GEORGE CHARTER [#20], d. Hartford, CT 6 Nov 1745, m. SARAH CASE (dau. of Richard Case and Sarah), b. Hartford, CT 1 Oct 1703, d. after 1765.
George Charter is the earliest known Charter ancestor in this country. He was probably born in England or Scotland around 1700 and came to Connecticut no later than 1720. He was perhaps the son of, and certainly related to, John Charter, who died in Hartford in 1720 or 1721. George was the administrator of John's estate. He was probably also related to Charles Charter who fathered a child in Hartford in 1747, but whether he was brother, father, or cousin to Charles is unclear. Many Charter descendants believe the family originated in Scotland, and indeed, the name is more common there than in England. There was a Charter family in Kircudbrightshire, Scotland in the mid 1700's, and the male names of its children are very similar to those of George's children (i.e. George, John, Archibald, James). One other clue that may be helpful in the determination of George's place of birth is that he appears to have been a weaver. The inventory of his estate included looms and spindles. This may have been an occupation that he learned from members of his own family.[3]
The will of George Charter's father-in-law of February 1724-5 mentions "Carter" who was to receive some land.[2/2:484] This presumably refers to George Charter as he and Sarah had been married for several years at the time. A look into the Hartford land records could probably quickly settle this question.
George Charter died intestate on November 6, 1745. Inventory of the estate was taken June 26, 1746 by Joseph Cowles and Samuel Smith and amounted to 833.05.09. Administration was granted Dec. 5, 1749 to son John Charter, and the widow Sarah Charter was made the guardian to Archibald, age 13, Ann, 10, James, 8, and Mary, 6.[2/?:5256] Interestingly enough, Joseph Cowles and Samuel Smith were chosen as guardians by the children of John Case who died in 1725.[2/2:4834] Presumably this John was Sarah's brother and Cowles and Smith may have been related in some other way to the family. After George's death, it is said that Sarah moved with her children to Ellington, CT.[4]
REF: [1] Woodbridge Collection - Hartford, Conn.
[2] Early Connecticut Probate Records - Charles Manwaring, 1906
[3] Research by Cindy Brown of Dorchester, MA
[4] Research by Nancy Vickers, 3345 Conant Lane, Watsonville,
CA 95076 (10/20/96)
Children (born in Hartford, CT):
1. John, b. abt. 1721, d. East Windsor, CT 3 Nov 1807[4], m(1) abt. 1745[4] Mary Chase, b. Newbury, MA 15 Aug 1724[4], d. abt. 1760, m(2) abt. 1760 Mary Conlon, d. 13 Dec 1801[4] Chil.[4]: 1) George, b. abt. 1746, d. 24 Dec 1821, m. abt. 1774 Clorinda Case, b. abt. 1756, d. 2 Jul 1802; 2) John, abt. 1750, d. Ellington, CT 7 Mar 1826, m. 7 Nov 1777 Sarah Beysell (or Bissell), b. abt. 1751, d. Ellington 15 Dec 1821; 3) Aaron, b. abt. 1772, d. 12 Jun 1835, m. Jul 1789 Lydia Post, b. Hebron, CT 29 Mar 1770, d. 11 Feb 1842; 4) Allen, b. abt. 1776, d. 17 Oct 1838, m. Dorcas ___; 5) Levi; 6) ___; 7) Mary, b. Ellington 15 Apr 1792, d. Ellington 14 Dec 1801; 8) Rebecca, b. Ellington 19 Apr 1795; 9) Eunice, b. Ellington 15 May 1797 2. George, bap. 7 Feb 1724, d. East Windsor, CT 18 Jan 1798[4] 3. Sarah, bap. 16 Feb 1728 4. Elizabeth, b. abt. 1733 5. Archibald, bap. 4 Jan 1735, d. 10 Aug 1758 6. Ann, bap. 18 Mar 1739 7. James, bap. 24 May 1741, d. Newfane, VT 22 Apr 1821, m(1) Sarah Salisbury, m(2) Ruth King, m(3) 5 Sep 1797 Phoebe Phillips, b. Easton, MA 4 Feb 1777, d. Marlborough, Vt. 14 Aug 1863 8. Mary, b. abt. 1743
JAMES CHARTER [#10], bap. Hartford, CT 24 May 1741, d. Newfane, VT 22 Apr 1821, m(1) Sarah Salisbury of Shaftsbury, Vt., m(2) Ruth King, m(3) 5 Sep 1797 PHOEBE PHILLIPS (dau. of John Phillips and Jane Ellis), b. Easton, MA 4 Feb 1777, d. Marlborough, VT 14 Aug 1863, age 86y. 6m. 10d. She m(2) Marlborough 13 Dec 1831[2/TR2:234] Joseph Bryant, d. Marlborough 23 May 1843.
