Ebenezer Sanderson was the son of,Deacon David Sanderson and ,Abigail Jones of Watertown Massachusetts.David and Abigail married on May 11,1743 in Weston, Massachusetts.
On Sep 3,1741,prior to relocating to Petersham,Massachusetts,Ebenezer's father,Deacon David Sanderson and his brother, Nathaniel Sanderson had purchased adjoining farms there.On Oct 6,1745, Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones were dismissed from their church in Weston,Ma to the Church in Nechawog. (The name of Petersham,Massachusetts,before it was incorporated).Once in Petersham,Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones had a total of nine children.Ebenezer Sanderson was born June 8,1752 and was their fourth child.
Ebenezer's paternal grandfather was, Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Jr and Abigail Fisk Sanderson of Watertown,Ma.The Sanderson's were early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.Settling on property at "Piety Corner" a part of Watertown,Massachusetts, which would someday be set off as Waltham.The above mentioned Jonathan Sanderson Jr was the oldest son of Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Sr, and his wife Abiah Bartlett Sanderson, of Watertown,Ma.It was Jonathan Sanderson Sr's father,Edward Sanderson(1615-1660), who with his brother,Coloniel Silversmith Robert Sanderson(1608-1693),that had come to America in about 1638.Thus making,Ebenezer Sanderson ,the subject of this biograpy,the second great grandson of,Edward Sanderson the Immigrant.
In 1775,Ebenezer Sanderson joined with his fellow American patriots to serve in the American Revolution.The first campaign that,Ebenezer Sanderson was a part of was "The Colonel Benedict Arnold expedition to Quebec",which began on September 11,1775 and was described by,Ebenezer in a hand written family history as: "One of the most intensive campaigns that I engaged,the terrible march up through the Maine forest to Quebec and that engagement".The expedition marched from Cambridge,then sailed from Newburyport,Massachusetts along the coast and then up the Kennebec River to Fort Western (now Augusta, Maine). From there, they would use shallow-draft river boats called bateaux to continue up the Kennebec River,cross the height of land to Lake Mégantic, and descend the Chaudière River to Quebec.Consisted of around 1,100 men that was short on food,hampered by poor maps,and faced degrading weather,Colonel Arnold lost over half his force en route to Quebec.After surviving the failed offensive in Quebec,Ebenezer Sanderson with other soldiers returned via the Lake Champlain route and the military trails over the Green Mountains via ,Brattleboro and then on the Connecticut River to Massachusetts.
Serving as 1st Lieutenant,Ebenezer Sanderson's next campaign was on April 11,1776 when he received orders from the "Provincial Congress of Massachusetts" charging him for the rounding up and enlisting of men to serve in a regiment.The regiment would serve with,Captain Nathaniel White's Company for the purposes of fortifying the town and harbor of Boston.The following year on August 21,1777 under, Colonel Nathan Sparhawk's Regiment.Sergeant Ebenezer Sanderson marched nine days from Petersham to Bennington with, Captain Wing Spooner's Company to reinforce the army under, General John Stark.During the War of Independence Ebenezer's younger brother,David Sanderson Jr also served as did two of his paternal first cousins,Jonathan Sanderson and Moses Sanderson.After his service,Ebenezer returned to his home in Petersham.
On Dec 20,1781,Ebenezer Sanderson made his intentions for marriage to,Lucy Bragg in Petersham official.Eight month's later on,Aug 9,1781,in preparing for farm life and raising a family,he purchased a total of 265 acres of land in Petersham from the following three persons,from his father,Deacon David Sanderson he purcased 145 acres for the sum of three thousand pounds,from, Thomas Rogers he purcahsed 60 acres for the sum of seventy pounds and ,from,Abel Haynes he purchased 60 acres for the sum of 460 pounds.
On Feb 2,1782,Ebenezer marries,Miss Lucy Bragg.Lucy was born Oct 25,1762 and was the daughter of,Ebenezer Bragg(1725-1790)and Sibbilla Bowker(1729-?).
Ebenezer Sanderson and Lucy Bragg have one daughter,Louisa Sanderson born in Petersham in Nov of 1782.Unfortunately,Lucy Bragg Sanderson does not live and passes away in Petersham in Nov of 1782,likely from complications of child birth.
Four years later,in 1786,Ebenezer Sanderson of Petersham,Massachusetts marries second to,Sarah Stone of Ashby,Massachusetts.Sarah was the daughter of,Ebenezer Stone (1720-1807) and Sarah Crowell (1718-1795).
Once married,Ebenezer Sanderson and his new wife,Sarah Stone move to Westmoreland,New Hampshire the then residence of his wife's older sister,Ruth Stone Keep and her husband, Maj Leonard Keep. Leonard was a patriot during the Revolutionary War and served with the celebrated "Green Mountain Rangers".
