Person Page - 87

     Ella was born at Jackson County, MI, USA, circa 1903. She was the daughter of Lavata August Fritz and Edith Rozella Hotchkin.

     Lillian was born at Jackson County, MI, USA, circa 1905. She was the daughter of Lavata August Fritz and Edith Rozella Hotchkin.

     Theophilus Redfield was born in 1682 at Saybrook, Middlesex County, CT, USA.¹ He was the son of James Redfield and Elizabeth Howe. He married Priscilla Grinnell at Killingworth, Middlesex County, CT, USA, on 24 December 1706. Theophilus Redfield died on 15 February 1759 at Killingworth, Middlesex County, CT.¹ He was buried at Old Southwest Cemetery, at Killingworth, Middlesex County, CT, USA.

     Thanks to Ray Downing at findagrave.com

Theophilus Redfield, son of James, son of the immigrant William, married Priscilla Grinnell, the great granddaughter of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins. The thirteen children of Theophilus and Priscilla all attained adulthood, and all had large families of their own. Thus, from Theophilus Redfield come 90 percent of those in the United States today bearing that surname; all of whom may claim Mayflower descendency.

     Priscilla Grinnell was born in 1689 at Saybrook, Middlesex County, CT, USA. She was the daughter of Daniel Grinnell and Lydia Peabodie. She married Theophilus Redfield at Killingworth, Middlesex County, CT, USA, on 24 December 1706. Priscilla Grinnell died on 12 January 1770 at Killingworth, Middlesex County, CT. She was buried at Indian River Cemetery, at Clinton, Middlesex County, CT, USA.

     Miles Leete was born in 1757 at Guilford, New Haven County, CT, USA.¹ He was the son of Roland Gideon Leete and Mercy Dudley. He married Elizabeth (Betsey) Hubbard at CT, USA.¹ Miles Leete died on 4 July 1834 at Peru, Clinton County, NY, USA. The Leete Genealogy says that he died 24 July 1836 in Peru, Clinton Co., NY.¹

     Elizabeth (Betsey) Hubbard was born on 25 October 1769 at Guilford, New Haven County, CT, USA. She married Miles Leete at CT, USA.¹ Elizabeth (Betsey) Hubbard died on 20 February 1827 at Peru, Clinton County, NY, USA, at age 57. Leete Genealogy.

     William Leete was born in 1612 at Diddington, Huntingdonshire County, England. Talcott does not give a birth location.¹ He was the son of John Leete and Anna Shute. William Leete married Anna Payne on 16 April 1638 at Guilford, New Haven County, CT, USA.¹ William Leete married Sarah Rutherford on 7 April 1670 at Guilford, New Haven County, CT. William Leete married Mary Newman circa 1674 at Guilford, New Haven County, CT. William Leete died on 16 April 1683 at Hartford, Hartford County, CT, USA. He was buried at Ancient Burial Grounds, at Hartford, Hartford County, CT, USA.

     The following was copied from records of the Connecticut State Library:

