My Priors

Fifth Generation

Family of Joshua PRIOR (4) & Mary BURNHAM

5. Simeon PRIOR. Born on 16 May 1752 in Norwich, New London, CT. Simeon died in N.Hampton, Summit Co., OH on 29 Jun 1837; he was 85.

Simeon Prior was the youngest of nine children of Joshua and Mary (Burnham) Prior. He was born 16 May 1754 at Norwich, Connecticut. He married Catherine Wight 1 January 1781. They moved to Hampshire County, Massachusetts shortly thereafter. Mr. Prior was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, serving, among other battles, at Trenton. The family history tells how he was one of the body guards of George Washington when he crossed the Deleware River at Trenton.
(SEE MILITARY NOTES)

The Prior family came by ox-teams to Lake Ontario, and from there in open boats by way of Niagra River to Lake Erie where they landed at Cleveland, which, in those days, consisted of only a few log huts. They came through the unbroken wilderness to Hudson, arriving in June of 1802. The family was left there while the new home was hunted up. A log cabin was built on the eastern part of Lot #25. This is located at the SW corner of Chart Road and State Road (Route #8). In August of 1802 the family moved in.

There were 10 children in the family. They purchased 400 acres of land and were the first regular farming settlers in Northampton township. He was a farmer, blacksmith, and machinist, a combination of occupations well qualifying him to be an admirable pioneer settler.

Mr. and Mrs. Prior spend the remainder of their lives in this community and are buried in Lot #7 in the Herrington Cemetery on State Road.

The township got its name from the memories of their previous home (Hampshire County) in Massachusetts.

Source: "Northampton's First Settler,"

Military: Though the story has been handed down that he was a body guard of Gen. Washington at the Battle of Trenton this in fact is not true according Simeon Prior's own handwritten word (See last paragraph of Letter). Below is a translation of the original letter written by Simeon Prior. It was written some time after the Revolutionary War took place and is some what of a history of his military life starting at age 15, but was unfinished.

I, Simeon Prior, was born in May 16, 1754, Connectcut. County Newlondon, Town of Norwich. Son to Joshua Prior, the sixth son and ninth child from my mother. At fifteen went to live with Nathan Cobb to learn the blacksmith trade where I learned to work on guns. In 1776 after the Army, went to New York, Col. John Durgey of Norwich wanted me to enlist as armorer in his regiment promising $12.00 per month and rations. Enlisted for about 9 months. It was after the after the Army had moved from Boston to New York I went with the Col. and was put into Capt. Gedrin Waterman's Company then lying on the east side of the City. Ap er dng (as he wrote it, not sure what it is suppose to be, the underline is mine.) days after, had orders to to to the west side of the city to where it was then called the Kings Yard and work under Capt. John Nutter as armorer. The regiment soon after moved over to footers (Paulus) hook. Little after that went up the north river, I was ordered to joyne (end of page one).

the regiment and work by myself, where I remained until after the British took the city of N.J. After that to fort Lee where we staid until the enemylanded a part-of their army about five miles above the fort. Then we was caled on to go and stop them. Orders was not to carry our knapsacks, accordingly we left them. But when we came in sight of them we had orders to retreat before them and leave all our clothes behind. The time I have forgot, but from that until the 21st of Jan. 1777, I never had a change of clothes. Cold, nakedness and hunger was with me until I was discharged 300 miles from home. The 3rd day on my way home I was take sick with the pluercy. At that time I lost my discharge. I lay sick ten days, which made me 21 days getting home where I got some clean clothes (end of page two).

As to the Bigade Col. Durgey belong I never knew when Gen. Washington and Gen. Mercer went to Trenton and took the Hessions. 25 December 76 I was on second platoon in the front of the brigade. The Col. was sick at that time. The Major and oldest Capt. was in front.........(unfinished)

SOURCE: "SIMEON PRIOR'S LETTER" (Handwritten in his hand sometime after the American Revolutionary War. Original letter is in the possession of Sharon Jones, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

On 1 Jan 1781 when Simeon was 28, he married Catherine WIGHT, in Norwich, New London, CT. Born on 26 Aug 1763 in Rutland, MA. Catherine died in N.Hampton, Summit Co., OH on 13 Apr 1838; she was 74.

