGrave:
GRID=84143614

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=227219138

Bathsheba married SHEPARD, Jacob on 5 Dec 1765 in Stoughton, MA. Jacob (son of SHEPHARD, Thomas and MORSE, Amity) was born on 17 Apr 1739 in Stoughton, MA; died on 21 Jun 1798 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Susanna. Susanna was born about 1744; died before 1844. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=28084787

Hannah married FISHER, Nathaniel on 22 Apr 1763 in Stoughton, MA. Nathaniel (son of FISHER, Ezekiel and WADSWORTH, Susanna) was born on 28 Sep 1740 in Stoughton, MA; died on 6 Dec 1796 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=173295093

Thomas married CONLEY, Elizabeth on 14 Jan 1772 in Sharon, MA. Elizabeth was born on 3 Feb 1751; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: SHEPARD, Oliver. Oliver (son of SHEPARD, Jacob and PUFFER, Bathsheba) was born on 16 Oct 1768 in Stoughton, MA; died on 19 Jan 1854 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=141796932

Abigail married BROWNSON\ BRONSDON, John Box on 9 Aug 1774 in Stoughton, MA. John was born on 21 May 1752 in Stoughton, MA; died on 22 Feb 1823 in Milton, MA; was buried in Milton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elijah married ROGERS, Olive on 24 Feb 1779 in Sharon, MA. Olive (daughter of ROGERS, William and SHEPARD, Abigail) was born about 1757; died on 30 Jul 1826 in Stockbridge, VT. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=27219363

Family/Spouse: BELCHER, Joseph. Joseph (son of BELCHER, Clifford and BIRD, Mehitable) was born on 13 May 1749 in Stoughton, MA; died on 27 May 1814 in Farmington, ME; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: SAMPSON, Nehemiah. Nehemiah was born on 17 Jul 1764 in Sharon, MA; died on 26 Apr 1818 in Rochester, NH. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: MCCAY\ MCKAY, Neil. Neil was born in 1757 in Stoughtonham, MA; died in 1832 in Oneida, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Prudence married TILDEN, Josiah on 29 Dec 1787 in Stoughton, MA. Josiah (son of TILDEN, Nathaniel and BRETT, Susanna) was born on 25 Apr 1764 in Stoughton, MA; died in CA 1854 in MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=43385613

Family/Spouse: WITHINGTON, Sarah. Sarah was born on 10 Sep 1785; died in 1885; was buried in Stoughton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 109
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=93156901

Miriam married TISDALE, Abijah on 25 Feb 1780 in Sharon, MA. Abijah (son of TILSDALE, Capt. Ebenezer and DRAKE, Priscilla) was born on 14 Feb 1758; died in Pomeroy, NY; was buried in Rodman, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Miriam married STONE, Henry on 26 Apr 1777 in Stoughton, MA. Henry was born on 5 Apr 1751 in Stoughton, MA; died on 26 Jun 1777 in Stoughton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 109a
• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=46384648

Sarah married TILDEN, Nathaniel on 31 Jul 1777 in Stoughton, MA. Nathaniel (son of TILDEN, Nathaniel and BRETT, Susanna) was born on 3 Apr 1756 in Stoughton, MA; died on 22 Feb 1839 in ME; was buried in Waldo County, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Eunice married TILSDALE, Mace on 10 Jun 1784 in Easton, MA. Mace (son of TILSDALE, Capt. Ebenezer and DRAKE, Priscilla) was born on 11 Apr 1761 in Easton, MA; died on 5 Feb 1796 in Sharon, MA; was buried in Sharon, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 110
• Milit-Beg: 2 Feb 1779, MA
• Milit-End: 4 May 1779, MA

Notes:

He was a legatee in the will of his uncle, John Puffer.

He was a soldier in the Revolution in Capt. Abner Crane's company Feb 2, 1779, to May 4, 1779, on guard duty at Boston and in the Continental army from Stoughton, engaged May 23, 1781. He was a cordwainer by trade.

"He served in the Revolutionary War as a guard (1779) in Boston when only 15 years of age. He was also in the Continental army from Stoughton, engaged May 23, 1781 (age 17 years)." Roberta Puffer in a letter to Charles K. Worcester French.

