Root, Elisha

Elisha ROOT (1703 - 1775) and Mary SCOTT (1709 - 1784)

my 6g-grandparents

Elisha ROOT was born on 28 Feb 1703, in Westfield, MA, the eldest of 13 children of John ROOT and Mary LEONARD. He died on 4 Feb 1775, almost 72 years of age.

Elisha married Mary SCOTT of Sunderland, MA on 22 Apr 1730. Mary was born on 23 Oct 1709, in Hatfield, Essex, MA, the daughter of Richard SCOTT and Elizabeth BELDING, and died on 15 Sep 1784, at age 74.

Elisha and Mary were my 6g-grandparents, and their youngest child, Lusannah "Lucy" ROOT was my 5g-grandmother. See the Sampson French Jr page.

There is one unusual detail in Elisha ROOT's ancestry. When his maternal grandfather died, his maternal grandfather married his paternal grandfather. This all took place before Elisha was born, and before his parents were married. So perhaps I should say that after Josiah LEONARD died in 1689, his wife Sarah married, as his second wife, Thomas ROOTE. Then Mary LEONARD, daughter of Sarah and Josiah, married John ROOT, son of Thomas ROOTE by his first wife. So John ROOT's step-mother was also his mother-in-law.

"In the old Indian war he fled from Deerfield, Mass., and went to Southwick, where he lived thereafter." [JPR, p. 332]

The data shown below, and the numbering system, are from [JPR].

1 Elisha 2861 ROOT b: 28 Feb 1703 in Westfield, MA, d: 04 Feb 1775 in Southwick, MA

+ Mary SCOTT b: 23 Oct 1709 in Hatfield, Essex, MA, m: 22 Apr 1730, d: 15 Sep 1784

......2 Mary 2977 ROOT b: 29 Jul 1731, d: 1763

...... + HILL

......2 Jonathan 2978 ROOT b: 06 Apr 1733, d: 24 Nov 1752

......2 Seth 2979 ROOT b: 26 Jan 1735, d: 18 Dec 1758

......2 Martha 2980 ROOT b: 22 Feb 1736, d: 10 Oct 1791

...... + Ichabod LEE b: 1725/26 in Westfield, MA, m: 04 Dec 1757

......2 Sym 2981 ROOT b: 11 Jun 1738, d: 19 Dec 1759

......2 Moses 2982 ROOT b: 01 Sep 1740 in Southwick, MA, d: 01 Dec 1784 in Southwick, MA

...... + Lydia 2993 ROOT m: 17 Jan 1765

...... + Susanna NOBLE b: 11 Aug 1749, m: 03 Dec 1778

......2 Joseph 2983 ROOT b: 05 Dec 1743 in Westfield, MA, d: 13 Sep 1828 in Sandisfield, Berkshire, MA

...... + Elizabeth ADAMS b: 1747, m: 29 Nov 1767, d: 29 Jun 1837

......2 Eunice 2984 ROOT b: 11 Oct 1745, d: 29 Mar 1759

......2 Zur 2985 ROOT b: 01 Apr 1748 in Westfield, MA

...... + Mercy LOOMIS b. 12 Mar 1750, m: Sep 1771

......2 Susannah 2986 ROOT b: 22 Aug 1750

...... + Isaac GILLET

......2 Lusannah Lucy 2987 ROOT b: 20 Sep 1752 in Southwick, MA, d: 11 Sep 1829

...... + Samson FRENCH b: 15 Sep 1742 in Dunstable, NH (now MA), m: 19 Oct 1768 in Westfield, MA, d: 03 Jan 1834 in Glen Castle, Broome, NY

History and Geography

The Connecticut River runs southward, from its headwaters in Canada and northern New Hampshire. It forms most of the boundary between present-day Vermont and New Hampshire, and continues south through Massachusetts and Connecticut, emptying into Long Island Sound between Lyme and Saybrook, where it contributes 70% of the fresh water coming into the Sound.

The Connecticut River Valley was explored by the Dutch, starting in 1614, and first settled by the English in the 1630s. (For reference, the Mayflower landed at Plymouth in 1620.) The “Great River” provided western MA with a stronger physical (if not political) connection to CT than with eastern MA.

Westfield, MA was incorporated in 1669, part of Hampshire County. It became part of Hampden County in 1812.

Southwick, MA was formed from part of Westfield in 1770, not including the jog. It also became part of Hampden County in 1812.

The “Southwick jog” or “notch” is the part that juts into CT. It was claimed by MA in 1793, and the border dispute was settled in 1804, with the current boundaries established.

