Judge Seth PADELFORD

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1790, Head of Household for Taunton, Bristol Co., Mass.
• Census: 1800, Head of Household for Taunton, Bristol Co., Mass.

Notes:

Name:
Graduated Yale College 1770, and received the degree of LL.D. from B.U. 1798. he commenced the practice of the law in Hardwick, where he as a member of the Committee of Correspondence in 1774and 1775, and generally active in the Revolutionary struggle. He removed to Taunton about 1778, was judge of probate, and though not eminent as an advocate, was confessedly at the head of the bar as a counsellor. He m. Rebecca Dennis, had four sons and seven daughters, and d. of apoplexy 7 Jan. 1810.

From History of Bristol Co., MA, 1883, pp. 23-24: "Mr. Padelford was judge of probate. He was a highly dignified and polished gentleman, of great integrity of character, and he was favored with a wife who adorned the society in which she moved. Long after they ceased to be among the living of earth their praise was in the mouth of those who remembered their wide and commanding influence...On the stone slab which covers his remains on the "Plain" is the following inscription: "For he was wise to know and warm to praise, and strenuous to transcribe in human life the mind almightly.""

The Ministry of Taunton:

"Hon. Seth Padelford, LL.D. was a native of Taunton, son of John and Jemima Padelford. He was graduated at Yale College in 1770, and honored with the Degree of LL.D., form Brown University in 1798. He married Rebecca, the daughter of Abraham Dennis, and sister of the wife of James Sproat, Esq.

Their children were as follows:
Mary Dennis, who married Mason Shaw, Esq., or Raynham; Sarah Kerby, who married Nathaniel, son of Judge Fales; Melinda, who married Enoch Brown, Esq., of Abington; John, who died whilst a member of Brown University; Nancy, who married Samuel Edgar, son of Col. John Cooke, of Tiverton, R.I.; Harry, who married Susan, daughter of Robert Crossman, of Taunton; Rebecca Dennis, who married John G. Deane, Esq., of Portalnd. There were also five other children who died young.

Mr. Padelford was Judge of Probate. He died Jan. 7th, 1810, aged 58 years and one month.

Some friends caused this tribute to his memory, to be inscribed on the stone which covers his remains: "For he was wise to know, and warm to praise, and strenuous to transcribe human life in the Mind Almighty."

http://www.archive.org/stream/biographicalsket01dean/biographicalsket01dean_djvu.txt

GRANDFATHER PADELFORD.

The following beautiful sketch of my grandfather, Seth Padelford, of Taunton, Mass., was written by my friend J. W. D. Hall, of Taunton, Mass., in the spring of 1885, in his 78th year.

" Hon. Seth Padelford, was born in Taunton, in December, 1750, fifth in descent from Jonathan, the emigrant of 1628-30, and son of John and Jemima Padelford. He was graduated at Yale College in 1770. After completing his studies he entered the profession of law and became a prominent counsellor. He married Rebecca, (daughter of Abraham Dennis), born 1756, died 1822, and they had eleven children, the ninth being Rebecca Dennis, who married Col. John Gilmore Deane. In 1798, the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Brown University. Judge Padelford was an able and sound legal counsellor, and many years stood the acknowledged head of the Bristol bar. He was county Treasurer in 1783, and for twenty years, from 1790, to January 7th, 18 10, the day of his death, was Judge of Probate of the county of Bristol, to the universal satisfaction of the people. He was a Free Mason, and the first Master of King David Lodge, of Taunton. He was esteemed as the conscientious lawyer, the humane and unexceptionably upright judge, to whom all cases within his jurisdiction were referred with implicit confidence in his decisions as the "protector of the widows and orphans," and just to all. He died in the vigor of manhood, beloved and honored by the whole community. He resided from 1777 to 1810, in the fine old mansion on the Northwest corner of the " green," or " ancient training field," adjoining the old Court House and county offices. This mansion was built in 1757, by Ratcliffe Hellon, a merchant, who occupied it a few years. After him it was owned by several persons, till 1770, when it came into the possession of the brilliant Daniel Leonard, author of the celebrated pamphlet " Massachusettensis," who became a loyalist (or Tory) in the days of 1776, and fled from Taunton and joined the British at Boston. After he left Judge Padelford purchased the house. It has, since his decease, been nicely kept up, and though removed in 1817 a short distance and divested of shrubbery in front, yet wears the same general aspect that it did in my boyhood days after Judge Padelford's decease."

In the same connection the following extract is made from an article contributed by Rev. S. Hopkins Emery, of Taunton, in 1883, to the History of Bristol County, Massachusetts : " He was a highly dignified and polished gentleman, of great integrity of character, and he was favored with a wife who adorned the society in which she moved. Long after they ceased to be among the living of earth, their praise was in the mouth of those who remembered their wide and commanding influence. "

Judge Padelford died January 7, 1810, aged 58 years and one month. On the stone slab which covers his remains on the ' Plain; is the following inscription : " ' For he was wise to know and warm to praise and strenuous to transcribe in human life the mind almighty.' "

Inscription
Inscribed,
To the Memory of
The Honble Seth Padelford Esq.,
who deceased Jan. 7, 1810
aged 58 years & 1 month

For he was wise to know, and warm to praise,
And strenuous to transcribe in human life.
The Mind Almighty.

Posted on Find A Grave created by c sato

Seth married Rebecca DENNIS on 06 Jun 1777 in Taunton,Bristol Co., Massachusetts. Rebecca was born on 12 Dec 1756 in Newport, Rhode Island; died in 1822. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Polly Dennis PADELFORD was born on 13 Apr 1778 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA; died on 19 May 1805 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.
2. Ezekiel Dennis PADELFORD was born on 23 Sep 1779 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 29 Oct 1779 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts.
3. Sarah K. PADELFORD was born on 27 Oct 1780 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died in 1858.
4. Melinda PADELFORD was born on 14 Feb 1782 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died in 1836.
5. John PADELFORD was born on 01 May 1783 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 29 Jun 1801 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts.
6. Charles PADELFORD was born on 12 Jan 1785 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 21 Feb 1785 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts.
7. Nancy PADELFORD was born on 14 Mar 1786 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 25 Oct 1817 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.
8. Harry PADELFORD was born on 19 Sep 1787 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died in 1850.
9. Rebecca PADELFORD was born in 1789; died on 08 Oct 1791 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Mass..
10. Ezekiel Dennis PADELFORD was born on 23 Sep 1789 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA; died on 30 Oct 1789 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.
11. Rebecca Dennis PADELFORD was born on 27 May 1792 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 12 May 1872 in Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine; was buried in Western Cemetery, Portland, Cumberland Co., Maine.
12. Frances PADELFORD was born about Feb 1795 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 08 Jul 1795 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts.
13. Caroline Matilda PADELFORD was born in Jul 1796 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts; died on 08 Aug 1796 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts.
14. Charles PADELFORD was born in Jan 1805; died on 27 Feb 1805 in Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts.

John married Jemima WILLIAMS before 1748. Jemima (daughter of Hon. Seth WILLIAMS and Mary DEANE) was born on 01 May 1723 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA; died on 21 Sep 1778 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Neck O'Land Burying Ground, Taunton, Bristol Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]