Genealogy Story – Daniel Pierpont Bible

Recently I had the pleasure of purchasing an old bible on Ebay that had belonged to Daniel Pierpont. I have since donated it to the Pierpont Family Association for their archives. It will be available for viewing at the Pierpont Family Reunion this summer. But since many of you may not be able to attend, I’d like to post what was in this bible.

While most of the information is just a confirmation of the information in our official family genealogy, what I find most interesting is the commentary that is included with some of the entries. This commentary is what takes if from a simple list of facts to something much more personal. In particular, I am drawn to the story of the young baby who died suddenly and was interred in the same casket as her mother. Also of interest is the story about the family member (Jared Pierpont) who apparently joined a group in NY (the Missionary Society of the Chernango Association of Universalists), married a daughter of one of the group’s leaders, and had nearly no communication with their family back in CT until 4 years later when they came home for a visit and he died shortly after arriving.

The binding of this book was repaired and these blank leaves put in in the year of our Lord 1826.

Below is a translation of the genealogical records on these blank leaves. I have inserted the Pierpont Family genealogy markers in square brackets. The items in italics are the areas of conflict with the Pierpont Family genealogy, but as this bible is a contemporary record, the genealogy should be corrected.

Some extracts from ancient records of the Pierponts

It appears that the Rev James Pierpont [20>16] was ordained in New Haven July 2nd 1685. Said Rev. James dies Nov 22^nd 1714.

Joseph Pierpont [20>165] son of said James & the first of the names that settled in North Haven was born October 21^st 1704 – was married to Hannah Russel youngest daughter of the Rev. Nodiah Russel of Middletown September 27^th 1727. He died November 24^th 1748 leaving his widow and 10 children who were born as follows:

[[what about James [20>1651] b 1726, d 1727? Note that this is before above date of marriage!]]

Samuel [20>1652] April 16 1729

Joseph [20>1653] Sept 13 1730

James [20>1654] Oct 2 1732

[[what about Dorothy [20>1655] 1733 dy]]

Benjamin [20>1656] Jan 7 1735

Hannah [20>1657] Nov 12 1736

Mary [20>1658] Oct 20 1738

Giles [20>1659] June 4 1741

Abigail [20>1650] June 6 1743

Hezekiah [20>165a] Sept 27 1745

Sarah [20>165b] July 31 1747

Said Widow Hannah was married to Samuel Hackett Esq. the 6^th day of August 1752.

Said Sam Hackett Esq died February 1781.

Said Widow Hannah died June 6^th 1791

Giles Pierpont the son of Joseph Pierpont died January 16^th 1832 aged 91 years 7 months & 12 days

Joseph Pierpont Esq.

Joseph Pierpont [20>1653] the 2^nd son of Joseph Pierpont was married to Lydia Bassett Sept 21^st 1756 [[Genealogy has Mar 21^st]]

Ezra [20>16531] the first child born July 11^th 1757

Joseph [20>16532] the 2^nd child born April 28^th 1760

Russel [20>16533] the 3^rd child born May 17^th 1763

Lydia [20>16534] the 4^th child born Nov 18^th 1766

Lucy [20>16535] the 5^th child born Oct 21^st 1771

Daniel [20>16536] the 6^th child born May 16^th 1775

Lydia wife of Joseph died Nov 9^th 1783 (48)

Lydia his daughter died Sept 9^th 1788 (22)

Son Joseph was married to Annis Blakeslee of Plymouth Oct 26^th 1791 [[Genealogy says Esther Bishop]]

Lucy his daughter died Nov 4^th 1792 (21)

His wife Annis died Sept 8^th 1800 (66)

Said Joseph Pierpont Esq [20>1653] died at my house in the 94^th year of his age Feb 8^th 1824

Joseph Pierpont 2^nd son of Joseph died June 30^th 1833 (73)

Ezra his 1^st son died at Waterbury home he had a long time resident January 5^th 1842 (86-1/2) [[Genealogy says Jan 6^th]]

Russell his 3^rd son died at Hamden where he first settled December 12^th 1844 (81-1/2)

Daniel Pierpont his 6^th child and last son died at North Haven November 16^th 1851 (76-1/2)

Mrs Esther wife of Daniel Pierpont died at North Haven August 17^th 1864 (90-1/4)

Daniel Pierpont’s Family

Daniel Pierpont [20>16536] and Esther Homiston (the daughter of Samuel & Mary Homiston of Hamden) were married September 26^th 1799.

Their children were born as follows:

Bede [20>165361] the first child born December 10^th 1800

Elias [20>165362] the 2^nd child born April 21^st 1803

Esther [20>165363] the 3^rd child born September 1^st 1805

Harriet [20>165364] the 4^th child born February 13^th 1808

Sally [20>165365] the 5^th child born December 10^th 1811

Jared [20>165366] the 6^th child born June 26^th 1814

Rufus [20>165367] the 7^th child born March 5^th 1818

Said Samuel Homiston died June 20^th 1809, he was 66 years on the 16^th day of May 1809

Said Mary Homiston died June 6^th 1820, she was 70 years old

Said Bede Pierpont [20>165361] our first child was married to Merrit S Pierpont the eldest son of Mrs. Philaman Pierpont June 15^th 1823

Daniel Lorenzo their first child was born at Oxford in the State of New York where they resided on August 15^th 1826

Bede Eliza their 2^nd child was born at the same place September the 10^th day of 1826

Harriet Ann their 3^rd child was born at the same place September 18^th 1828

Daniel Lorenzo died in November [[of that year?]]