While in Westmoreland the Sanderson's first two children are born.First was,Harriet Sanderson born on Mar 30,1787,followed byAlpheus Sanderson born Jan 21,1789.
In preperation for the second leg of their northward journey that would eventually take them to Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson sells most of his Petersham,Massachusetts property on Mar 16,1789.He sold 140 acres plus 60 acres, to his younger brother,David Sanderson Jr for the sum of 500 pounds.
In the Spring of of 1791,Ebenezer moves his family north taking the oxen route from Westmoreland,New Hampshire to Chester,Vermont.Considering,Sarah was expecting their third child,Chester was likley chosen as a midway point in their jouney because,Ebenezer Sanderson's sister,Elizabeth Sanderson and her husband,Jedediah N Gould lived there.Once in Chester,Sarah gives birth to their third child, David Sanderson ,born on Aug 28,1791.While Sarah and his three small children stay behind in Chester,Ebenezer,in 1791,goes ahead of the family to get a new home established in Frankin,Vermont.He undoubtedly was reassured his sister,Elizabeth Gould and her husband,Jedediah Gould were there in Chester to help should the need arise.
Once in Franklin,Ebenezer spends that first year in Franklin clearing land,sewing wheat and building a log house.In March of 1792,Ebenezer moves his whole family with him to Franklin,Vermont,and the following year his wife gives birth to their fourth child,Ebenezer "Eber" Sanderson Jr,who is born Jul 19,1793.Other siblings follow,Harley Sanderson born 1795, Sarah "Sally" Sanderson born 1796 married,Virgil Long and lived in West Haven,Ripton and then Rutland,VT,Samuel Sanderson born 1799 only lived 10 months.Upon the organization of the town of Franklin in 1793,Ebenezer Sanderson is elected its first town clerk a position he held until his death which occurred April 19,1800.His death being the first Adult death in the town.Ebenezer Sanderson's Revolutionary Flint-Lock Musket had been saved at his home in Franklin,however after his death,with the family going their separate ways,it was either lost or stolen.
In an account told by,Ebenezer's daughter, Mrs Harriet (Sanderson) Tenney ,she recalls that in the spring of 1791 the snow was so deep that they were forced to remove all but their most necessary articles of house keeping into town,upon a hand sled,from Missisquoi Bay,Canada East,a distance of ten miles.Their first home in the wilderness was constructed of trees of the forest,roofed with bark,with floor of rifted logs,no saw mills being at hand in those days,and a chimney built of sticks and clay,the back being formed of large rock,against which the house was built(see posted map).A blanket served in place of a door,and she well remembers sitting upon the end of the floor to warm her feet at the fire.The house was a fair specimen of a Vermont frontier residence.The original home has long since fallen to decay;the large rock alone remaining to mark the spot where the home once stood.
In Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson's pioneer homestead bordered the property of ,Dr Enoch Pomeroy.Dr Pomeroy had come to Franklin from Southampton,Ma in 1794 three years after,Ebenezer Sanderson arrived in 1791.Dr Pomeroy's wife,Mary Tenney Pomeroy was the sister in law to,Harriet Sanderson Tenney.Ebenezer Sanderson's daughter,Harriet was married to,Jesse Tenney the brother of,Dr Pomeroy's wife, Mary Tenney Pomeroy. After Ebenezer Sanderson died in 1800,Harriet and Jessey Tenney's son, Jesse Eugene Tenney lived ,for a short time,on his grandfather,Ebenezer's farm before the property was sold to,Asa Gallup in the 1830's.The property was located on a track of land,in town,a little to the south of Center Village.Sometime after,Asa Gallup's death in 1860 it was purchased by,Levi Chadwick and known as the "Chadwick Farm" as late as 1891.
Although not part of a house any longer,today,the large boulder which served as the back wall to,Ebenezer Sanderson's frontier log home;can still be seen in the back yard of the former,Lloyd Thomas Richard residence at,1787 Riley Road,Franklin,Vermont 05457.
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Sources:Census,Bible Records,THE VERMONT HISTORICAL GAZETTEER "A HISTORY OF EACH TOWN" Vol II,published in 1871,pg 233,A History of Franklin by,Martha Hanna Towle,
Franklin Historical Society,1989.Worcester County, Massachusetts' deeds.A hand written genealogy told by, Ebenezer's grandson,William Harley Sanderson to his daughter,Frances Elizabeth Sanderson.
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The said hand written genealogy is currently in the possession of,Ebenezer's 4th Great Grand son,John Clay Harris,author of this biography.