Elijah married BILLINGS, Taphenes about 1790 in Canton, MA. Taphenes (daughter of BILLINGS, Seth Peter and REDMAN, Jerusha) was born in 1772 in Stoughton, MA; died on 26 Jun 1846 in Columbia, ME; was buried in Corinna, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=87280537

Hannah married RANDALL, John on 27 Jun 1790 in Taunton, MA. John (son of RANDALL, Ephraim and BLAKE, Mary) was born on 11 Apr 1765 in Easton, MA; died on 13 Aug 1837 in Easton, MA; was buried in Easton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Bethia married REED, James on 16 Jul 1783 in Stoughton, MA. James (son of REED, James and FENNO, Mehitable) was born on 4 Feb 1762 in MA; died on 19 Jan 1808 in Boston, MA; was buried in Topsham, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11
• Military: 1812; during the War

Notes:

Was a soldier in the War of 1812.

FindaGrave:
GRID=173417525

John married WILBUR, Elizabeth in 1816 in Raynham, MA. Elizabeth (daughter of WILBORE\ WILBUR, Ephraim and FIELD, Hannah) was born on 1 Aug 1781 in Raynham, MA; died in 1837 in MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=54279207

Hannah married EATON, John Jr. on 17 Jul 1791 in Stoughton, MA. John (son of EATON, John Sr. and SMITH, Desire) was born on 11 Apr 1764 in Dedham, MA; died on 24 Mar 1842 in MA; was buried in Dedham, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

A distinguished man.

John married HUMPHREY, Mary on 14 Jun 1787 in Dedham, MA. Mary was born on 16 Nov 1764 in Dedham, MA; died before 1864. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

James married CRANE, Betsey in 1801 in Canton, MA. Betsey was born in 1782; died in 1865. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=136167428

Elijah married CHILDS, Cynthia on 31 Oct 1813 in Stoughton, MA. Cynthia was born on 24 Feb 1787 in Dover, MA; died on 30 May 1870 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elijah married SPURR, Mary in Nov 1800. Mary was born in CA 1780; died on 22 May 1807 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=177152936

Abigail married LEWIS, Laban on 26 Dec 1799. Laban (son of LEWIS, James Hawkes and PRATT, Lydia) was born on 12 Apr 1764 in Canton, MA; died on 19 Jul 1842 in Canton, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=173295164

Family/Spouse: BAKER, Susanna. Susanna (daughter of BAKER, Elijah and PUFFER, Hannah) was born about 1750 in Sharon, MA; died before 1850. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=80467986

Bathsheba married RANDALL, Elijah on 31 Jan 1802 in MA. Elijah was born on 25 Nov 1772 in Easton, MA; died on 30 Jun 1850 in Easton, MA; was buried in Easton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=28057953

Family/Spouse: CLARK, Amity. Amity was born on 13 Jun 1774 in Sharon, MA; died on 18 Feb 1849 in Sharon, MA; was buried in Canton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=141797273

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=150682577

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=23214236

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=146377979

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=150682560

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=43385810

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=187143156

Hannah married GAY, Hiram on 24 May 1846 in Stoughton, MA. Hiram was born on 5 Jan 1824 in Stoughton, MA; died on 9 Oct 1899 in Detroit, MI; was buried in Detroit, MI. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

Birth:
Nutt's DOB of 1780 is incorrect according to his gravestone

FindaGrave:
GRID=93156810

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 1855, Watertown, NY

Family/Spouse: WELCH, Henry. Henry was born in 1778; died on 24 Jan 1846 in NY; was buried in Watertown, NY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=216131494

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 568

Seth married BENNER, Margareta on 22 Dec 1806 in Lincolnville, ME. Margareta (daughter of BENNER, Jacob and SCHUMAN, Anna Mary) was born in Aug 1783 in Waldoboro, ME; died on 29 Apr 1879 in Morrill, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=221814224

Hannah married ELMS, Benjamin on 20 Apr 1800 in Canton, MA. Benjamin was born on 22 Sep 1777 in Canton, MA; died on 6 Mar 1857 in Searsmont, ME; was buried in Waldo County, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elihu married LADD, Pauline in 1807 in ME. Pauline was born in 1788 in ME; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: LAWRENCE, Ebenezer. Ebenezer was born about 1785 in MA; died before 1885. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=219201319

Abigail married BREWSTER, Joseph on 31 Jul 1820 in Stoughton, MA. Joseph (son of BREWSTER, Ira and CROOKER, Patience) was born on 22 Jul 1800 in Rockport, ME; died on 23 Nov 1885 in Belmont, ME; was buried in Belmont, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 205

Notes:

The last heard of him he was in Edinburgh (Eng or Scotland). He was a tailor by trade and also a mariner.