| 5. Hannah Charter
|
10. James Charter |
20. George Charter |
| |
| 21. Sarah Case |
42. Richard Case 1668-1725 | 43. Sarah ____ ?-? |
|
|
11. Phoebe Phillips |
22. John Phillips |
44. Samuel Phillips 1702-c.1783 | 45. Damaris Smith ?-1795 |
| 23. Jane Ellis |
46. Richard Ellis 1704-1797 | 47. Jane Phillips 1709-c.1760 |
James Charter was a soldier in the American Revolution and fought in the Battle of Bennington in 1777. The Baptist Church in Marlborough and Newfane was organized at the house of Nehemiah Fisher and reorganized by an ecclesiastical council on Oct. 29, 1794. There were 22 original members of whom James Charter was one. On May 22, 1797 James Charter with seven others took the freeman's oath in Marlborough according to the requirements of the first constitution of Vermont, framed at Windsor July 2, 1777.
He died April 22, 1821 and was buried in the South Newfane cemetery. Inventory of the estate was taken June 6, 1821 and consisted of $800 in real estate and $208.37 in personal estate, which included farmer's tools and animals. Orison Bruce was made adminstrator of the estate after the death of Phoebe in 1863.
By an act of Congress March 3, 1855 widows of veterans became entitled to Bounty Land for the service of their husbands. Phebe Charter made her application for this type of pension in July 1858, being 81 years old at the time. Her husband's service upon which the application was based described James Charter as being a private in the company commanded by Captain Dawners in the regiment commanded by Col. Herricks and Wolbridge in the War of the Revolution. It goes on to state that James was drafted at Shaftsbury, VT in October of 1780 and 1781. It further states that she was married to James Charter in Marlboro, VT on the fifteenth day of September 1797 by one Mr. Lyman and that her name before marriage was Phebe Phillips, that her husband died at Marlboro, VT on the twenty-eighth day of April 1821 and that she is now a widow. She had never received bounty land by this or any other act of Congress.[5]
A letter from the Secretary of State's office in Vermont July 10, 1858 indicates James' name appears on a pay roll of Capt. Ephraim Downer's Alarm Co. in Col. Herrick's regiment of militia while in service 1780 with an allowance for ten days service as sergeant. Also a pay roll of Capt. Downer's Co. of militia in Col. Ebenezer Wolbridge's Regiment called to Castletown by reason of alarm in the month of October. Again ten days allowance as sergeant. Phebe referred to records in her family bible for her marriage date and James' death date.[5] It sure would be nice to see that bible today.
On October 13, 1858 Phebe's daughter, Hannah Bruce of Marlboro, deposed that she was personally acquainted with James Charter who reported himself as being a soldier who was in the War of the Revolution and heard him many times and on different occassions state that he was at several times and at different places in the service during the war. She also heard him state that he was in the Battle of Bennington and that he was on guard over the prisoners that were taken at that time. She also heard him talk with some of his old comrades who were with him in said war and relate their hardships and adventures. She reported that he talked about trying to get a pension but said he could not for the reason that he was worth too much property as the law was then written.
It's not clear whether Phebe received the pension, but on October 8, 1860 her lawyer, Damon E. Cheney, was still pursuing the issue. "Her husband was out two or three years in the whole as is supposed, was in the battle of Bennington, Saratoga, and S__ttwater, he enlisted from Shaftsbury Vermont and some of the time in the regular army".[5/?:439] In October of 1858 the Shaftsbury town clerk wrote that he found James Charter deeded lands in Shaftsbury as early as 1777 and as late as 1786.[5]
James and Phoebe are buried side by side in South Newfane Cemetery off Augur Hole Road near the Marlboro town line.[7]
REF: [1] The History of Marlborough, Vt. - Rev. Ephraim H. Newton,
1930
[2] Marlborough, VT Town Records
[3] Brattleboro, VT Probate Records
[4] 1880 Vermont Census
[5] National Archives Pension Files
[6] Vermont Vital Records
[7] South Newfane Cemetery, gravestone transcriptions by Charles
Marchant, manuscript in Newfane Town Clerk's Office
Children (by Sarah):
1. Esther 2. Sally, m. Peter Vosburgh 3. Rhoda 4. a son who died young
Children (by Ruth):
5. Polly, m. Marlborough 7 May 1809 Soloman Ball
6. Phillip, b. Hartford, CT, d. Newfane, VT 19 Jul 1861, m.
Marlborough 13 Mar 1811[2/1:102] Mrs. Lucinda Smith, (b. in
Medfield, MA dau. of Ephraim Smith and Rachel), d.