On Sep 3,1741,prior to relocating to Petersham,Massachusetts,Ebenezer's father,Deacon David Sanderson and his brother, Nathaniel Sanderson had purchased adjoining farms there.On Oct 6,1745, Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones were dismissed from their church in Weston,Ma to the Church in Nechawog. (The name of Petersham,Massachusetts,before it was incorporated).Once in Petersham,Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones had a total of nine children.Ebenezer Sanderson was born June 8,1752 and was their fourth child.
Ebenezer's paternal grandfather was, Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Jr and Abigail Fisk Sanderson of Watertown,Ma.The Sanderson's were early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.Settling on property at "Piety Corner" a part of Watertown,Massachusetts, which would someday be set off as Waltham.The above mentioned Jonathan Sanderson Jr was the oldest son of Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Sr, and his wife Abiah Bartlett Sanderson, of Watertown,Ma.It was Jonathan Sanderson Sr's father,Edward Sanderson(1615-1660), who with his brother,Coloniel Silversmith Robert Sanderson(1608-1693),that had come to America in about 1638.Thus making,Ebenezer Sanderson ,the subject of this biograpy,the second great grandson of,Edward Sanderson the Immigrant.
In 1775,Ebenezer Sanderson joined with his fellow American patriots to serve in the American Revolution.The first campaign that,Ebenezer Sanderson was a part of was "The Colonel Benedict Arnold expedition to Quebec",which began on September 11,1775 and was described by,Ebenezer in a hand written family history as: "One of the most intensive campaigns that I engaged,the terrible march up through the Maine forest to Quebec and that engagement".The expedition marched from Cambridge,then sailed from Newburyport,Massachusetts along the coast and then up the Kennebec River to Fort Western (now Augusta, Maine). From there, they would use shallow-draft river boats called bateaux to continue up the Kennebec River,cross the height of land to Lake Mégantic, and descend the Chaudière River to Quebec.Consisted of around 1,100 men that was short on food,hampered by poor maps,and faced degrading weather,Colonel Arnold lost over half his force en route to Quebec.After surviving the failed offensive in Quebec,Ebenezer Sanderson with other soldiers returned via the Lake Champlain route and the military trails over the Green Mountains via ,Brattleboro and then on the Connecticut River to Massachusetts.
Serving as 1st Lieutenant,Ebenezer Sanderson's next campaign was on April 11,1776 when he received orders from the "Provincial Congress of Massachusetts" charging him for the rounding up and enlisting of men to serve in a regiment.The regiment would serve with,Captain Nathaniel White's Company for the purposes of fortifying the town and harbor of Boston.The following year on August 21,1777 under, Colonel Nathan Sparhawk's Regiment.Sergeant Ebenezer Sanderson marched nine days from Petersham to Bennington with, Captain Wing Spooner's Company to reinforce the army under, General John Stark.During the War of Independence Ebenezer's younger brother,David Sanderson Jr also served as did two of his paternal first cousins,Jonathan Sanderson and Moses Sanderson.After his service,Ebenezer returned to his home in Petersham.
On Dec 20,1781,Ebenezer Sanderson made his intentions for marriage to,Lucy Bragg in Petersham official.Eight month's later on,Aug 9,1781,in preparing for farm life and raising a family,he purchased a total of 265 acres of land in Petersham from the following three persons,from his father,Deacon David Sanderson he purcased 145 acres for the sum of three thousand pounds,from, Thomas Rogers he purcahsed 60 acres for the sum of seventy pounds and ,from,Abel Haynes he purchased 60 acres for the sum of 460 pounds.
On Feb 2,1782,Ebenezer marries,Miss Lucy Bragg.Lucy was born Oct 25,1762 and was the daughter of,Ebenezer Bragg(1725-1790)and Sibbilla Bowker(1729-?).
Ebenezer Sanderson and Lucy Bragg have one daughter,Louisa Sanderson born in Petersham in Nov of 1782.Unfortunately,Lucy Bragg Sanderson does not live and passes away in Petersham in Nov of 1782,likely from complications of child birth.
Four years later,in 1786,Ebenezer Sanderson of Petersham,Massachusetts marries second to,Sarah Stone of Ashby,Massachusetts.Sarah was the daughter of,Ebenezer Stone (1720-1807) and Sarah Crowell (1718-1795).
Once married,Ebenezer Sanderson and his new wife,Sarah Stone move to Westmoreland,New Hampshire the then residence of his wife's older sister,Ruth Stone Keep and her husband, Maj Leonard Keep. Leonard was a patriot during the Revolutionary War and served with the celebrated "Green Mountain Rangers".
While in Westmoreland the Sanderson's first two children are born.First was,Harriet Sanderson born on Mar 30,1787,followed byAlpheus Sanderson born Jan 21,1789.