A major engineering project was the Hampshire and Hampden Canal, constructed in 1825-8, crossing from MA to CT at Southwick. The canal became obsolete with the construction of a railroad along nearly the same course in 1848.

Granby, MA was formed from the town of Hadley in 1768, in Hampshire County, and stayed in Hampshire County when Hampden County was formed.

Granby, CT was formed from Simsbury in 1786, in Hartford County. It included “the jog” until 1804.

Otis, MA was formed from the towns Loudon and Bethlehem in 1810, in Berkshire County.

Sandisfield, MA was incorporated in 1762, in Berkshire County.

For brevity, I will sometimes refer to Westfield, Southwick, Otis and Sandisfield without repeating the county and state.

1. Mary 2977 ROOT was born 29 Jul 1731, and died 1763, at age 31 or 32. She married HILL.

2. Jonathan 2978 ROOT was born 6 Apr 1733, and died 24 Nov 1752, at age 19.

3. Seth 2979 ROOT was born 26 Jan 1735, and died 18 Dec 1758, age 23.

4. Martha 2980 ROOT was born 22 Feb 1736, and died 10 Oct 1791, at age 55. She married on 4 Dec 1757 Ichabod LEE, born 1725/26 in Westfield. Ichabod LEE was a Loyalist to the Crown, during the American Revolution. See the Walter LEE page.

5. Sym 2981 ROOT was born 11 Jun 1738, and died 19 Dec 1759, at age 21.

6. Moses 2982 ROOT was born 1 Sep 1740 in Southwick, and is said to have died 1 Dec 1784 in Southwick, [JPR, p. 355] but this must be a mistake, as his youngest child was born in 1794. He married (1) 17 Jan 1765 to Lydia 2993 ROOT, and (2) on 3 Dec 1778 to Susanna NOBLE. Moses lived all his life in Southwick. He was the father of 4 children by his 1st wife, and 6 more by his 2nd wife.

Moses 2982 ROOT married his 1st cousin, Lydia 2993 ROOT, daughter of John 2862 ROOT and Ann LOOMIS.

Susanna NOBLE, 2nd wife of Moses 2982 ROOT, was the daughter of Thomas NOBLE and Susanna COLE. Thomas NOBLE was a tanner and shoemaker, in Westfield. [LMB, p. 197]

1 Moses 2982 ROOT b: 01 Sep 1740 in Southwick, d: 01 Dec 1784 ?? in Southwick

+ Lydia 2993 ROOT m: 17 Jan 1765

......2 Margaret 3365 ROOT b: 23 Mar 1766 in Southwick

...... + BARLOW

......2 Marian 3366 ROOT b: 01 Jun 1768 in Southwick

...... + RIXFORD

......2 Bohan 3367 ROOT b: 04 Nov 1772 in Southwick

......2 Truman 3368 ROOT b: 20 Jan 1775 in Southwick, d: Aft. 1850

+ Susanna NOBLE m: 03 Dec 1778

......2 Moses 3369 ROOT b: 24 Oct 1782 in Southwick, d: Bef. 15 Feb 1785 in Southwick

......2 Lydia 3370 ROOT b: 24 Jun 1783 in Southwick

......2 Moses 3371 ROOT b: 15 Feb 1785 in Southwick

......2 Charles 3372 ROOT b: 13 Jul 1788 in Southwick

......2 Morris 3373 ROOT b: 30 Nov 1791 in Southwick

......2 Polly 3374 ROOT b: 22 Feb 1794 in Southwick

7. Joseph 2983 ROOT was born 05 Dec 1743 in Westfield, and died 13 Sep 1828 in Sandisfield, at age 84. He married on 29 Nov 1767 to Elizabeth ADAMS, who was born 1747, and died 29 Jun 1837, at age 90. They lived in Southwick, and removed to Otis, about 1780. Joseph was 5 feet 9 inches tall, and of slim proportions. [JPR, p. 355]