He was on board the "USS Constitution" when she took the "Guerriere" during the War of 1812. He was in Boston in 1818-1827. There is no definitive proof of this.

Redman married RAWSON, Mary Cole on 26 Sep 1816 in Boston, MA. Mary was born about 1796 in MA; died before 1880. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ref#: 204
• _COLOR: 11
• Residence: 1820, Boston, MA; Ward 11
• Residence: 1826, Columbia, ME

Notes:

"He followed the sea when a boy and was in Gloucester when the War of 1812 broke out. He served three months in the militia. He did not like the service on land and, when the privateer Basilisk, was fitted out, he enlisted and went to sea. After taking some prizes, he and five others were put aboard one of them, but they were captured by a British man-of-war. An Irishman swore that he knew John Puffer as an Irishman. John was asked to pronounce the name Blair. His accent was decided to prove that he was Irish and he was impressed in the British Navy. He had his "protection" and kept it secreted until he reached Halifax, when he appealed to the authorities, and proved that he was an American. He was then made a prisoner of war and later transferred to the war prison at Dartmoor, England. While there he kept a diary, which is now in possession of one of his grandchildren, while another has the "protection box". Another grandson has a chest which John had when he moved to Maine, and a copy of the will of Robert Redman (date 1760), an ancestor of his mother. In 1822 he was living at 29 Pleasant Street, Boston. About 1823 he moved from Boston to Frankfort, Me on the Penobscot River, 13 miles below Bangor, but a year later moved to Columbia, Me., where most of his children lived. He was a carpenter by trade, and a lumberman in the forests of eastern Maine at the time when ship building was a prominent industry in the coast towns. He was living in 1876."

According to the Reed genealogy, ".. and when they were fired upon by the guards, in the prison-yard, a ball grazed his jacket, and killed a fellow prisoner."

His gravestone reads
"I am now at rest weep not for me
From sin and death I now am Free
Transplanted to my home above
I dwell where all is peace and love."

in 1823 moved to Frankfort, ME
in 1824 moved to Columbia, ME

Before he served onboard the privateer Yorktown, he served in Capt Lemuel Bradford's Co 21st US Inf during War of 1812
=========================================

According the British Admiralty records, he was a Lt. aboard the privateer Yorktown. This ship was capture
on 8 Jul 1813 at sea by the HMS Maidstone. He was "interned" at Halifax, NS, aboard a prison ship till 19 Nov
1813 (3-4 months). On that date, he was shipped to England aboard HMS Nemesis bound for England.

He remained in Dartmoor Prison for 2 years and five months. He came to Columbia in 1825, and bought the betterments of the place at Little River, so called, of Moses Leighton, where his son John and daughters, Taphenus and Arabella now live. He was active in town affairs and took an interest in building up society. "They came from Braintree in 1824 or 1825 and settled at Little River Corner. He built a big farm house up by The Rips (in our pasture and 2nd field where the big rock is)." Elizabeth Roberta Puffer

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ED NOTE: In 1986 I took a trip to Columbia to locate the "diary" and "protection box". After a long and suspenseful search, on my last day there, I learned that the "diary" had been in the possession of Elizabeth Roberta Puffer, a cousin of my grandfather Charles K.W. French. She had died two years prior. The "diary" was given by her to the State of Maine Archives. I drove to Augusta to view the "diary".