In preperation for the second leg of their northward journey that would eventually take them to Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson sells most of his Petersham,Massachusetts property on Mar 16,1789.He sold 140 acres plus 60 acres, to his younger brother,David Sanderson Jr for the sum of 500 pounds.
In the Spring of of 1791,Ebenezer moves his family north taking the oxen route from Westmoreland,New Hampshire to Chester,Vermont.Considering,Sarah was expecting their third child,Chester was likley chosen as a midway point in their jouney because,Ebenezer Sanderson's sister,Elizabeth Sanderson and her husband,Jedediah N Gould lived there.Once in Chester,Sarah gives birth to their third child, David Sanderson ,born on Aug 28,1791.While Sarah and his three small children stay behind in Chester,Ebenezer,in 1791,goes ahead of the family to get a new home established in Frankin,Vermont.He undoubtedly was reassured his sister,Elizabeth Gould and her husband,Jedediah Gould were there in Chester to help should the need arise.
Once in Franklin,Ebenezer spends that first year in Franklin clearing land,sewing wheat and building a log house.In March of 1792,Ebenezer moves his whole family with him to Franklin,Vermont,and the following year his wife gives birth to their fourth child,Ebenezer "Eber" Sanderson Jr,who is born Jul 19,1793.Other siblings follow,Harley Sanderson born 1795, Sarah "Sally" Sanderson born 1796 married,Virgil Long and lived in West Haven,Ripton and then Rutland,VT,Samuel Sanderson born 1799 only lived 10 months.Upon the organization of the town of Franklin in 1793,Ebenezer Sanderson is elected its first town clerk a position he held until his death which occurred April 19,1800.His death being the first Adult death in the town.Ebenezer Sanderson's Revolutionary Flint-Lock Musket had been saved at his home in Franklin,however after his death,with the family going their separate ways,it was either lost or stolen.
In an account told by,Ebenezer's daughter, Mrs Harriet (Sanderson) Tenney ,she recalls that in the spring of 1791 the snow was so deep that they were forced to remove all but their most necessary articles of house keeping into town,upon a hand sled,from Missisquoi Bay,Canada East,a distance of ten miles.Their first home in the wilderness was constructed of trees of the forest,roofed with bark,with floor of rifted logs,no saw mills being at hand in those days,and a chimney built of sticks and clay,the back being formed of large rock,against which the house was built(see posted map).A blanket served in place of a door,and she well remembers sitting upon the end of the floor to warm her feet at the fire.The house was a fair specimen of a Vermont frontier residence.The original home has long since fallen to decay;the large rock alone remaining to mark the spot where the home once stood.
In Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson's pioneer homestead bordered the property of ,Dr Enoch Pomeroy.Dr Pomeroy had come to Franklin from Southampton,Ma in 1794 three years after,Ebenezer Sanderson arrived in 1791.Dr Pomeroy's wife,Mary Tenney Pomeroy was the sister in law to,Harriet Sanderson Tenney.Ebenezer Sanderson's daughter,Harriet was married to,Jesse Tenney the brother of,Dr Pomeroy's wife, Mary Tenney Pomeroy. After Ebenezer Sanderson died in 1800,Harriet and Jessey Tenney's son, Jesse Eugene Tenney lived ,for a short time,on his grandfather,Ebenezer's farm before the property was sold to,Asa Gallup in the 1830's.The property was located on a track of land,in town,a little to the south of Center Village.Sometime after,Asa Gallup's death in 1860 it was purchased by,Levi Chadwick and known as the "Chadwick Farm" as late as 1891.
Although not part of a house any longer,today,the large boulder which served as the back wall to,Ebenezer Sanderson's frontier log home;can still be seen in the back yard of the former,Lloyd Thomas Richard residence at,1787 Riley Road,Franklin,Vermont 05457.
~•●~~~•●~~~ஜ۩۞۩ஜ●•~~~●•~~~●•~~~•●~~~•●~~~ஜ۩۞۩ஜ●•~~~●•~~~●•~
Sources:Census,Bible Records,THE VERMONT HISTORICAL GAZETTEER "A HISTORY OF EACH TOWN" Vol II,published in 1871,pg 233,A History of Franklin by,Martha Hanna Towle,
Franklin Historical Society,1989.Worcester County, Massachusetts' deeds.A hand written genealogy told by, Ebenezer's grandson,William Harley Sanderson to his daughter,Frances Elizabeth Sanderson.
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The said hand written genealogy is currently in the possession of,Ebenezer's 4th Great Grand son,John Clay Harris,author of this biography.
Ebenezer Sanderson was the son of,Deacon David Sanderson and ,Abigail Jones of Watertown Massachusetts.David and Abigail married on May 11,1743 in Weston, Massachusetts.