Governor of the Colony of New Haven, 1661-1665.
Governor of the Colony of Connecticut, 1676-1683
Born: ca. 1613, Dodington, Huntingdonshire, England
College: Possibly studied law at Cambridge University
Political Party: None
Offices: Clerk in Bishop's Court at Cambridge, England
Justice of the Peace, Guilford, Connecticut, 1642
Guilford Town Clerk, 1639-1662
Magistrate, Guilford, 1651-1658
Deputy, New Haven Colony General Court, 1643-1649
Commissioner, New Haven Colony, 1655-1658
Deputy Governor, New Haven Colony, 1658-1661
Governor, New Haven Colony, 1661-1665
Governor, Colony of Connecticut, 1676-1683
Died: April 16, 1683, Hartford, Connecticut
William Leete was born about 1613 in Dodington, Huntingdonshire, England, the son of John Leete and Anne Shute, daughter of Robert Shute, a judge of the king's court. His grandfather's legal experience may have influenced William to go into the practice of law. He became registrar for the Bishop of Ely's Court at Cambridge, England, which was investigating the activities of the Puritans, and became converted to Puritan beliefs. In May 1639, he, with his wife, Ann, and their young child, left England for Quinnipiac (New Haven) with the Rev. Henry Whitfield's party.
Leete was an original planter (settler) of Guilford, being one of the 25 who signed the covenant of the Whitfield Company on June 1, 1639 and among those who purchased Indian lands in 1639 and 1641. On June 19, 1643 he became one of the seven founders of the First Congregational Church of Guilford. In that year he also served as a representative from Guilford to a meeting in New Haven that led to the formation of the New Haven Colony.
William Leete's civic service continued through the following years. He served as Guilford Town Clerk for 22 years and was Magistrate of Guilford from 1651 to 1658. He was one of the Deputies from Guilford to the General Court of the New Haven Colony for every session between 1643 and 1649, and was Deputy Governor of the New Haven Colony from 1658 to 1661. While Leete was serving as Deputy Governor and Chief Magistrate of the New Haven Colony, royal agents sought his assistance in capturing Edward Whalley and William Goffe, two former English judges known as "regicides", wanted by King Charles II for signing the death warrant of his father, Charles I. Leete cooperated enough to avoid charges of obstructing justice but not enough to insure the capture of the fugitives.
William Leete became acting Governor of the New Haven Colony when Governor Francis Newman died on November 18, 1660. He was officially elected Governor of the New Haven Colony in May of 1661. In 1662, John Winthrop gained a charter from the Crown for the Connecticut Colony granting it lands from the Pawcatuck River westward to the "South Sea" (i.e., Pacific Ocean). The charter also merged the New Haven Colony with the Connecticut Colony. Neither colony had legal status). Leete initially protested to the United Colony commissioners in Boston. Many residents of the New Haven Colony were so upset by the union that they left for a new settlement at Newark, New Jersey. Lands were laid out for Leete there, but by the summer of 1663 he had begun to work towards the union of the New Haven and Connecticut Colonies. He ultimately chose to remain in Connecticut.
In October 1664, prior to the absorption of the New Haven Colony by the Connecticut Colony, William Leete received a provisional appointment as an Assistant to the Connecticut General Court. His efforts to insure that unification was done "in a righteous & amicable way" and willingness to serve in the unified colony's government helped dispel the concerns of many unhappy residents of the New Haven Colony. As a reward for his efforts in the unification, Leete was granted 300 acres "for a farme" by the Connecticut General Court in 1667.
Leete was reelected Assistant yearly until he was elected Deputy Governor of the Connecticut Colony in May 1669. He assumed some of the duties of Governor when Governor John Winthrop went to Boston to attend meetings of the New England colonies and more of the duties later as Winthrop's health began to fail. At Winthrop's death in 1676, Leete became Governor of the Colony and was requested by the General Assembly to move to Hartford "to attend the occasions of the country as governor." There he faced issues related to the recent wars with Native Americans, adjustments to the border with Rhode Island, and the planning of countermeasures against New York Governor Edmond Andros' efforts to encroach on Connecticut's sovereignty.
William Leete married three times. While still in England, he married Ann Payne, daughter of Rev. John Payne of Southhoe on August 1, 1636. She bore him ten children and died on September 1, 1668. He then married Sarah, the widow of Henry Rutherford, on April 7, 1670. She died on February 10, 1673/4. His third wife was Mary, widow of Francis Newman (a governor of the New Haven Colony) and of Rev. Nicholas Street. She survived Governor Leete by a few months, dying on December 13, 1683. There were no children by the last two marriages.
Following his election as Governor of the Connecticut Colony, William Leete moved from Guilford to Hartford. He is buried in Hartford's Ancient Burial Ground. Leete's Island in Branford/Guilford is named for him.
According to the Genealogy on William Leete,² he sailed from England on the ship St. John, commanded by Capt. Russell, and arrived at New Haven, between July 10 and 15th, 1639. He was one of the signers of the Plantation Covenant on 1 June, 1639 and when the group decided on Guilford, he was one of the six selcted to buy the land and sign the contract.²

     Thersey Moore was born in 1787 at NY, USA. Age 63 at the 1850 census. She married Jonas Muzzy at Tioga County, NY, USA, on 27 August 1801. Thersey Moore died on 31 August 1861 at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA. She was buried at Hope Cemetery, at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA.

