Jehiel SLOSSON

Notes:

"George Slawson - An American Pioneer": Jehiel, the restless Minuteman, after the Revolutionary War, with his wife, Rebecca, left the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, and crossed the Hudson River into New York State. There in the hills of Greenville, near the Catskills, they farmed and raised their family.
Their new home, Coxsackie, the Slossons found had some patriotic fame, for here the Dutch farmers had made a freedom declaration even before the signing of the American Declaration of Independence.
While living in Coxsackie for some half-dozen years, the couple had two children, Jehiel, Jr., and a daughter, Becky. They are listed in first U.S. Decennial Census, 1790, page 23. But life in that river town did not satisfy Jehiel's restless spirit. It was commercial, and now he remembered the quiet, wooded Berkshire Hills. Again the Slossons wre on the move - westward and northward to the small town of Greenville in New York hills.
Again, the Slossons were early settlers. They had arrived about 1791, and it was not until about 1803 when the setlement once called Freehold was given its present name of Greenville.
Jehiel was a farmer, and probably a craftsman as well. Remote Greenille had varied home industries, it is recorded. Further, two small pieces of handmade Colonial furniture still in the family are believed to have been made by Jehiel in his Greenville home.
Tragedy came, however, when Jehiel at the age of forty-nine passed on. Rebecca met that challenge by leading her seven children in a wagon train westward, down the mountains, through the Susquehanna River Valley to a new life in south-central New York State....
Jehiel was the second child of Daniel and Keziah Slosson. Jehiel's name - probably best pronounces as a "he" in the center - was derived from the Old Testament. Jehiel appears in Chronicles as the son of Good King Jehoshaphat.
Finally, on January 22, 1807, the ather, Jehiel, when he was only forty-nine years old, answered the final call. His restless spirit had made that final trip. And two weeks later, his fifteen-year-old girl, Sally, also passed away. The cause of their demise is not known. Jehiel might have had a war disability, or again, a wintertime epidemic may have swept through that area, where the closed doctor may have been miles away.
Rebecca was now a widow with seven dependent children. Doubtless Jehiel left her with a reasonably good farm and their homestead. ...
News of her plight slowly went to relatives in various places. Meanwhile, she pondered what would be best for her children. Finally word was received from Jehiel's uncle, Enoch Slosson, suggesting that her family come to live near him in the south-central part of New York State. Summarized from century-old notes written by William patterson, who had married into the family, here is why Enoch turned out to be the benefactor of Rebecca's family.
Years before, bread had been cast on the waters in the Slosson family. Third-generation Nathaniel had been given a land gift by his father-in-law. Nathaniel, in turn, had given some land to his son, fourth-generation Enoch. And now Enoch was volunteering to help the family of his nephew, fifth-generation Jehiel.
However, it was an unusual cause-and-effect story whereby Enoch happened to be living in New York state in a position to offer Rebecca assistance. years before he had followed his brother Daniel into the Berkshire Hills. There, in Stockbridge, as a respected citizen, he had been elected constable, the position his father had similarly held in Kent.
In connection with his official duties, Enoch accused a captain of partiality in giving evidence under oath. The church took the captain's side; Enoch stood by his convictions, and so had been admonished by the church.
Perhaps because of this treatment, in 1793 Enoch moved with some of his family into the wilderness area at Brown's Settlement on the Boston Settlement on the Boston purchase in Newark Valley in Tioga County south-central new York State. There he pioneered and apparently prospered with the growth of the area. Subsequently, the Stockbridge captain, on his deathbed, confessed the wrong he had done to Slosson, who was then pardoned by the church. Thus Enoch was well able to help Rebecca. Completing his life story, although distressed by his church troubles, he lived to the age of ninety-four.
After receiving the Enoch Slosson offer to join his family, Rebecca reflected that it might be easier simpl to remain in Greenville. but that hll area was rather isolated with limited opportunies for her children. Again, she could backtrack to the Berkshire Hills or to Connecticut where many friends and relatives were living.
But Enoch's location was in a new land with plenty of space for her family to grow and develop. Further, and this was important, it was in the direction her restless Jehiel had been headed.
And so Rebecca decided - she would continue that long journey to the west.....
Rebecca Slosson had a full, adventurous life. Finally, at Union (now Newark Valley) on May 29, 1827, at the age of sixty-eight, she passed on to be with the Lord. The burial place is given as near Naticoke Springs, Broome County, New York

