35. James Town
James' dad died when James was one year old (in 1758). In 1759 his mother moved them to Charlton in Worcester Co. At six years, he was placed under the guardianship of his stepfather, John Wyman (Worcester Co, Vol 619, p34). (In 1998, Shirley Patterson and her husband discovered the original guardian documents in the courthouse in Worcester, MA. They were not allowed to copy the documents as they were too fragile, but it was a long anticipated find that proves the connection between James and his son James.)
When he was seventeen, he was a private in Capt Samuel Curtis's Company (the South company of militiamen. This was only the first of several enlistments during the next five years, culminating in six-months service in the Continental Army from 4 Jul 1780 to discharge on 31 Dec 1780, under command of Lieut. Taylor of the 2nd Mass. Regiment. His brother, Elisha, also served the six-months period with him, as well as, being in the military periodically from 1776 (Mass. Soldiers and Sailors, p909, p912). James filed for a pension on 8 Aug 1832, and a Certificate of Pension was issued on 22 Jan 1833 at the rate of 70 Dollars per annum to commence on 4 Mar 1831 (Massachusetts W.22439).
James married Lucy Bettis of Dudley (Charlton VR p54), and they lived in Charlton until after the death of James' mother in 1788, when they moved north to Vermont. James is recorded in the 1790 census, page 64 at Sharon, Windsor Co., Vermont, with 1 male 16+, 3 males under 16 and 5 females. On 1 May 1791, he purchased 40 acres in Sharon from Simeon Howe (Windsor Deeds 3:120). The next year on 6 Mar 1792, he sold this property to his brother, Elisha Town of Worcester, Mass. (ibid. 3:121). He also purchased property on 8 Mar 1796 in the town of Sharon from Philemon Hayes (ibid 3:393) and sold this property to Isaac Hatch on 19 Jul 1796 (ibid 3:449). Shortly after this, he moved to Stowe, Chittenden County, Vermont, where he purchased on 7 Dec 1797 for forty pounds 100 acres, lot no. 53, from Oliver Luce (Washington Co Deeds 1:27). James would remain in Stowe for the rest of his life and bought and sold many pieces of property throughout the next thirty years.
In an early history of Stowe is recorded that the first marriage in Stowe was published at the raising of James Town's barn in the month of May 1798; in 1816, he bought for $60 the first one-horse wagon made in Stowe; and they were also members of the Unitarian Church ("History of Stowe to 1869" by Mrs. M N Wilkins, 1871, p 698).
Although E E Towne gives full birth dates for all James's children and states the first four were born in Charlton, MA, no birth records have been found for them. Either their births went unrecorded or they were born possibly in nearby Connecticut. The rest of his children were born at Sharon, Vermont, and all but Sarah's birth was recorded.
Massachusetts Town Marriage Records
Name: James TOWN (see Towne)
Spouse: Lucy Bettis
Marriage Date: Aug. 6, 1778
Marriage Place: Dudley
Source: Vital Records of Dudley
Full Text: James of Charlton and Lucy Bettis, Aug. 6, 1778
36. Elisha Town
Elisha married Lydia Gould in 1796, and the child attributed to this marriage is Anna. The other children listed are from previous Towne Family Newsletters and the book by E.E. Towne.
A correction from William Towne 12/9/2005: [One error I found (and which I mention only in case you are not aware of it) pertains to James Town's brother Elisha, who served with him during the Revolutionary War. Although he may have spent a period of time in Canada -- I attempted but was unsuccessful in documenting anything definitive about this -- after the Revolutionary War he went to first Hartland, VT and then to Stowe, VT with James. As I recall he spent the rest of his life in that area eventually living with his daughter. He is buried in an unmarked grave in nearby Sterling Cemetery according to the Stowe, VT Cemetery Book. ]
49. Elihu Town
MAY BE SON OF JOSEPH TOWN AND MARY ELLIS OF ST LAWRENCE CO NY.
POSSIBLY OTHER CHILDREN TOO.
JANE AND NATHAN ARE "PROBABLY" CHILDREN OF SALEM AND MARY.