1 Joseph 2983 ROOT b: 05 Dec 1743 in Westfield, MA, d: 13 Sep 1828 in Sandisfield

... + Elizabeth ADAMS b: 1747, m: 29 Nov 1767, d: 29 Jun 1837

......2 Jonathan 3375 ROOT b: 07 Jul 1770 in Southwick, d: 10 Oct 1799

...... + Prudence BROOKS

.........3 Jonathan 4200 ROOT b: Abt. 1795

......... + Rachel HALEY d: 13 Jan 1823

.........3 Warren 4201 ROOT

.........3 Truman 4202 ROOT

.........3 Philo 4203 ROOT

......2 Seth 3376 ROOT b: 30 Jan 1772 in Southwick, d: 13 Feb 1860

...... + Philinda PELTON

.........3 Mix 4204 ROOT

.........3 Albert 4205 ROOT

.........3 Sydney 4206 ROOT d: Abt. 1860

.........3 Charlotte 4207 ROOT

......2 Reuben 3377 ROOT b: 27 Feb 1774 in Southwick, d: 25 Dec 1862

...... + Lucy ADAMS

.........3 Collins 4208 ROOT

.........3 Crittenden 4209 ROOT d: Abt. 1840 in IL

.........3 Lucy 4210 ROOT b: 03 Jan 1803

......... + Chauncey KNOX

.........3 Hannah 4211 ROOT

......... + Marvin ADAMS

.........3 Orpha 4212 ROOT

......... + John BLANCHARD

.........3 Emmeline 4213 ROOT

......... + Thomas PITCHER

.........3 Atla 4215 ROOT

......... + Heland HEATH

.........3 James 4216 ROOT d: Abt. 1857

.........3 Milton 4217 ROOT

.........3 Maria 4214 ROOT

......... + William Riley DOWNS b: 27 Oct 1809, m: 16 Nov 1843

......2 Warren 3378 ROOT b: 29 Apr 1776 in Southwick, d: 1836

...... + Rosanna GODDARD

.........3 Selden 4220 ROOT d: Bet. 1832–1840

......2 Uri 3379 ROOT b: 21 Aug 1779 in Southwick, d: 01 Sep 1831

...... + Mercy ADAMS b: 09 Mar 1783, m: 1803, d: Aft. 1862

.........3 Uriah Albinus 4221 ROOT b: 01 Mar 1805

.........3 Elizabeth 4222 ROOT b: 29 Mar 1807

......... + Jesse E. SNOW

.........3 William A. 4223 ROOT b: 17 Jul 1809

.........3 Orville 4224 ROOT b: 30 Mar 1811

.........3 Joseph A. 4225 ROOT b: 11 Aug 1813

.........3 Andrus 4226 ROOT b: 07 Nov 1815

.........3 Asahel 4227 ROOT b: 06 Jul 1817, d: 24 Jul 1863

.........3 James Warren 4228 ROOT b: 15 Jun 1819, d: 1857

.........3 Harmon K. 4229 ROOT b: 06 Apr 1822, d: 09 Apr 1858

.........3 Flavia Matilda 4230 ROOT b: 03 Apr 1824, d: Mar 1825

......2 Betsey 3380 ROOT b: 17 Sep 1781 in Otis, d: Aft. 1862

...... + Zina DOWNS m: 09 Sep 1806

.........3 Joseph R. DOWNS b: 23 Feb 1807

........ + Esther HAWLEY m: 16 Mar 1831

.........3 William Riley DOWNS b: 27 Oct 1809

......... + Maria 4214 ROOT m: 16 Nov 1843

.........3 Lyman DOWNS b: 04 Jul 1813

......... + Ann WENTWORTH m: 07 Jan 1836

.........3 Linus DOWNS b: 04 Jul 1813, d: 21 Oct 1850 in Sandisfield

......... + Mary Ann WENTWORTH

.........3 Andrew B. DOWNS b: 14 May 1815

......... + Adeline TINKER m: 28 Oct 1840

.........3 Benjamin F. DOWNS b: 31 Dec 1821

......2 Joseph A. 3381 ROOT b: 02 May 1784 in Otis, MA, d: 04 May 1844

...... + Aphia CLARK m: 06 Feb 1811

.........3 Caroline A. 4231 ROOT

......... + Noah ATWATER

.........3 Laurens M. 4232 ROOT b: 03 Sep 1816, d: 26 Nov 1864

.........3 Aurelius C. 4233 ROOT b: Abt. 1818

.........3 Washington M. 4234 ROOT b: Abt. 1820

.........3 Harriet L. 4235 ROOT b: 1825, d: Sep 1843

.........3 John Q. 4236 ROOT b: Abt. 1827

......... + Antoinette PRESTON m: 23 Feb 1854

8. Eunice 2984 ROOT was born 11 Oct 1745, and died 29 Mar 1759, at age 13.

9. Zur 2985 ROOT was born 1 Apr 1748 in Westfield. He married on 25 Aug 1771 to Mercy LOOMIS of Southwick, born 12 Mar 1750, the daughter of Capt. Noah LOOMIS and Rhoda CLARK. [EL, p. 43] I don't know when they died, but Zur and Mercy were still living in 1830, at age 82 and 80.

