Capt David GODFREY

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Son of David Godfrey and Priscilla Baker

Notes:

Name:
The most accurate information that we have of Capt. David Godfrey is from a brief sketch of his life, written by his grandson, George Porter Godfrey, and read before a reunion of the Godfrey Family Association in Michigan at their first meeting in 1887: "...He and his brother, with ten or twelve other families emigrated from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia soon after the close of the French and Indian War in consequence of land bounties and other privileges offered by the king of England. there he lost his first wife and married our grandmother, Elizabeth Harris. Following this, he, and a part of the families who had accompanied him, abandoned their land and in 1769, procured an old sloop and turned its prow toward the Colonies. In his youth he was a sailor and made fourteen voyages to the west Indies and several to South America---how many as Captain we have no means of ascertaining..." Capt. David settled near what is now the town of Otisville where he built a house which is still standing in a good state of preservation.

David Godfrey was a soldier in the Continental Army, serving as a Private in Capt. Abraham Cuddeback's Company, Col. James McClaghery's 2nd Regiment of Ulster County Milita. On Aug. 17, 1790, he was included in a large group of men several of whom were Revolutionary soldiers, who, by right of occupancy, were granted a 7000-acre tract of land in the town of Mamakating, ulster county. A Survey return, dated Sept. 10, 1791, lists him as one of the group owning 200 acres.

The records of the OldSchool Baptist Church show that Elizabeth Godfrey was one of the original constituent members when it was organized in 1785.

Family/Spouse: ? UNKNOWN. ? died before 1765. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

David married Elizabeth HARRIS about 1765 in Horton, Nova Scotia. Elizabeth (daughter of Lebbeus HARRIS and Alice RANSOM) was born on 22 Feb 1746 in Colchester, New London Co. Connecticut; was buried in New Vernon Old School Baptist Church Cemetery, Otisville, Orange Co., New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

David married Mary KING about 1790. Mary (daughter of Samuel KING and Mary YOUNG) was born in 1767 in New Windsor, Orange Co, New York; died after 1850 in pro. Sharon Township, Washtenaw Co., Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Mary married Jepthah FULLER on 25 Apr 1782 in Goshen, New York . Jepthah (son of Jedediah FULLER and Sarah KIDDER) was born on 29 Jun 1756 in Mansfield City, Tolland, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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In 1809, Daniel purchased land on the slope of the Shawangunk mountains in Mamakating where he erected a house which is still in the possession of his descendants. It is situated about one mile from Bloomingburg and overlooks the site of High View, NY. that he owned considerable property in the vicinity of Bloomingburg is evidenced by various recorded deeds and other papers in the possession of descendants. He was one of the proprietors of the toll road that passed through Bloomingburg as it extended from Newburgh on the Hudson River to Coshecton on the Delaware River. This was an important highway of that period as it led to the Western Reserve, then being settled by many families from New York and new England.

Daniel married Deborah ? about 1785. Deborah was born on 4 Feb 1768; died on 22 Jan 1824 in High View, Sullivan Co., New York; was buried in New Vernon Cemetery, Mamakating park, Sullivan Co., New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Jane ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Martha ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elizabeth married John Young KING about 1791. John (son of Samuel KING and Mary YOUNG) was born on 19 Jul 1772 in New Windsor, New York; died on 19 Feb 1847 in Near Hamptonburg, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Susanna ?. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Jonathan and both of his wives are buried in the cemetery in Godfrey's Corners. In 1806, he moved from Bloomingburg to Fayette, New York, where he purchased land; he and his family were members of the Congregational Church in Guilford Center, New York.

Jonathan married Silvia ? in abt. 1799. Silvia was born in 1777; died on 22 Feb 1822. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Anna ?. Anna was born about 1780; died on 20 Nov 1849. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Sarah married Charles JILLETT, Jr. about 1795. Charles was born on 9 Jun 1772 in Near New Vernon, New York; died on 24 Aug 1837 in In the Jillett homestead near New Vernon, New York; was buried in New Vernon Cemetery, Mamakating park, Sullivan Co., New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Olive married Jonathan SMITH about 1803. Jonathan was born on 16 May 1775; died on 19 Apr 1846; was buried in New Vernon Cemetery, Mamakating park, Sullivan Co., New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1850, Living in Stafford, Genesee Co, New York
• Census: 1860, Living with son, George, in Parma, Jackson Co., Michigan

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Elijah Godfrey lived in the vicinity of Bloomingburg until 1826 when he moved to Stafford, Genessee Co., N.Y. For the next quarter century his activities centered here and in Batavia, N.Y., where he built a flour mill, the foundations of which are still standing. The old millstone can still be seen and the place is known as Godfrey's Pond. About 1850, he and his wife removed to southern Michigan where the majority of his family had settled.

Elijah's family all showed strong mental ability to an unusual degree. to quote from a letter of one of his descendants: "One of the strongest characteristics of that earlier generation of Godfreys was a remarkable memory. Even to this day the 'Godfrey memory'[ is a classic allusion at all family gatherings. They were all great readers, especially fond of history and politics. the story is told of John King Godfrey, who, after a busy day in the field, would sit up all night reading the NEW YORK TRIBUNE, a candle in one hand and his paper in the other. Of course it was a weekly and he could not wait until the next day after its arrival to digest its contents from cover to cover."

In 1887, Elijah Godfrey's children held a reunion which led to the formation of the Godfrey Family Association; annual meetings were held continuously until present war conditions interfered.

Elijah married Catharine SLAWSON on 24 Sep 1807. Catharine (daughter of Nathan SLAWSON and Hannah SLASON) was born on 30 Mar 1791 in Salem, Westchester Co., New York; died on 30 Sep 1870 in Jackson County, Michigan; was buried in Campbell Cemetery, Parma, Michigan. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Lebbeus lived in Crawford, Orange County, his name appearing in the records of many of the early turnpike companies in the county, and in which his brothers, David and Daniel, also had interests. In 1830, he moved to Stafford, NY, where his brother, Elijah, had preceded him; five years later he purchased land in Byron where he became an active member of the First Congregational Church. From expressions used in his will he appears to have been a man of deep religious convictions.

Lebbeus married Jane BELL about 1810 in Walkill, New York. Jane was born on 22 Jun 1790 in Walkill, New York; died on 11 Nov 1825 in Near Bloomingburg, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Charlotte FOOTE. Charlotte was born on 3 Oct 1796; died on 18 Oct 1889 in Batavia, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Charles Godfrey moved around considerably and seems to have been engaged in numerous real-estate transactions in his various places of residence. In 1814, he was living in Montgomery, Orange County, whence he removed to Tompkins County and still later to Geneva, Ontario County, N.Y., where he acquired a great deal of property. In 1853, he sold his holdings there and moved to Gloucester County, Virginia, where he purchased a plantation. he returned to Batavia, in 1856, bur within a year moved with his family to Dixon where he owned and operated a steam flour mill under the name of Charles Godfrey and Sons.

Charles married Ruth Ann HORTON on 6 Nov 1813. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Charles married Harriet HORTON about 1824. Harriet (daughter of Elihu HORTON and Anna COLEMAN) was born on 4 Jul 1802; died on 3 Apr 1870 in Dixon, Lee Co., Illinois; was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Dixon, Lee Co., Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]