I had a chance (about an hour or two) to examine the contents. Its not a "diary" in the strict sense. It doesn't record daily activities. Its a large, burlap covered book with many different types of entries in two distinct sections.The first section contains mostly mathematical questions and solvings. The second section contain some poems (sea shanties?) about the war and some of the battles as well as small drawings of ships. One page lists the names of men killed and wounded in the massacre of prisoners that happened at Dartmoor at the close of the war when the Americans were about to be repatriated in a prisoner swap. The conditions at the prison were abominable. Barely one in 10 men survived a year. I postulate that "Dartmoor" John used the "diary" as a textbook to teach fellow prisoners mathematics to pass the time and to keep his sanity. His name is written on the book cover in his own hand. It is a priceless piece of family history and it is too bad that it transferred out of family hands to the State of Maine. It can be viewed at the State Archive in Augusta.

According to a letter from Roberta Puffer "It was there that he continued to keep the journal which we still have. It is in a safety box in a bank. It is getting old. It covers 1820-1870 and is crumbling with age . There are about 70 pages". According to family history, "John Sr. was put in Dartmoor prison in England as a political prisoner 1812-1814. He was taken off the clipper ship The Basilisk by an English vessel in 1812. They were going to impress him into the British Navy but he had his protection papers which he showed to the authorities in Halifax, where he was declared to be an American citizen from Boston. However the English vessel took him to England and he was put in Dartmoor until the end of the war of 1812." This is a mystery still. The book I saw was not a diary nor did it cover the period stated. Could there be another? Further investigation of Dartmoor Prison records show no John Puffer listed as a prisoner. Another mystery. Did he use an alias?

"John Puffer Sr also brought up two other boys, Ira Barney and John Page who did well in life." Roberta Puffer

ED NOTE: 8/24/05

What a great week for discovery this has been. After searching online for years to locate information about Dartmoor John (Puffer) perhaps our most illustrious ancestor, I was able to make contact with a man in England who is an historian on Dartmoor Prison. He provided me with information about Dartmoor John's capture, and subsequent imprisonment.

I had begun to doubt his story of ever being in prison because I was unable to find any outside information to verify the family history (as related in the Puffer Genealogy).

There is no record (that I can find) of any ship by the name of Basilisk during the War of 1812, either American or British. There was no record of his name in the lists of prisoners that I was able to find.

In fact, the ship he was on was the Yorktown, a well-known American privateer. HMS Nimrod took the Yorktown as a prize in 1813 off the coast of Nova Scotia. John Puffer was sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he spent some time in prison there, before being shipped to Chatham, Kent, England where he spent almost a year in prison there. Finally he was shipped to Dartmoor Prison in Devonshire, where he spent the rest of the war. He survived the 'massacre' there in December of 1814 (a well documented historical event). He was released from Dartmoor in 1815.

One of the frustrations of this search is that his 'diary' has only one brief mention of anything to do with the prison. It is a short list of names of wounded or killed men. Since I now have a source I can check those names against the prison list and see if he's accurate. For a man who spent the better part of 2.5 years in prison you might expect a bit more biographical writings of that experience.
(2016) listed below are the names that appear in the "diary" and the injury they suffered.:
Robert Willet left left thigh, amputated
Thomas Finley in the thigh
William Appleby in the arm
George Campbell dead
John Peach in the thigh
Cornelius Garrison head and hand
John Geir left leg amputated
William Lane in the eyes
Pain Perry in the shoulders

A month ago I doubted his story was true. I even suspected that he fabricated the story based on what he had heard of other prisoners' true-life stories of impressment and imprisonment. Many books of the time were written by former prisoners about this most notorious of English prisons. I thought John Puffer had taken those verbal and written stories and made them his own.

I am relieved to know that he, in fact, was a prisoner, even if some of the facts were wrong in the family history.

Prison number 3431 2791
By what ship or how taken British Squadron British Squadron
Time when (taken) 26 July 1813 13 July 1813
Place where (taken) Halifax off Halifax
Name of Prize Yorktown Yorktown
Man-o-war/Privateer/ MV Privateer Privateer
Prisoners name John Puffer Jonathan Puffer
Quality (rank) Seaman Seaman
Time received into custody(at Dartmoor) 13 September 1814 7 Jan 1814
From what ship or whence received HMS Niobe from Chatham from Halifax
Place of Nativity (where born) Cantor (Canton, MA) Cantor (Canton, MA)

Age 20 20
Stature (height) 5`6" and a half inch 5`6" and a half inches
Person stout(means muscular) Stout
Visage/ complexion oval/fresh oval /fresh
Hair brown
Eyes brown hazel
Marks or wounds none

