James Sanderson was among the first settlers of Woodstock, Windsor County, Vermont; by some accounts, he was the first to stake his claim and take possession of it. After leaving his birthplace of Leicester, Mass., he spent a short time in Hartland, Windsor County, Vermont, where he probably married Sally Powers, the daughter of Andrew Powers of Hartland. Their first child, Benjamin, was born in Hartland on what was then the Simeon Willard farm. In the fall of 1768, James built a brush cabin on his claim in Woodstock, near the spot where Richardson's red tavern afterwards stood. He moved into this cabin on the 1st of December, along with Sally and Benjamin, then only six weeks old. According to the local history of the area, he brought all of his worldly belongings with him on a hand-pulled sled. Some of these belongings might very well have included books; James had the reputation of being a great reader.
Until the later part of his life, James also had the reputation of having loose feet. The local history of Woodstock had nothing to say what Sally thought of all of the family's moving. The couple's second child, James, was born in the Woodstock area; however, by 1774, James and Sally left Woodstock and went to Hartland, Vermont; from there, they made their way to Lancaster, Coos County, New Hampshire, where their daughter Sally was born, September 20, 1775.
Vermont Revolutionary War Rolls (1904) lists James as enlisting 7 Aug. 1776 in Capt. Wait's Company of Rangers (New York Archives, P. 129); also as a corporal, Aug. to Oct. 1777 in Capt. John Benjamin's Co., Col. Joseph Marsh's Reft.; in Oct. 1780, ten days service and fifteen miles travel with duty at Barnard, Vermont, under Lt. Abisha Sampson; and 16 Oct. 1780, three days and forty-five miles from Woodstock.
After his service, the family was again living in Woodstock. In the time spent at Woodstock during these years, the town council voted on two occasions to make James the official "hog-driver" for the town. This position was known by various descriptions, including hog-grief, hog-committee, and the hog-hayward. The chief task was to make sure that the wild pigs that rove around the area were under some degree of control. What a change from the days of his military service as a Revolutionary Way soldier!
James must not have recognized the benefits of this position, because in 1778, he and his family left Woodstock again and moved to Hartland, where Sally's brother, William, had already moved earlier that year. The family lived in Hartland for another year or two; their son Asa was born there on July 2, 1780.
Woodstock must have had a special place in James's heart, for on September 16, 1780, he bought a hundred-acre lot (No. 187) in Woodstock township; this was the same lot that Andrew Powers, Sally's father, had purchased from Oliver Willard in 1768. James and Sally lived on this farm until 1784, when they purchased part of Lot 185 from Moses Evans. After this, James stopped his wanderings; he died on his farm on November 6, 1794 at the age of forty-eight.
Biography written by his 5th great grandson, David Pierce.
Until the later part of his life, James also had the reputation of having loose feet. The local history of Woodstock had nothing to say what Sally thought of all of the family's moving. The couple's second child, James, was born in the Woodstock area; however, by 1774, James and Sally left Woodstock and went to Hartland, Vermont; from there, they made their way to Lancaster, Coos County, New Hampshire, where their daughter Sally was born, September 20, 1775.
Vermont Revolutionary War Rolls (1904) lists James as enlisting 7 Aug. 1776 in Capt. Wait's Company of Rangers (New York Archives, P. 129); also as a corporal, Aug. to Oct. 1777 in Capt. John Benjamin's Co., Col. Joseph Marsh's Reft.; in Oct. 1780, ten days service and fifteen miles travel with duty at Barnard, Vermont, under Lt. Abisha Sampson; and 16 Oct. 1780, three days and forty-five miles from Woodstock.
After his service, the family was again living in Woodstock. In the time spent at Woodstock during these years, the town council voted on two occasions to make James the official "hog-driver" for the town. This position was known by various descriptions, including hog-grief, hog-committee, and the hog-hayward. The chief task was to make sure that the wild pigs that rove around the area were under some degree of control. What a change from the days of his military service as a Revolutionary Way soldier!
James must not have recognized the benefits of this position, because in 1778, he and his family left Woodstock again and moved to Hartland, where Sally's brother, William, had already moved earlier that year. The family lived in Hartland for another year or two; their son Asa was born there on July 2, 1780.
Woodstock must have had a special place in James's heart, for on September 16, 1780, he bought a hundred-acre lot (No. 187) in Woodstock township; this was the same lot that Andrew Powers, Sally's father, had purchased from Oliver Willard in 1768. James and Sally lived on this farm until 1784, when they purchased part of Lot 185 from Moses Evans. After this, James stopped his wanderings; he died on his farm on November 6, 1794 at the age of forty-eight.
Biography written by his 5th great grandson, David Pierce.