They had the following children:

	i.	Sarah (Sallie). Born on 29 Oct 1781 in Hampshire Co., MA. Sarah (Sallie) died in N.Hampton, Summit Co., OH on 30 May 1847; she was 65. On 18 Apr 1803 when Sarah (Sallie) was 21, she married Joseph DARROW. Born on 27 Mar 1775 in New Lebanon, NY. Joseph died in Darrowville, OH on 13 Nov 1830; he was 55.
	ii.	William. Born on 6 Apr 1783 in Hampshire Co., MA. William died in Jun 1872 in N.Hampton, Summit Co., OH. bef 1817 William first married Sarah WHARTON. Born in 1780. Sarah died on 26 Nov 1823 in Northampton Twp, Summit Co., OH. On 11 Jul 1824 when William was 41, he second married Polly CULVER, in Portage Co., OH. Born abt 1817 in New York. Polly died in Feb 1849 in N.Hampton, Summit Co., OH.
	iii.	David. Born on 27 Nov 1784 in Hampshire Co., MA. David died on 18 Nov 1866; he was 81. Born on 27 Nov 1784 in Hampshire Co, MA.
	iv.	Elisha. Born on 16 Oct 1786 in Hampshire Co., MA. Elisha died in N.Hampton, Summit Co., OH on 23 May 1867; he was 80. In 1809 Elisha first married Harriet STILES. Born abt 1790 in Probably Norwich, New London, CT. Harriet died on 24 May 1836 in N.Hampton, Summit Co., OH. Harriet died on 24 May 1836 in Northhampton Twp, Summit Co, OH. Elisha second married Clarissa (PRIOR). Born in 1794. Clarissa died in 1880 in Northampton Twp, Summit Co., OH.
	v.	John Seburg (Sebra). Born on 15 Oct 1788 in Hampshire Co., MA.
	vi.	Mary (Polly). Born on 16 Dec 1789 in Hampshire Co., MA. Born on 16 Dec 1789 in Hampshire Co, MA. Mary (Polly) first married Warren LITTLE. In 1808 Mary (Polly) second married Eber KENNEDY.
	vii.	Judith. Born on 2 Nov 1791 in Hampshire Co., MA. Judith died on 1 May 1862; she was 70. Born on 2 Nov 1791 in Hampshire Co, MA. In 1811 Judith married Elisha PERKINS.
	viii.	Gurden. Born on 17 Sep 1793 in Hampshire Co., MA. Gurden died in 1885. Born on 17 Sep 1793 in Hampshire Co, MA. In 1815 Gurden married Hannah BATES.
	ix.	Lydia. Born on 21 Jul 1795 in Hampshire Co., MA. Born on 21 Jul 1795 in Hampshire Co, MA.
	x.	Jerusha. Born on 24 Feb 1797 in Hampshire Co., MA. Jerusha died on 25 Aug 1846; he was 49. Born on 24 Feb 1797 in Hampshire Co, MA. Jerusha first married Francis BOSWORTH. Jerusha second married Miss DAVIS.
6	xi.	Charles C. Pinckney (1799-1879)
	xii.	Elizabeth. Born on 28 Feb 1801 in Hampshire Co., MA. Elizabeth died on 15 Jan 1874; she was 72. Elizabeth first married SAWYER. Elizabeth second married WRIGHT.
	xiii.	Abby. Born on 9 Jul 1803. Abby died in 1807.
	xiv.	Joseph. Born on 5 Sep 1805.
	xv.	Erastus. Born on 10 Apr 1809. Erastus died on 13 Dec 1866; he was 57. Erastus married Sarah Ladd BURLESON.

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