On Sep 3,1741,prior to relocating to Petersham,Massachusetts,Ebenezer's father,Deacon David Sanderson and his brother, Nathaniel Sanderson had purchased adjoining farms there.On Oct 6,1745, Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones were dismissed from their church in Weston,Ma to the Church in Nechawog. (The name of Petersham,Massachusetts,before it was incorporated).Once in Petersham,Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones had a total of nine children.Ebenezer Sanderson was born June 8,1752 and was their fourth child.
Ebenezer's paternal grandfather was, Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Jr and Abigail Fisk Sanderson of Watertown,Ma.The Sanderson's were early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.Settling on property at "Piety Corner" a part of Watertown,Massachusetts, which would someday be set off as Waltham.The above mentioned Jonathan Sanderson Jr was the oldest son of Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Sr, and his wife Abiah Bartlett Sanderson, of Watertown,Ma.It was Jonathan Sanderson Sr's father,Edward Sanderson(1615-1660), who with his brother,Coloniel Silversmith Robert Sanderson(1608-1693),that had come to America in about 1638.Thus making,Ebenezer Sanderson ,the subject of this biograpy,the second great grandson of,Edward Sanderson the Immigrant.
In 1775,Ebenezer Sanderson joined with his fellow American patriots to serve in the American Revolution.The first campaign that,Ebenezer Sanderson was a part of was "The Colonel Benedict Arnold expedition to Quebec",which began on September 11,1775 and was described by,Ebenezer in a hand written family history as: "One of the most intensive campaigns that I engaged,the terrible march up through the Maine forest to Quebec and that engagement".The expedition marched from Cambridge,then sailed from Newburyport,Massachusetts along the coast and then up the Kennebec River to Fort Western (now Augusta, Maine). From there, they would use shallow-draft river boats called bateaux to continue up the Kennebec River,cross the height of land to Lake Mégantic, and descend the Chaudière River to Quebec.Consisted of around 1,100 men that was short on food,hampered by poor maps,and faced degrading weather,Colonel Arnold lost over half his force en route to Quebec.After surviving the failed offensive in Quebec,Ebenezer Sanderson with other soldiers returned via the Lake Champlain route and the military trails over the Green Mountains via ,Brattleboro and then on the Connecticut River to Massachusetts.
Serving as 1st Lieutenant,Ebenezer Sanderson's next campaign was on April 11,1776 when he received orders from the "Provincial Congress of Massachusetts" charging him for the rounding up and enlisting of men to serve in a regiment.The regiment would serve with,Captain Nathaniel White's Company for the purposes of fortifying the town and harbor of Boston.The following year on August 21,1777 under, Colonel Nathan Sparhawk's Regiment.Sergeant Ebenezer Sanderson marched nine days from Petersham to Bennington with, Captain Wing Spooner's Company to reinforce the army under, General John Stark.During the War of Independence Ebenezer's younger brother,David Sanderson Jr also served as did two of his paternal first cousins,Jonathan Sanderson and Moses Sanderson.After his service,Ebenezer returned to his home in Petersham.
On Dec 20,1781,Ebenezer Sanderson made his intentions for marriage to,Lucy Bragg in Petersham official.Eight month's later on,Aug 9,1781,in preparing for farm life and raising a family,he purchased a total of 265 acres of land in Petersham from the following three persons,from his father,Deacon David Sanderson he purcased 145 acres for the sum of three thousand pounds,from, Thomas Rogers he purcahsed 60 acres for the sum of seventy pounds and ,from,Abel Haynes he purchased 60 acres for the sum of 460 pounds.
On Feb 2,1782,Ebenezer marries,Miss Lucy Bragg.Lucy was born Oct 25,1762 and was the daughter of,Ebenezer Bragg(1725-1790)and Sibbilla Bowker(1729-?).
Ebenezer Sanderson and Lucy Bragg have one daughter,Louisa Sanderson born in Petersham in Nov of 1782.Unfortunately,Lucy Bragg Sanderson does not live and passes away in Petersham in Nov of 1782,likely from complications of child birth.
Four years later,in 1786,Ebenezer Sanderson of Petersham,Massachusetts marries second to,Sarah Stone of Ashby,Massachusetts.Sarah was the daughter of,Ebenezer Stone (1720-1807) and Sarah Crowell (1718-1795).
Once married,Ebenezer Sanderson and his new wife,Sarah Stone move to Westmoreland,New Hampshire the then residence of his wife's older sister,Ruth Stone Keep and her husband, Maj Leonard Keep. Leonard was a patriot during the Revolutionary War and served with the celebrated "Green Mountain Rangers".
While in Westmoreland the Sanderson's first two children are born.First was,Harriet Sanderson born on Mar 30,1787,followed byAlpheus Sanderson born Jan 21,1789.