Marlborough 31 Aug 1867,[2/2b:8] 79y. 11m. 20d.
7. Samuel, m. Marlborough 23 Jan 1814[2/1:109] Nancy Harding
of Boston
8. Daniel
9. David, b. Marlborough, Vt. 16 Mar 1797, d. Marlborough 27 Nov
1861 of epilepsy,[2] m. Ann Gould, b. 1796, d. Marlborough
10 Oct 1884[2/3:D3] (age 88y. 7m.)
Chil. (b. Marlborough, VT [2/1:157]):
A) King David Charter, b. 18 Apr 1825, d. Marlborough 12 May
1886,[2/3:D7] m. Marlborough 31 Dec 1847[2/TR3:123]
Esther A. Bartlett, d. 16 Dec 1890 age 64y. 9m. 3d.[7]
King D. was a Civil War soldier Co. I, 2nd VT Vols.
Chil. (b. Marlborough, VT [2/2:88]:
1) Lucy Ann Elizabeth Charter, b. 22 Oct 1848
2) George Herbert Chater, b. 9 Jul 1850, d. Jacksonville,
FL 17 Feb 1892[2/3:D19]
3) Louise Annette Charter, b. 16 Feb 1852, d. 27 May 1914,[7]
m.[7] Alonzo V. Stratton, b. 6 Jul 1849, d. 4 Feb 1914
4) Alice Helen Isadore Charter, b. 23 Jul 1854
5) Willie A. Charter, b. abt. 1856, d. Marlborough
26 Jul 1864 drowned age 7[2/2b:5], age 7y. 9m.[7]
6) child Charter, b. abt. 1856 (twin)
7) Wilton E. Charter, d. Marlborough 20 Sep 1865 age 2[2/2b:6],
age 2y. 9m.[7]
8) Frank L. C. Charter, b. 14 Aug 1868,[2] d. 21 Mar 1889
age 20y. 6m. 7d.[7]
B) Sarah Ann Charter, b. 20 Jun 1826
C) Sylvester Charter, b. 29 Apr 1827, d. 1902[7]
D) Mary Lovilla Charter, b. 21 Dec 1828
E) Georgeannah Elizajane Charter, b. 18 May 1832, prob. m.
Marlborough 11 Sep 1851[2/TR3:178] George Goodwin
F) George S. Charter, d. 12 Jul 1859 age 21 years[7]
Children (by Phoebe all in Marlborough, Vt.):
10. Philena, b. 1 Oct 1798,[2/1:74] d. 23 Oct 1880, m. Halifax, VT
14 Nov 1819 Asa Worden, d. Marlborough 10 Jun 1857 age 88y
6m 28d
Chil.(Rootsweb's WorldConnect database):
A) Hannah E. Worden, b. 10 Feb 1836, d. 17 Sep
1881, m. Robert Fulton (son of Jesse Fulton and Sophrona
Franklin), b. 4 Oct 1827
11. Ruth, b. 6 Jun 1800,[2/1:74] d. Marlborough 6 Mar 1802[2/1:74]
12. Hannah, b. 7 Apr 1803,[2/1:74] d. Marlborough, VT 3 Jun
1884,[2/3:D3] m(1) Marlborough 20 Feb 1825[2/1:150] Orison Bruce,
b. Newfane, VT 3 Dec 1803, d. Marlborough, VT 3 Jul 1869
13. John, b. 26 Nov 1805,[2/1:74] m. 12 Sep 1830 Hannah I. Yeaton
of Porstmouth, NH
14. James, Jr., b. 30 May 1809,[2/1:74] d. 16 Jan 1897,[7] m. Boston,
MA 2 Apr 1829 Mary B. Fillebrown, b. Orrington, ME 1 Mar 1813
(abt. 1816 in Maine according to [4]), d. 30 Mar 1895[7]
Chil.(from Rootsweb's WorldConnect database):
A) James H. Charter, b. 1832, m. East Boston, MA 1853 Mary
A. Dutton
B) Charles M. Charter, b. Boston, MA 1837, m. Boston, MA
Rebecca Wyman
C) Francis H. Charter, b. Boston, MA 1840, m. Helen S. Gallagher
D) Anna Viola Charter, b. VT 1844, m. Somerville, VT 1863
N. J. D. Leavett
E) Herbert F. Charter, b. VT 1848, d. Brewer, ME 1864
F) John F. Charter, b. East Boston, MA 1852, d. Williamsville,
VT 28 Feb 1876 age 23y. 11m. 9d.[7]
G) Mary Elizabeth Charter, m. Elijah Morse
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