Mrs Bede Pierpont after a long and distressing illness produced from the effects of a cancer died at Oxford New York Feb 22^nd 1851 in her 51^st year

Our daughter Esther Pierpont [20>165363] was married to Ezra Stiles April 30^th 1829

They moved to the Doc Trumbull House May same year

[[none of their children in genealogy]]

Their first child (a son) was born February 14^th 1831

Said child lived about 18 hours and dies

Their 2^nd child (a son) was born February 1^st 1833

[[note – picking up their story on next page of insert]]

Charles William Stiles son of Ezra was born Feb 1^st and baptized b the Rev. Charles William Bradley Marth 31^st 1833.

Esther Josephine their 3^rd child born March 22^nd 1836 and baptized by Rev H Croswell

Mrs. Stiles the mother & our 3^rd child after a severe & distressing sickness which commenced soon after the birth of the said Esther J died on Monday evening at ½ past 11 September 26 1836

Said Esther J who a few minutes before the death of its mother was a plump bright and apparently healthy child died September 28^th 1836 at ½ past 7 in the morning & was placed in same coffin with its mother and interred together in the afternoon of the same day [[what a tragedy!]]

Said Charles William Stiles died at Waterbury where his father then lived on the 7^th of August 1839, was brought down & interred at North Haven

Sally Pierpont [20>165365] our 5^th child died Wednesday July 27^th 1831 at about 11 o’clock P.M. in the 20^th year of her age. She

Our son Elias [20>165362] was married to Sophronia L Gill Sept 28^th 1831

They removed to New Haven to house keeping Oct 12^th 1831

Their first child (a son) was born Sept 10^th 1834, they named the child Oscar. He was baptized on the 8^th day of December 1834 and died the same day

They had another child still born in the month of July 1841, on the 11^th of September 1841 [[Not in genealogy]]

Said Sophronia went to Bridgeport on a visit – she was taken sick with the dysentery on the 12^th – Elias went down on the 21^st & stayed with [her] until her death – she died October 18^th at 6 o’clock in the morning (age 33) – was brot up and interred in the North Haven Oct 19^th 1841.

Our 1^st son Elias was again married by Rev. Daniel Croswell to Miss Grace Bradley of New Haven on the 24^th of August 1842

Harriett Augusta their first child was born at New Haven April 18^th 1846

Austin Brainerd Fuller was married to Harriett August Pierpont Sunday February 11^th 1868

Their first son, Pierpont Fuller born June 25 1869

Their second son Clement Austin born Dec 26 1873

Their third child a daughter Grace Pierpont Fuller June 22 1882

It appears from an Oxford paper of June 5^th 1840 that our son Jared Pierpont [20>165366] was married at Smithville Chenango County & State of N.Y. by Elder Miller to Fanny daughter of Abraham Tillotson of the same place. [[Last name not in genealogy]] [[Note that Fanny’s legal name is Frances – she and her son Lagrand appear in the 1850 census in Smithville]]

[[this should clear up the questions in the genealogy]]

On the 27^th of May 1840, Le Grand Adolphus dies. [[Note that this individual is NOT their son, but the person whom they named their son after!]]

It appears from Jared’s letter dated Smithville March 13^th 1843 that his son named Le Grand Adolphus was born (at Smithville where they still reside) on the 16^th day of November 1842.

Our son Jared, his wife & child all arrived here on the 26^th of November 1846 (Thanksgiving Day) intending a visit for the winter. We had never seen his wife and child before – he commenced teaching [at] a school in Hamden on the 1^st of December, was then taken sick & got home on the 11^th, had taught the school 9 days. He died on the 19^th of December 1846 at 8 o’clock in the evening (32-1/2) was buried on the 21^st – his wife and child stayed with us until the 21^st of January 1847 (except about one week with Elias) when they took a passage on the 6am & returned home.

Said child was baptized at our house by the Rev. M Everest on the 12^th day of Jan 1847 & called Jared Lagrand [[thus the confusion with his father’s name]] [witnessed by] Elias, his wife, Garnet and Rufus-Shonias [[these names difficult to read]]

Rufus [20>165367] our youngest son was married to Harriet Richards at Waterbury on the 14^th day of September 1847 and brought her home on the 15^th of the same month.

His first child was born November 28^th 1849. Said child was sick about one week – was baptized by the Rev. M Everest on the 27 of January 1850 – name Elias Richards. Said child died on the 29 of January 1850

Daniel Hobart, their 2^nd son born May 8^th 1851

Joseph their 3^rd son born March 11^th 1853

George Rufus their 4^th son born September 3^rd 1854

Rufus Pierpont was taken suddenly bleeding at the lungs on Thursday the 26^th July & continued bleeding until the 31^st July 1855 when he died aged 37 years & 4 months

Daniel Hobert(sp?) graduated at the Scientific College New Haven class of 1871, died May 17^th 1874

Joseph Pierpont son of Rufus and Harriett Pierpont married Hattie B Brockett May 20^th 1875

Grace Genevieve daughter of Joseph and Hattie born Nov 16 1877

Richards Brockett their son born November 12^th 1881

Joseph their 2^nd son born March 26^th 1888 – born the week after the great blizzard

George R Pierpont married Anna B Chaney daughter of Cyrus Chaney Oct 10 1876 [[date not in genealogy]]

Harriet Ann daughter of Meritt J and Bede Pierpont died at the residence of her uncle Elias Pierpont in New Haven on the 18^th day of April 1885 age 26 years & 7 months

Meritt Pierpont died in Oxford N York December 23 18[[year not written]]

Elias Pierpont died at New Haven Sunday Eve August 12^th 1883, age 80 years 3 months 22 days