Jehiel married Rebecca DUDLEYNew York, USA. Rebecca (daughter of Nathan DUDLEY and Rebecca STONE) was born before 1762 in Roxbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut; died on 29 May 1827 in Union, Broome County, New York; was buried on 31 May 1827 in Nanticoke Springs. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Anna SLOSSON was born on 02 May 1797 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died on 1 Dec 1886 in Maine, Broome County, New York.
2. Nathan SLOSSON was born on 07 Apr 1795 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died on 27 Feb 1858 in Maine, New York; was buried in Maine Village Cemetery, Maine Broome Co., New York.
3. Abner SLOSSON was born on 17 Oct 1800 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died on 21 May 1877 in Northwood, Worth County, Iowa; was buried in State Line Cemetery, Grove, Worth County, Iowa.
4. Giles SLOSSON was born on 07 Mar 1803 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died after 1880 in Maine, Broome County, New York.
5. Becky SLOSSON was born on 02 Mar 1790 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died on 13 May 1840 in Union, (now Newark Valley), New York.
6. Jehiel SLOSSON was born on 23 Jul 1788 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died on 12 Jul 1856 in Maine, Broome County,New York.
7. Sally SLOSSON was born on 18 Jul 1792 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died on 08 Feb 1807 in Greenville, Greene County, New York.
8. Orilla SLOSSON was born on 24 May 1793 in Greenville, Greene County, New York; died in 1866 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: Oct 1785; Joined the Church in Richmond, Mass.
• Census: 1790, Richmond, Berkshire Co., Mass.

Notes:

Note from "Slosson Genealogy": Daniel built the "Caswell house," in Kent, and from there moved to Richmond, Mass.

"George Slawson" by Harold D. Slosson: Finally news came to Daniel and Keziah that the General Court of Massachusetts had opened for colonization the western part of that state. The area lay just north of them; it was the opportunity they were looking for. the expression "Western Fever," according to one reference, actually originated in Kent, Connecticut. In any event, Daniel contrated it, and in the next year, 1762, the Slossons were again on the migration trail. The specific place of interest to Daniel and Keziah was about midway in western Massachusetts between Connecticut and Vermont, and close to the New York State line. Actually, it was only some fifty miles north of Kent......
Transportation in Colonial days, however, was a real problem. Perhaps at that early day there may have been some kind of a wagon road in the Housatonic River Valley extending for a ways north of Kent. The Slossons' final destination, however, was off the river course, in a primitive and heavily forested area.
It is believed that the Slossons went northward on horseback, pack-train fashion, perhaps driving some stock before them. Most probably it was a three-day journey, with rivers to ford, hills to climb, and forests to ride through, requiring at least two nights of camping out on the way. At night, after their horses were fed and hobbled to keep them from straying, the Slossons ate supper around a lively campfire. Thereafter, with strts as their lamplight, trees as their cover, and pine needles as their mattress, they rolled into blankets for some sound sleep. Early the following morning they would push farther into the forest.
It might also be mentioned that now going through Kent is a footpath - ossibly following an old Indian course - Called the Appalachian Trail, or in some places the "Long trail." Starting in southern United States, it extends some 2000 miles north, almost to the Canadian border. But even this long trail couldn't finally help Daniel and Keziah, since - as before indicated - they eventually would diverge westerly from the trail's north-easterly course......
Daniel's next younger brother, John, and his wife, Hannah, decided to go to this new land also, taking with them their two-year-old daughter, Aldine. Daniel, now the leader, and his wife, Keziah, had with them daughter Eunice, perhaps six years old; their son Jehiel, about three; and Anna, a babe in arms of less than one year.
Finally, the Slossons reached a clearing, the start of a settlement then called Mt. Ephraim, now the present town of Richmond. No grand group of greeters awaited them to point out their allotted land, since at tht time there were screly more than a dozen white men in this immediate area. Captain Micah Mudge and his family came in 1760, and a few more families arrived in 1761. And now the Slossons were the first to arrive in 1762. Not until 1765, after more settlers were there, was the town actually established. Thus the Slossons were among the very first settlers in this section of the Berkshire Hills which had been purchases from the Indians.
In those pioneer days, much political organizing had to be done with the Slossons doing their share. For example, John Slosson is listed on the committee to oversee the construction of the town meetinghouse, a stout, well-built building. It is believed this structure, in excellent repair - including a good coat of white paint - stands to this day. John was also the town clerk for a time, it has been reported.
"Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War": Vol. 14, p. 307 -
SLOSSON, DANIEL. Private, Lieut. Jabes Colt's Co., Col. rosseter's detachment of Berkshire Co. militia; entered service Jul 17, 1777; discharged July 27, 1777; service 11 days, at the Northward; roll dated Richmond; also Capt. Aaron Rowley's Co.; Col. David Rosseter's detachment of Berkshire Co. militia; entered service Aug. 13, 1777; discharged Aug. 20, 1777; service 7 days, at Bennington.

Daniel married Keziah BENTON before 1758 in Kent, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. Keziah (daughter of Jehiel BENTON and Sarah BERRY) was born on 25 Mar 1736; died on 28 Dec 1797 in Richmond, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Cone Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Berkshire Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]