Jabez HUNTINGTON

Male 1719 - 1786  (67 years)


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  • Name Jabez HUNTINGTON  [1
    • "Huntington Family Memoir": Graduated at Yale College, 1741. He was elected, in 1759, a member of the general assembly of his native state, for many years represented his native town to the universal acceptance of his fellow citizens, presiding, often, over the deliberations of the lower house. Early after his graduation he entered into the West India trade, and by an honorable and efficient business career, laid the foundations of one of the amplest fortunes of that age. At the commencement of our revolution he was the owner of a large amount of shipping, which of course was a very greatly endangered by the rupture with the mother land. but his patriotism prevailed over his commercial and pecuniary ambition. He cheerfully sacrificed his property and consecrated himself and his family to the cause of independence. He was one of the most active of the committee of safety during the war; and in the September session of the assembly for the year 1776, he was appointed one of the two major generals from Connecticut, for the militia of the sate, David Wooster being the other; and on the death of Wooster, from a wound received in the skirmish with the British, retreating from Danbury, in april of the next year, he was appointed major general over the entire Connecticut militia.

      His great exertions, made for his country's cause, during those trying years of our national history, together with the great pecuniary losses which, in such a struggle, were inevitable, were too much even for his strong mind and vigorous frame. As the pressure of the early excitement and indispensable action passed away, it was soon seen how greatly they had impaired his physical and mental powers. "On finding himself disabled from public service, he resigned all his offices, and spent the remainder of his life in retirement, at his seat in Norwich. He was seized with a fatal complaint, in Feb. 1779, and after a gradual decline of more than seven years, he died, Oct. 5, 1786."

      Gen. Huntington was a man of religious principle, having united with the church in 1741. It was very justly said in the funeral sermon delivered over his remains," he sustained an amiable and worthy character in the domestic relations and private walks of life." One other passage from that sermon, deserves transcribing for this notice: "As the train of melancholy distress which brought him to his end, probably originated from his painful and unremitted exertions for his country, in the time of danger; his country, surely, will not withhold the tear of grateful sorrow, but pay deserved respect to his memory, and teach succeeding generations to revere his dust; and as they pass his urn, to say, 'there lies the man who devoted his all to the public good; who sacrificed his ease, his health, and eventually his life, to serve and save his country."...... [1]
    Birth 7 Aug 1719  Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male 
    Death 5 Oct 1786  Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I69908  Main Tree
    Last Modified 27 Oct 2012 

    Father Capt Joshua HUNTINGTON,   b. 30 Dec 1698, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Aug 1745 (Age 46 years) 
    Mother Hannah PERKINS,   b. 1701, Norwich, New London Co., Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1788 (Age 87 years) 
    Marriage 16 Oct 1718  [1, 2
    Family ID F28256  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Elizabeth BACKUS,   b. 21 Feb 1721   d. 1 Jul 1745 (Age 24 years) 
    Marriage 20 Jan 1741/42  [1
    Children 
    +1. Andrew HUNTINGTON,   b. 21 Jun 1745   d. 7 Apr 1824, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)  [Birth]
    Family ID F28253  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 26 Oct 2012 

    Family 2 Hannah WILLIAMS,   b. 23 Jul 1726   d. 25 Mar 1807 (Age 80 years) 
    Marriage 10 Jul 1746  [1
    Family ID F28254  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 26 Oct 2012 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 7 Aug 1719 - Connecticut, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 5 Oct 1786 - Connecticut Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Sources 
    1. [S5011] Rev. E.B. Huntington, A.M., "A Genealogical Memoir of the Huntington Family in This Country: Embracing all the known Descendants of Simon and Margaret Huntington", (Stamford, Conn,; By the Author - 1863).

    2. [S9403] Cornelia Bartow Williams, Ancestry of Lawrence Williams.