     Jonas Muzzy was born on 2 April 1775 at Spencer, Worcester County, MA, USA. He married Thersey Moore at Tioga County, NY, USA, on 27 August 1801. Jonas Muzzy died on 17 December 1864 at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, at age 89. He was buried at Hope Cemetery, at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA.

     Asa was born at Stockbridge, Berkshire County, MA, USA, on 10 June 1764.¹ He married Abigail Brown at Stockbridge, Berkshire County, MA, on 19 January 1786.¹ He married Lucy Bishop at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, on 18 October 1815. Married by Rev. Jerimiah Osborn..^1,2 Asa died on 21 April 1847 at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, at age 82.¹ He was buried at Hope Cemetery, at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA.

     Historical gazetteer of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888

Author: Gay, W. B. (William Burton)
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : W.B. Gay & Co.

208 TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY

Asa Bement, b at Stockbridge, Mass.,in June, 1764, son of Asa and Ruth (Neal) Bement, was a blacksmith and farmer. He married 19 Jan 1786 with Abigail Brown, daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Burr) Brown, of Stockbridge, where she was born 31 July, 1762. He was one of the sixty associates who bought the ten townships, and in the grand division he drew lot 177. In the summer of 1792 he began to fit it up for a home, by clearing some land, building a log house, and sowing some wheat.

At the end of this second summer he returned to Stockbridge, feeling that his new home was ready for his family, so after spending most of the winter enjoying the privileges of settled society, he bought of John Brown another lot of boards for a Sleigh box, 4 Feb 1794. He soon started with his wife and four children for this sylvan paradise. The place on which he settled had natural beauties and advantages equal to any in the valley, and two of its beautiful maple groves yet grace the landscape. His wife died 14 Nov 1814. He married (2d), 18 Oct 1815, with Lucy Bishop, widow of Noah Lyman, and daughter of Judge Nathaniel and Ruth (Bartlett) Bishop, of Richmond, Mass., previously of Guilford, Conn., where she was born 4 Sep 1774. He died 21 April 1847. She died 19 July 1852. He had by his first wife, eight children, and by the second, one: Parthenia, Betsey, Frances, Abigail, William, Emily, Mary, Frederick, Jane.

Newark Valley Historical Society

Asa Bement Jr. was among the first settlers in Newark Valley. He brought his young family from Stockbridge, Massachusetts in the 1790's to settle here on the banks of the east branch of Owego Creek. His 350 acre farm included tilled fields, pastures, and woodlands. In addition to this home, Asa built a saw mill, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, and barns on his property. The mills and blacksmith shop served the needs of neighboring farms as well as his own. The Bement farmstead was one of the most prosperous in Northern Tioga County.

When Asa built this house in the mid 1790's, it had a kitchen, ante-room, pantry, bedroom and a sleeping loft for his children. A formal parlor in the Federal style was added in the 1820's. Asa's son William extended the house to include a second story, new parlor and two more bedrooms on the first floor in 1843. These rooms and the exterior of the house reflect the Greek Revival style popular in the early to mid 1800's. In the I880's the summer kitchen was added to the north end of the house.

Over the years the property was owned by the Ford and later the Billings families. In 1977, Mrs. Myrtie Louise Billings Hills deeded the house to the Newark Valley Historical Society to be preserved as a living history museum. In 1997 she gave 90 acres of the original farm to the society. Today the house is furnished as it was in the early 1800s. Additional structures on the site include a reconstructed blacksmith shop, the threshing barn, a woodshop and carriage shed. Today on the farmstead, costumed interpreters demonstrate 19th century skills and trades such as blacksmithing, cooking, spinning and weaving and woodworking as they were done in Asa's day.
The Bement-Billings House Museum is located at the Farmstead.

Blacksmith Shop

In the 1790's, Asa Bement and his young cousin John Rewey, built a log blacksmith shop as part of the Farmstead. Here they made and repaired iron implements such as sled runners, chains, kitchen utensils, household hardware, farm tools and horse shoes. Their shop served the needs of the surrounding area as well as the farmstead.