1 Zur 2985 ROOT b: 01 Apr 1748 in Westfield, d: Aft. 1830

... + Mercy LOOMIS b: 12 Mar 1750, m: Sep 1771, d: Aft. 1830

......2 Noah 3382 ROOT b: Southwick, d: 1814

...... + Sally ALLEN

.........3 Noah 4237 ROOT

.........3 Sally Maria 4238 ROOT b: 04 Nov 1802

.........3 Zurviah 4238.25 ROOT d: in infancy

.........3 Polly 4238.5 ROOT

......... + Isaac OWEN

.........3 Silas 4239 ROOT

.........3 Lewis 4240 ROOT

......2 Clark 3383 ROOT

...... + Lucy KELLOGG m: 29 Nov 1798 in Westfield

.........3 Polly 4241 ROOT

.........3 Lucilla 4242 ROOT

......... + Martin BARNES

.........3 Maryette 4243 ROOT

.........3 Sheldon 4244 ROOT

......2 Elisha 3384 ROOT

...... + Ann KELLOGG

.........3 Ann 4245 ROOT

.........3 Elisha 4246 ROOT d: in childhood

.........3 Eliza 4247 ROOT

.........3 Elisha 4248 ROOT

......... + Cynthia ALDEMAN

......2 Oliver 3385 ROOT

...... + Olive CANNON

.........3 Rhoda 4250 ROOT

......... + Charles OAKLEY

.........3 Ezra 4251 ROOT

.........3 Maryette 4252 ROOT

.........3 Catherine 4253 ROOT

.........3 Caroline 4254 ROOT twin of Catherine

.........3 Sarepta 4255 ROOT

......2 Mercy 3386 ROOT

...... + Silas RICE

...... + Wm. WILCOX

......2 Lester 3387 ROOT

...... + Sylvia TALMADGE

......2 Ezra 3388 ROOT unmarried

Noah ROOT died in 1814, and Sally, his widow, was head-of-household in 1820.

10. Susannah 2986 ROOT was born 22 Aug 1750. Her gravestone in Southwick Cemetery says she died on 16 Dec 1825, at age 76, so one of these dates is incorrect. She married Isaac GILLET/GILLETT, whose gravestone is beside hers. It says he died 1 Jul 1804, age ?9. They were married on 6 Oct 1768, in Westfield, according to Massachusetts Town and Vital Records.

Isaac GILLET was a Private in the Revolutionary War, starting 8 Jul 1778, in Captain James STODDARD's Company, Second Regiment, Connecticut. Later, he was promoted to the rank of Captain, as he was know as Captain Isaac GILLET, which appears on his gravestone.

1 Susannah 2986 ROOT b: 22 Aug 1750 in Southwick, d: 16 Dec 1825 in Southwick

... + Capt. Isaac GILLETT b: 05 Mar 1744 in Simsbury, Hartford, CT, m: 06 Oct 1768 in Westfield, d: 01 Jul 1804 in Southwick

......2 Eunice GILLET b: Bef. 16 Nov 1769 in Westfield, d: 10 Oct 1850 in Mantua, Portage, OH

...... + Samuel MOORE b: 24 May 1764 in Simsbury, Hartford, CT, d: 03 Nov 1816 in Mantua, Portage, OH

.........3 Virgil MOORE b: 19 Jan 1789 in Suffield, Hartford, CT

.........3 Mark MOORE b: 05 Apr 1792 in Suffield, Hartford, CT, d: 24 Sep 1812 in Mantua, Portage, OH; War of 1812

