ERASTUS BRAINERD FAMILY GENEALOGY

STANCLIFF FAMILY GENEALOGY

From book "Descendants of James Stanclift of Middletown, Connecticut and Allied Families", By Robert C. and Sherry [Smith] Stancliff

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                                                  BRAINERD FAMILY

(127) MARY WELLS5 STANCLIFF (James4, James3, James2, James1)

Daughter of James and Meribah [Welles] born Chatham, CT Dec. 1, 1792(1), died Portland, Ct May 11, 1880 � 88 years, 5 months and 10 days. She and her husband buried Trinity Episcopal Church Cemetery, Portland, CT. She married Dec. 25, 1815 ERASTUS BRAINERD(2) son of Silas and Lucinda [Brainerd] Brainerd of East Haddam, CT, born 1792, baptized Feb. 5, 1792, died June 15, 1861 age 69(3).

Erastus was a Representative to the state Legislature 1843/44 and a director of the Middletown Bank 1847-1861. Erastus came into possession of what had once been the "Stancliff Brownstone Quarry", and operated it under the name "E. & S. Brainerd Co." for many years with brother Silas. In 1857 after the death of his brother, Silas, it became "Erastus Brainerd & Co.". He was very successful in his business enterprises and was one of the wealthiest men in the area.

They appeared in the 1850 Census in Portland with six children and an equal number of servants. At this date Erastus called himself "a stone cutter"(4). Erastus listed himself as a "Quarryman" in 1860 and the family lived in the Town of Portland. Their son Erastus Brainerd Jr lived next door with his family(5). After the death of Erastus, Mary remained in her home in Portland with four grown children, Mary, Catherine Ann, Corine and LeRoy. In 1870 her granddaughter, Millie, the daughter of Erastus Brainerd Jr was living in her household. It was clear that Erastus had provided generously for each of his children, as well as his widow(6).

CHILDREN: Erastus and Mary Wells [Stancliff] Brainerd all born in Portland, CT.

1. MARY BRAINERD born Sep. 12, 1817, died unmarried Portland, CT Feb. 8, 1902.

2. ERASTUS BRAINERD JR born July 27, 1819, died Portland, CT Nov. 22, 1891, married Oct. 10, 1843 EMILY HALL CHURCHILL daughter of Henry and Emily [Hall] Churchill of Portland, CT. He worked at the Quarry for over twenty five years eventually taking over the management of the business.

3. NORMAN LESLIE BRAINERD born Apr. 10, 1821, died Aug. 30, 1877, married May 14, 1847 LEORA CAMPBELL daughter of William and Mary [Cheney] Campbell. He graduated from Washington, now Trinity College, Hartford, CT in 1843 and practiced Law in Middletown, CT.

4. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BRAINERD born Nov. 29, 1823, died Mar. 1, 1886, married Mar. 26, 1851 AMELIA ANN DAVIS born July 8, 1822 daughter of Asa and Mary [Diggins] Davis. He was a large stockholder and Treasurer of the Brainerd Quarry Company.

5. JANE MARIA BRAINERD born Oct. 21, 1826, died Meriden, CT Apr. 10, 1881, married May 25, 1853 REV. DR. GILES HENRY DESHON born Mar. 30, 1820 son of John and Fannie [Robertson] Deshon of New london, CT. They lived Windham, Glastonbury and Meriden, CT. Her father named a schooner used to transport stone after her.

6. CATHERINE ANN BRAINERD born Mar. 26, 1829, never married. She is mentioned in the probate papers of her cousin, Ellen Mary Stancliff in 1918.

7. JERUSHA DICKENSON BRAINERD born Apr. 1, 1831, married Apr. 12, 1848 WILLIAM PLUMMER TEWKSBURY of Boston, MA and resided in Newtonville, MA.

8. ADELAIDE BRAINERD born Nov. 6, 1832, died Newburgh, NY Mar. 20, 1891, married Nov. 17, 1858 REV. RUFUS EMERY, D.D. son of Captain Flavius(7) and Elizabeth [Emery] Emery born Newburyport, MA July 25, 1827. He served churches in Southport and Stonington, CT and Newburgh, NY.

9. CORINNE L. BRAINERD born Dec. 29, 1835, never married. She is mentioned in the probate papers of her cousin, Ellen Mary Stancliff in 1918.

10. LEROY BRAINERD born Mar. 12, 1840, died Apr. 4, 1903, married Apr. 28, 1869 AMELIA DAVIS FREEMAN born Cherry Valley, NY, daughter of Rodney B. and Mary [Davis] Freeman of Portland, CT. They lived Portland, CT until the fall of 1899 when they moved to Germantown, PA.

See Appendix A: BRAINERD

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Footnotes:

1. .Chatham Vital Records under "Standish" page 47

2. .Chatham Vital Records under "Standish" page 205

3. .THE GENEALOGY OF THE BRAINERD-BRAINARD FAMILY IN AMERICA 1649-1908, by Lucy Abigail Brainard, page 189

4. .CT 1850 CENSUS, Middlesex County, Town of Portland, Dwelling 140, Family 185, page 424A.

5. .CT 1860 CENSUS, Middlesex County, Town of Portland, Dwelling 421, Family 467.

6. .CT 1870 CENSUS, Middlesex County, Town of Portland, Dwelling 632, Family 924, page 435B.

7. .COLONIAL FAMILIES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, by George Norbury MacKenzie, LL.B., 1907, page 156.

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