Date of supply (bedding etc) Chatham Feb 18 14
Exchanged/Discharged/Died or escaped Discharged Discharged 8 Sept 1814 to Dartmoor by HMS Niobe
Time when 28 May 1815
Whither and by what order Released Boards Order 16 March 1815
end of Dartmoor record

So a short synopsis of his war experience:
He was captured off Halifax, Nova Scotia, and taken to the HMS Niobe, a prison ship or hulks (ships used as prisons in Halifax, NS) on 26 July 1813, he was kept there until he was taken in at the Chatham hulks (County of Kent, England) on 7 Jan 1814. (A period of 5.5 months). He was kept there (Chatham) until 8 Sept 1814 when he was sent to the Dartmoor War Prison. ( A period of 8 months)

He arrived at Dartmoor Depot on the 13 Sept 1814, this was a fast trip of about 250 miles sea voyage to Plymouth, then the last 17 miles was a severe march up to 1500 feet above sea level to the prison carrying his bedding etc. He was not supplied at Dartmoor, but at Chatham, so he carried his bedding up to Dartmoor.
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On June 13, 1873 his wife sold land to John Puffer (her father-in-law) for $1500. On Nov 14th, 1863 she bought 34 acres+- of land for $425 from Levi W. Ingersoll. (David M. Caranci has the original deed.)

The 1870 Census shows him as John PUFFIN. He is 76 YO and is a farmer. He lives with his wife Catherine who is 72 years old and a housewife.

"He enlisted in the navy in the war of 1812 and was taken prisoner soon after and lodged in Dartmore prison, where he remained two years and five months. He came to Columbia about the year 1825, and bought the betterments of the place at Little River, so called, of Moses Leighton, where his son John and daughters Taphenus and Arabella now live. He was active in town affairs and took an interest in building up society."

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June 12, 2011
Another week of great discovery by my contact with another great grandson of Dartmoor John, Homer Morrison.

He has been able to fill in many (if not all) of the missing pieces regarding how John Puffer came to Dartmoor prison. He has the records of the English Admiralty of his capture and transfer from Halifax, NS to Chatham, England to Dartmoor.

American Prisoners of War Held at Halifax During the War of 1812 by Harrison Scott Baker

Below is Baker's summary for John Puffer, Volume II, p. 327. This was the key:

Puffer, John Prisoner 3619 Rank:Seaman From: Manchester RC, Privateer
Captured: 11 July 1813 at sea by HMS Maidstone Interned: 28 July 1813 Discharged: 09 November 1813
Belongs to Yorktown Privateer. Received from Recruit. Nemesis for England per order of Adml Sir J B Warren.

FindaGrave:
GRID=20024267

John married STANWOOD, Catherine Redman about 1816 in Boston, MA. Catherine (daughter of STANWOOD, Henry and MERRITT, Mary Allen) was born on 6 May 1797 in Gloucester, MA; died on 25 Jun 1886 in Columbia, ME; was buried in Columbia Falls, ME. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=74145513

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Alice married DRAKE, James on 6 Oct 1819. James (son of DRAKE, Thomas and HEWETT, Hannah) was born on 23 Jul 1789 in Easton, MA; died on 9 Feb 1865; was buried in Taunton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=147320180

John married BARKER, Mirenda on 21 Nov 1819 in Milton, MA. Mirenda (daughter of BARKER, Timothy C. and BOURNE, Susan) was born on 1 Dec 1800 in North Yarmouth, ME; died on 9 Jan 1862 in Somerville, MA; was buried in Milton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=79646919

Harriet married FRENCH, John Theodore on 11 Dec 1850 in Taunton, MA. John (son of FRENCH, David and MAKEPEACE, Nancy) was born on 24 Aug 1824 in Fall River, MA; died on 13 Mar 1898 in Taunton, MA; was buried in Plymouth, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=54278873

Other Events and Attributes:

• _COLOR: 11

Notes:

FindaGrave:
GRID=134231856

Family/Spouse: FAIRBANKS, Sarah. Sarah was born on 3 Sep 1824 in Dedham, MA; died on 16 Feb 1905 in Dedham, MA; was buried in Norwood, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]