.........3 Samuel MOORE b: 24 Nov 1794 in Suffield, Hartford, CT

.........3 Eunice Keturah MOORE b: 22 Apr 1796 in Suffield, Hartford, CT

.........3 Jason MOORE b: 31 Aug 1798 in Southwick

.........3 Benjamin MOORE b: 30 Dec 1800 in Southwick

.........3 Perlea MOORE b: 1806 in Mantua, Portage, OH, d: 22 Jul 1843

......2 Isaac GILLET b: 1769 in CT, d: Aft. 1850

...... + Phebe b: 1774 in CT, d: Aft. 1850

.........3 Henry GILLET b: 1794 in NY

......... + Phebe b: 1795 in NY

............4 Isaac H. GILLET b: 1832 in NY

............4 Martin GILLET b: 1837 in NY

............4 Clarissa GILLET b: 1834 in NY

......2 Sabrina GILLET

......2 Moses GILLET b: 1774-5, d: 15 May 1835 in Southwick

......2 Almon GILLETT b: 1777, d: 18 Jun 1857 in Southwick

...... + Cyntha MESSENGER b: 1783, m: 25 Dec 1805, d: 07 Jun 1853 in Southwick

.........3 Isaac W. GILLET b: 01 Jun 1811, d: 19 Nov 1816

.........3 Henry C. "Harry" GILLET b: 16 Nov 1812

......... + Adah GODDARD b. 1814 in CT

............4 Arabell GILLETT b: 1847 in MA

............4 Almon C. GILLETT b: 1851 in MA

.........3 Chauncey S. GILLETT b: 11 Oct 1815, d: 04 Jan 1846

.........3 Emeline GILLET b: 31 Jul 1817

.........3 Seth GILLETT b: 1806 in MA

......... + Roxana b: 1813 in CT

......2 Charlotte GILLET

...... + Oliver OWEN

.........3 Almon OWEN

......... + Mary GRIFFIN

......... + Louisa GRIFFIN

.........3 Charles OWEN

......... + Mary GILLET

.........3 Chauncey OWEN

......... + Israel PHELPS

.........3 Erastus OWEN

......... + Catherine DIBBLE

.........3 Caroline OWEN

......... + John HOADLEY

......2 Susan GILLET

...... + Richard CLARK

.........3 Harriet CLARK

......... + Rob DENISON

......... + Sheldon

.........3 Juliette CLARK

......... + WILSON

.........3 Susan CLARK

......... + Dr. CRARY

.........3 Emily CLARK

......... + Wells HILYER

.........3 Zeruiah CLARK

.........3 Antoinette CLARK

......2 Rebecca GILLET

...... + Dan HILYER

......2 Perley GILLET

...... + Samuel CLARK

.........3 Lydia CLARK

......... + TRUMBULL

.........3 Samuel CLARK

.........3 Amarette CLARK

.........3 Delia CLARK

.........3 Perley CLARK

Isaac GILLET Jr and his wife Phebe were still living, with their son Henry, and his wife, also named Phebe. Henry was a farmer in Oswego County, NY, on the shore of Lake Ontario, in 1850.

Eunice GILLET, daughter of Isaac and Susannah, married Samuel MOORE. Eunice is not mentioned in [JPR], but [AM, pp. 46-7] has a wealth of information about this family. Eunice was baptized on 16 Nov 1769 in Westfield, and moved by wagon in 1806 to Mantua, Portage, OH, where she died on 10 Oct 1850, at age 80.

Mantua Township, in Portage County, northeastern Ohio, about 500 miles west of the Connecticut River. Mantua was first settled by Europeans in 1798, so the MOORE family was among the first.

Moses GILLETT, son of Isaac and Susannah, died on 15 May 1835, at age 60, as inscribed on his gravestone in Southwick Cemetery. So he was born in 1774-5. He probably lived his entire life in Southwick.

[Comments in square brackets are mine, not part of the census.]

The gravestone of Almon GILLETT, son of Isaac and Susannah, in Southwick Cemetery has his death on 18 Jun 1857, at age 80, so he was born in 1777-8. His wife Cynthia shares the stone, and she died 7 Jun 1853, age 69. They were married on 25 Dec 1805.

[Comments in square brackets are mine, not part of the census.]

In 1850 Almon and Cynthia were living next to their newlywed son, Seth, and his family. Almon and Seth both owned large farms. Eunice T. GILLETT may have been Seth's sister. Almon GILLET Sr was living with his son Harry (Henry) and family.

The 1850 US Census and 1855 MA State Census had many GILLETT families in Southwick.

11. Lusannah "Lucy" 2987 ROOT was born on 20 Sep 1752 in Southwick, and died 11 Sep 1829. She married on 19 Oct 1768 in Westfield, to Samson FRENCH, born 15 Sep 1742 in Dunstable, NH (now MA), died 3 Jan 1834 in Glen Castle, Broome, NY. Lucy and Samson were my 5g-grandparents. See the Sampson French Jr page.

Sources

[AG] Will of Almon Gillet (1857) [requires Ancestry.com license]

[AM] Andrew Moore of Poquonock and Windsor, Conn (1903) by Horace Ladd Moore

[DAR] Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 144 : 1919

[EL] The descendants of Joseph Loomis: who came from Braintree, England in the year 1638, and settled in Windsor, Connecticut, in 1639 (1870) by Elias Loomis

[HH] History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Sylvester Judd and Lucius Manlius Boltwood (1905)

[JPR] Root genealogical records. 1600-1870. Comprising the general history of the Root and Roots families in America (1870) by James Pierce Root

[LMB] History and genealogy of the family of Thomas Noble, of Westfied, Massachusetts : with genealogical notes of other families by the name of Noble (1878) by Lucius Manlius Boltwood

[MG] Will of Moses Gillett (1835) [requires Ancestry.com license]

[SJ] The Southwick Jog

[WD] Early maps of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts (1911) by Wright and DeForest

Updated 10 Sep 2020 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.