James Sanderson was among the first settlers of Woodstock, Windsor County, Vermont; by some accounts, he was the first to stake his claim and take possession of it. After leaving his birthplace of Leicester, Mass., he spent a short time in Hartland, Windsor County, Vermont, where he probably married Sally Powers, the daughter of Andrew Powers of Hartland. Their first child, Benjamin, was born in Hartland on what was then the Simeon Willard farm. In the fall of 1768, James built a brush cabin on his claim in Woodstock, near the spot where Richardson's red tavern afterwards stood. He moved into this cabin on the 1st of December, along with Sally and Benjamin, then only six weeks old. According to the local history of the area, he brought all of his worldly belongings with him on a hand-pulled sled. Some of these belongings might very well have included books; James had the reputation of being a great reader.
Until the later part of his life, James also had the reputation of having loose feet. The local history of Woodstock had nothing to say what Sally thought of all of the family's moving. The couple's second child, James, was born in the Woodstock area; however, by 1774, James and Sally left Woodstock and went to Hartland, Vermont; from there, they made their way to Lancaster, Coos County, New Hampshire, where their daughter Sally was born, September 20, 1775.
Vermont Revolutionary War Rolls (1904) lists James as enlisting 7 Aug. 1776 in Capt. Wait's Company of Rangers (New York Archives, P. 129); also as a corporal, Aug. to Oct. 1777 in Capt. John Benjamin's Co., Col. Joseph Marsh's Reft.; in Oct. 1780, ten days service and fifteen miles travel with duty at Barnard, Vermont, under Lt. Abisha Sampson; and 16 Oct. 1780, three days and forty-five miles from Woodstock.
After his service, the family was again living in Woodstock. In the time spent at Woodstock during these years, the town council voted on two occasions to make James the official "hog-driver" for the town. This position was known by various descriptions, including hog-grief, hog-committee, and the hog-hayward. The chief task was to make sure that the wild pigs that rove around the area were under some degree of control. What a change from the days of his military service as a Revolutionary Way soldier!
James must not have recognized the benefits of this position, because in 1778, he and his family left Woodstock again and moved to Hartland, where Sally's brother, William, had already moved earlier that year. The family lived in Hartland for another year or two; their son Asa was born there on July 2, 1780.
Woodstock must have had a special place in James's heart, for on September 16, 1780, he bought a hundred-acre lot (No. 187) in Woodstock township; this was the same lot that Andrew Powers, Sally's father, had purchased from Oliver Willard in 1768. James and Sally lived on this farm until 1784, when they purchased part of Lot 185 from Moses Evans. After this, James stopped his wanderings; he died on his farm on November 6, 1794 at the age of forty-eight.
Biography written by his 5th great grandson, David Pierce.
Until the later part of his life, James also had the reputation of having loose feet. The local history of Woodstock had nothing to say what Sally thought of all of the family's moving. The couple's second child, James, was born in the Woodstock area; however, by 1774, James and Sally left Woodstock and went to Hartland, Vermont; from there, they made their way to Lancaster, Coos County, New Hampshire, where their daughter Sally was born, September 20, 1775.
Vermont Revolutionary War Rolls (1904) lists James as enlisting 7 Aug. 1776 in Capt. Wait's Company of Rangers (New York Archives, P. 129); also as a corporal, Aug. to Oct. 1777 in Capt. John Benjamin's Co., Col. Joseph Marsh's Reft.; in Oct. 1780, ten days service and fifteen miles travel with duty at Barnard, Vermont, under Lt. Abisha Sampson; and 16 Oct. 1780, three days and forty-five miles from Woodstock.
After his service, the family was again living in Woodstock. In the time spent at Woodstock during these years, the town council voted on two occasions to make James the official "hog-driver" for the town. This position was known by various descriptions, including hog-grief, hog-committee, and the hog-hayward. The chief task was to make sure that the wild pigs that rove around the area were under some degree of control. What a change from the days of his military service as a Revolutionary Way soldier!
James must not have recognized the benefits of this position, because in 1778, he and his family left Woodstock again and moved to Hartland, where Sally's brother, William, had already moved earlier that year. The family lived in Hartland for another year or two; their son Asa was born there on July 2, 1780.
Woodstock must have had a special place in James's heart, for on September 16, 1780, he bought a hundred-acre lot (No. 187) in Woodstock township; this was the same lot that Andrew Powers, Sally's father, had purchased from Oliver Willard in 1768. James and Sally lived on this farm until 1784, when they purchased part of Lot 185 from Moses Evans. After this, James stopped his wanderings; he died on his farm on November 6, 1794 at the age of forty-eight.
Biography written by his 5th great grandson, David Pierce.
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