In preperation for the second leg of their northward journey that would eventually take them to Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson sells most of his Petersham,Massachusetts property on Mar 16,1789.He sold 140 acres plus 60 acres, to his younger brother,David Sanderson Jr for the sum of 500 pounds.
In the Spring of of 1791,Ebenezer moves his family north taking the oxen route from Westmoreland,New Hampshire to Chester,Vermont.Considering,Sarah was expecting their third child,Chester was likley chosen as a midway point in their jouney because,Ebenezer Sanderson's sister,Elizabeth Sanderson and her husband,Jedediah N Gould lived there.Once in Chester,Sarah gives birth to their third child, David Sanderson ,born on Aug 28,1791.While Sarah and his three small children stay behind in Chester,Ebenezer,in 1791,goes ahead of the family to get a new home established in Frankin,Vermont.He undoubtedly was reassured his sister,Elizabeth Gould and her husband,Jedediah Gould were there in Chester to help should the need arise.
Once in Franklin,Ebenezer spends that first year in Franklin clearing land,sewing wheat and building a log house.In March of 1792,Ebenezer moves his whole family with him to Franklin,Vermont,and the following year his wife gives birth to their fourth child,Ebenezer "Eber" Sanderson Jr,who is born Jul 19,1793.Other siblings follow,Harley Sanderson born 1795, Sarah "Sally" Sanderson born 1796 married,Virgil Long and lived in West Haven,Ripton and then Rutland,VT,Samuel Sanderson born 1799 only lived 10 months.Upon the organization of the town of Franklin in 1793,Ebenezer Sanderson is elected its first town clerk a position he held until his death which occurred April 19,1800.His death being the first Adult death in the town.Ebenezer Sanderson's Revolutionary Flint-Lock Musket had been saved at his home in Franklin,however after his death,with the family going their separate ways,it was either lost or stolen.
In an account told by,Ebenezer's daughter, Mrs Harriet (Sanderson) Tenney ,she recalls that in the spring of 1791 the snow was so deep that they were forced to remove all but their most necessary articles of house keeping into town,upon a hand sled,from Missisquoi Bay,Canada East,a distance of ten miles.Their first home in the wilderness was constructed of trees of the forest,roofed with bark,with floor of rifted logs,no saw mills being at hand in those days,and a chimney built of sticks and clay,the back being formed of large rock,against which the house was built(see posted map).A blanket served in place of a door,and she well remembers sitting upon the end of the floor to warm her feet at the fire.The house was a fair specimen of a Vermont frontier residence.The original home has long since fallen to decay;the large rock alone remaining to mark the spot where the home once stood.
In Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson's pioneer homestead bordered the property of ,Dr Enoch Pomeroy.Dr Pomeroy had come to Franklin from Southampton,Ma in 1794 three years after,Ebenezer Sanderson arrived in 1791.Dr Pomeroy's wife,Mary Tenney Pomeroy was the sister in law to,Harriet Sanderson Tenney.Ebenezer Sanderson's daughter,Harriet was married to,Jesse Tenney the brother of,Dr Pomeroy's wife, Mary Tenney Pomeroy. After Ebenezer Sanderson died in 1800,Harriet and Jessey Tenney's son, Jesse Eugene Tenney lived ,for a short time,on his grandfather,Ebenezer's farm before the property was sold to,Asa Gallup in the 1830's.The property was located on a track of land,in town,a little to the south of Center Village.Sometime after,Asa Gallup's death in 1860 it was purchased by,Levi Chadwick and known as the "Chadwick Farm" as late as 1891.
Although not part of a house any longer,today,the large boulder which served as the back wall to,Ebenezer Sanderson's frontier log home;can still be seen in the back yard of the former,Lloyd Thomas Richard residence at,1787 Riley Road,Franklin,Vermont 05457.
~•●~~~•●~~~ஜ۩۞۩ஜ●•~~~●•~~~●•~~~•●~~~•●~~~ஜ۩۞۩ஜ●•~~~●•~~~●•~
Sources:Census,Bible Records,THE VERMONT HISTORICAL GAZETTEER "A HISTORY OF EACH TOWN" Vol II,published in 1871,pg 233,A History of Franklin by,Martha Hanna Towle,
Franklin Historical Society,1989.Worcester County, Massachusetts' deeds.A hand written genealogy told by, Ebenezer's grandson,William Harley Sanderson to his daughter,Frances Elizabeth Sanderson.
~•●~~~•●~~~ஜ۩۞۩ஜ●•~~~●•~~~●•~~~•●~~~•●~~~ஜ۩۞۩ஜ●•~~~●•~~~●•~
The said hand written genealogy is currently in the possession of,Ebenezer's 4th Great Grand son,John Clay Harris,author of this biography.
