John Danielson served in the American Revolution as did six of his sons and his two brothers. Danielson was the son of John Danielson, Sr. and Margaret Mighill (Maghell). His father was born about 1703 in MA. His paternal grandfather was also named John, and was born about 1670 in Scotland.
Brimfield was first settled in the mid-1720's and the John memorialized here was one of the first people born there.
In 1748, according to Brimfield land records, John's father owned sixty acres of land in Brimfield.

As a young man Danielson served in the French and Indian War and participated in the 1755 Crown Point Expedition. He married Ruth Blodgett. Later, he was an early supporter of the revolution. On August 31, 1774, along with his two brothers and his father, John, Sr., he signed the 'Brimfield Covenant' protesting the unjust acts of the British Parliament and urging an end to commercial trade with Great Britain.
In the American Revolution Danielson enlisted 12 May 1775 as a private, Capt. Amos Walbridge's company in Brimfield, Col. David Brewer's 9th Regiment. He served in the battles of Bunker Hill, Long Island and Trenton. He crossed the Delaware with the troops on 25 Dec 1776. For a time he was a member of the bodyguards to General Washington.
After the war in 1796 John Danielson and his wife moved from Brimfield, Massachusetts to Butternuts, Otsego Co, New York.
After his death nearly all of his children and grandchildren changed the family surname from 'Danielson' to 'Donaldson' by common consent, believing, according to oral family history, that 'Donaldson' was the original family name back in 1600's Scotland. Even some Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Records show John having the 'Donaldson' form of his family name, showing that the D.A.R. was aware of the family's name change!
During the past century some researchers have speculated that John Danielson of Brimfield was descended from wealthy James Danielson of Killingly, Connecticut. However, this has been disproved by James' will. However, John's grandfather, also named John, was almost certainly a younger brother of James Danielson. Their father was James Donaldson/Danielson, who fought in the 2nd English Civil War at the Battle of Dunbar (1650), was taken prisoner, and sent to the colonies for seven years of forced labor at the Saugus Iron Works in Massachusetts.
In summary this is the descendant line for the family:
James Danielson, Sr. ~1628-1697, father of
John Danielson I 1670-aft1732, father of
John Danielson, Sr. ~1703-1774, father of
John Danielson, Jr. 1727-1815
Much of the best research on the Donaldson/Danielson family was done from 1925-1965 by Harriet H. Donaldson Wilkinson.
Note: Photograph posted on back page for John Danielson is not valid since John lived well before the invention of photography.

Siblings:
Gen. Timothy Danielson
Maj. Nathaniel Danielson
Sarah Danielson Wallis
Mary Danielson Anderson

Great Uncle:
James Danielson, 1648-1728