     Abigail Brown was born on 31 July 1762 at Stockbridge, Berkshire County, MA, USA.¹ She was the daughter of Samuel Brown and Abigail Burr. She married Asa Bement at Stockbridge, Berkshire County, MA, on 19 January 1786.¹ Abigail Brown died on 14 November 1814 at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, at age 52.¹ She was buried at Hope Cemetery, at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA.

     Lucy Bishop was born on 4 September 1774 at Guilford, New Haven County, CT, USA. This date and location come from bible records in the Samuel Collins Revolutionary War Pension files. Betsey and Lucy were twins.^1,2 She was the daughter of Hon. Nathaniel Bishop and Ruth Bartlett. Lucy Bishop married Noah Lyman Jr. on 12 November 1795 at Richmond, Berkshire County, MA, USA. Married by Rev David Perry..¹ She married Asa Bement at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, on 18 October 1815. Married by Rev. Jerimiah Osborn..^2,1 Lucy died on 19 July 1852 at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, at age 77.² She was buried at Hope Cemetery, at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA.

     Jane was born at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, on 14 August 1816.¹ She was the daughter of Asa Bement and Lucy Bishop. Jane Bement died on 26 March 1892 at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, at age 75. She was buried at Hope Cemetery, at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA. Wife of Major Frederick Theodore Wells..

     Elizabeth was born at Stockbridge, Berkshire County, MA, USA, on 28 November 1788.¹ She was the daughter of Asa Bement and Abigail Brown.

     Frances was born at Stockbridge, Berkshire County, MA, USA, on 18 December 1790.¹ She was the daughter of Asa Bement and Abigail Brown.

     Abigail was born at Stockbridge, Berkshire County, MA, USA, on 18 June 1793.¹ She was the daughter of Asa Bement and Abigail Brown.

     William was born at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, on 29 May 1796.¹ He was the son of Asa Bement and Abigail Brown. William Brown Bement married Ruth B. Lyman in September 1819 at NY, USA. William Brown Bement died on 21 March 1870 at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, at age 73. He was buried at Hope Cemetery, at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA.

     Emily was born at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, on 23 September 1798.¹ She was the daughter of Asa Bement and Abigail Brown.

     Mary was born at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, on 8 March 1801.¹ She was the daughter of Asa Bement and Abigail Brown.

     Frederick was born at Newark Valley, Tioga County, NY, USA, on 14 November 1804.¹ He was the son of Asa Bement and Abigail Brown. Frederick Burr Bement died on 2 September 1884 at Belvidere, Boone County, IL, USA, at age 79. He was buried at Belvidere Cemetery, at Belvidere, Boone County, IL, USA.

     William Grant JR was born on 18 November 1741 at Torrington, Litchfield County, CT, USA. He was the son of William Grant SR. and Sarah Moore. William Grant JR married Lois Foster on 18 November 1762 at Torrington, Litchfield County, CT. Needs correction. William Grant JR was a Private, andserved in Col Whiting CT Line, during the Revolutionary War. He also served as Mariner on the ship Tartan of the Massachusetts Navy underCapt. Cathcart. He married Mary (Polly) Yarrington at Stonington, New London County, CT, USA, on 17 February 1785. William Grant JR died on 18 February 1825 at Vernon, Oneida County, NY, USA, at age 83. He was buried at Hodge Cemetery, at Neversink, Sullivan County, NY, USA.

     Mary (Polly) Yarrington was born on 25 June 1765 at Stonington, New London County, CT, USA. She married William Grant JR at Stonington, New London County, CT, on 17 February 1785. Mary (Polly) Yarrington died on 3 November 1849 at Sullivan County, NY, USA, at age 84. She was buried at Hodge Cemetery, at Neversink, Sullivan County, NY, USA.

     Enoch Tompkins was born on 21 July 1796 at NY, USA. Age 66 at the 1860 census. He married Mary Slack at NY circa 1830. Enoch Tompkins died on 16 June 1864 at Sullivan County, NY, USA, at age 67. He was buried at Woodbourne Reformed Cemetery, at Woodbourne, Sullivan County, NY, USA.