On Sep 3,1741,prior to relocating to Petersham,Massachusetts,Ebenezer's father,Deacon David Sanderson and his brother, Nathaniel Sanderson had purchased adjoining farms there.On Oct 6,1745, Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones were dismissed from their church in Weston,Ma to the Church in Nechawog. (The name of Petersham,Massachusetts,before it was incorporated).Once in Petersham,Deacon David Sanderson and his wife,Abigail Jones had a total of nine children.Ebenezer Sanderson was born June 8,1752 and was their fourth child.
Ebenezer's paternal grandfather was, Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Jr and Abigail Fisk Sanderson of Watertown,Ma.The Sanderson's were early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.Settling on property at "Piety Corner" a part of Watertown,Massachusetts, which would someday be set off as Waltham.The above mentioned Jonathan Sanderson Jr was the oldest son of Deacon Jonathan Sanderson Sr, and his wife Abiah Bartlett Sanderson, of Watertown,Ma.It was Jonathan Sanderson Sr's father,Edward Sanderson(1615-1660), who with his brother,Coloniel Silversmith Robert Sanderson(1608-1693),that had come to America in about 1638.Thus making,Ebenezer Sanderson ,the subject of this biograpy,the second great grandson of,Edward Sanderson the Immigrant.
In 1775,Ebenezer Sanderson joined with his fellow American patriots to serve in the American Revolution.The first campaign that,Ebenezer Sanderson was a part of was "The Colonel Benedict Arnold expedition to Quebec",which began on September 11,1775 and was described by,Ebenezer in a hand written family history as: "One of the most intensive campaigns that I engaged,the terrible march up through the Maine forest to Quebec and that engagement".The expedition marched from Cambridge,then sailed from Newburyport,Massachusetts along the coast and then up the Kennebec River to Fort Western (now Augusta, Maine). From there, they would use shallow-draft river boats called bateaux to continue up the Kennebec River,cross the height of land to Lake Mégantic, and descend the Chaudière River to Quebec.Consisted of around 1,100 men that was short on food,hampered by poor maps,and faced degrading weather,Colonel Arnold lost over half his force en route to Quebec.After surviving the failed offensive in Quebec,Ebenezer Sanderson with other soldiers returned via the Lake Champlain route and the military trails over the Green Mountains via ,Brattleboro and then on the Connecticut River to Massachusetts.
Serving as 1st Lieutenant,Ebenezer Sanderson's next campaign was on April 11,1776 when he received orders from the "Provincial Congress of Massachusetts" charging him for the rounding up and enlisting of men to serve in a regiment.The regiment would serve with,Captain Nathaniel White's Company for the purposes of fortifying the town and harbor of Boston.The following year on August 21,1777 under, Colonel Nathan Sparhawk's Regiment.Sergeant Ebenezer Sanderson marched nine days from Petersham to Bennington with, Captain Wing Spooner's Company to reinforce the army under, General John Stark.During the War of Independence Ebenezer's younger brother,David Sanderson Jr also served as did two of his paternal first cousins,Jonathan Sanderson and Moses Sanderson.After his service,Ebenezer returned to his home in Petersham.
On Dec 20,1781,Ebenezer Sanderson made his intentions for marriage to,Lucy Bragg in Petersham official.Eight month's later on,Aug 9,1781,in preparing for farm life and raising a family,he purchased a total of 265 acres of land in Petersham from the following three persons,from his father,Deacon David Sanderson he purcased 145 acres for the sum of three thousand pounds,from, Thomas Rogers he purcahsed 60 acres for the sum of seventy pounds and ,from,Abel Haynes he purchased 60 acres for the sum of 460 pounds.
On Feb 2,1782,Ebenezer marries,Miss Lucy Bragg.Lucy was born Oct 25,1762 and was the daughter of,Ebenezer Bragg(1725-1790)and Sibbilla Bowker(1729-?).
Ebenezer Sanderson and Lucy Bragg have one daughter,Louisa Sanderson born in Petersham in Nov of 1782.Unfortunately,Lucy Bragg Sanderson does not live and passes away in Petersham in Nov of 1782,likely from complications of child birth.
Four years later,in 1786,Ebenezer Sanderson of Petersham,Massachusetts marries second to,Sarah Stone of Ashby,Massachusetts.Sarah was the daughter of,Ebenezer Stone (1720-1807) and Sarah Crowell (1718-1795).
Once married,Ebenezer Sanderson and his new wife,Sarah Stone move to Westmoreland,New Hampshire the then residence of his wife's older sister,Ruth Stone Keep and her husband, Maj Leonard Keep. Leonard was a patriot during the Revolutionary War and served with the celebrated "Green Mountain Rangers".
While in Westmoreland the Sanderson's first two children are born.First was,Harriet Sanderson born on Mar 30,1787,followed byAlpheus Sanderson born Jan 21,1789.
In preperation for the second leg of their northward journey that would eventually take them to Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson sells most of his Petersham,Massachusetts property on Mar 16,1789.He sold 140 acres plus 60 acres, to his younger brother,David Sanderson Jr for the sum of 500 pounds.
In the Spring of of 1791,Ebenezer moves his family north taking the oxen route from Westmoreland,New Hampshire to Chester,Vermont.Considering,Sarah was expecting their third child,Chester was likley chosen as a midway point in their jouney because,Ebenezer Sanderson's sister,Elizabeth Sanderson and her husband,Jedediah N Gould lived there.Once in Chester,Sarah gives birth to their third child, David Sanderson ,born on Aug 28,1791.While Sarah and his three small children stay behind in Chester,Ebenezer,in 1791,goes ahead of the family to get a new home established in Frankin,Vermont.He undoubtedly was reassured his sister,Elizabeth Gould and her husband,Jedediah Gould were there in Chester to help should the need arise.
Once in Franklin,Ebenezer spends that first year in Franklin clearing land,sewing wheat and building a log house.In March of 1792,Ebenezer moves his whole family with him to Franklin,Vermont,and the following year his wife gives birth to their fourth child,Ebenezer "Eber" Sanderson Jr,who is born Jul 19,1793.Other siblings follow,Harley Sanderson born 1795, Sarah "Sally" Sanderson born 1796 married,Virgil Long and lived in West Haven,Ripton and then Rutland,VT,Samuel Sanderson born 1799 only lived 10 months.Upon the organization of the town of Franklin in 1793,Ebenezer Sanderson is elected its first town clerk a position he held until his death which occurred April 19,1800.His death being the first Adult death in the town.Ebenezer Sanderson's Revolutionary Flint-Lock Musket had been saved at his home in Franklin,however after his death,with the family going their separate ways,it was either lost or stolen.
In an account told by,Ebenezer's daughter, Mrs Harriet (Sanderson) Tenney ,she recalls that in the spring of 1791 the snow was so deep that they were forced to remove all but their most necessary articles of house keeping into town,upon a hand sled,from Missisquoi Bay,Canada East,a distance of ten miles.Their first home in the wilderness was constructed of trees of the forest,roofed with bark,with floor of rifted logs,no saw mills being at hand in those days,and a chimney built of sticks and clay,the back being formed of large rock,against which the house was built(see posted map).A blanket served in place of a door,and she well remembers sitting upon the end of the floor to warm her feet at the fire.The house was a fair specimen of a Vermont frontier residence.The original home has long since fallen to decay;the large rock alone remaining to mark the spot where the home once stood.
In Franklin,Vermont,Ebenezer Sanderson's pioneer homestead bordered the property of ,Dr Enoch Pomeroy.Dr Pomeroy had come to Franklin from Southampton,Ma in 1794 three years after,Ebenezer Sanderson arrived in 1791.Dr Pomeroy's wife,Mary Tenney Pomeroy was the sister in law to,Harriet Sanderson Tenney.Ebenezer Sanderson's daughter,Harriet was married to,Jesse Tenney the brother of,Dr Pomeroy's wife, Mary Tenney Pomeroy. After Ebenezer Sanderson died in 1800,Harriet and Jessey Tenney's son, Jesse Eugene Tenney lived ,for a short time,on his grandfather,Ebenezer's farm before the property was sold to,Asa Gallup in the 1830's.The property was located on a track of land,in town,a little to the south of Center Village.Sometime after,Asa Gallup's death in 1860 it was purchased by,Levi Chadwick and known as the "Chadwick Farm" as late as 1891.
Although not part of a house any longer,today,the large boulder which served as the back wall to,Ebenezer Sanderson's frontier log home;can still be seen in the back yard of the former,Lloyd Thomas Richard residence at,1787 Riley Road,Franklin,Vermont 05457.
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Sources:Census,Bible Records,THE VERMONT HISTORICAL GAZETTEER "A HISTORY OF EACH TOWN" Vol II,published in 1871,pg 233,A History of Franklin by,Martha Hanna Towle,
Franklin Historical Society,1989.Worcester County, Massachusetts' deeds.A hand written genealogy told by, Ebenezer's grandson,William Harley Sanderson to his daughter,Frances Elizabeth Sanderson.
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The said hand written genealogy is currently in the possession of,Ebenezer's 4th Great Grand son,John Clay Harris,author of this biography.
Gravesite Details
The Hand Written Geneology mentioned in Sources was recorded by word of mouth From ,William Harley Sanderson to his daughter,Frances Elizabeth Sanderson
Family Members
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