Elijah WARREN

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Elijah Warren was a volunteer in the Revolutionary Army, and was in the battle of White Plains, N.Y. Various transfers of real estate were made to him from his father between the years 1783 and 1798, but, owing to the indefiniteness of the boundaries given in the deeds, it is impossible to locate, positively, the different lots, but they were apparently all in the western part of the town in the vicinity of Horace and Edward Warren's. on the 5th of June, 1783 for L500, Ebenezer deeded to Elijah the three acres of land with dwelling-house, bark-house, mill-house, beam-house and tanyard which he bought of Patrick Watson in 1744, together with twelve acres of land which he had purchased of Dorcas Smith, seventeen acres which he had bought of Daniel Henshaw, twenty acres bought of Capt. Daniel Denny, and four and three-quarter acres bought of Col.Samuel Denny. The deed was a warrantee deed in which his wife joined. It would appear, however, that Ebenezer repurchased at least a portion of the real estate named in the deed above mentioned, as we find that on the 23d of January, 1793, he mortgaged the first-named three acres of land and the tan-yard to Elijah for five shillings; and later, 17 Feb. 1795, he sold to Elijah for L100, one acre, "being the same land I purchased of Patrick Watson," with a dwelling-house and other buildings standing thereon: and still later, 28 Jan. 1797, he sold one-half of the tan-yard to Elijah for $88.34. Jonathan buying the other half at the same price; and 25 June 1798, he sold to Elijah for $500, ninety-seven acres of land, a portion of which seems to have been that named in the first mentioned deed. The dwelling-house which Elijah bought in 1795 was doubtless the one erected by Ebenezer about 1780 and which descended to Henry Elijah, by whom it was destroyed about 1860 or a little later.

Of his life an character the Reverend Samuel May says: "He was a man of great worth and general estimation. the writer of this knew him only in the last five or six years of is life and has the impression that his age and some infirmities kept him closely at home. He was not an invalid, but is remembered as mostly in his arm-chair, in the old and comfortable house opposite to the tan-yard, where his years of industry had been spent, and that he appeared older even than his years. His mind continued clear, his memory good, his spirit and manners gentle and kindly. Not of many words, he was alive to the interests of those about him. and gave cordial welcome to his friends. His old age seemed unusually cheerful and serene. As a citizen and neighbor he maintained a position of confidence and respect."

His first wife is said to have been a most estimable woman, but there is no one who can speak from personal knowledge concerning her. Of his second wife, Mary, Mr. May says: "She had passed the prime of life when the present writer became acquainted with her. She already possessed a ripeness of character which seemed to fall short of nothing desirable in life. This is much to say; but it is said with deep conviction of its truth by one whose memory of over eight years includes many noble examples of upright men and honorable women. The faithfulness and gentleness with which she did all her duty as wife, step-mother and mother, grew with her years. No loss or trial impaired her faith or lessened her trust in the Divine Goodness; so that she was a living light and blessing to all who knew her. By all her experiences of life she was made ready to welcome the unitarian faith as it became known to her in middle life; and when the unitarian Church in Leicester was formed she connected herself with it with a simple dignity and modesty which gave new beauty to her always beautiful and gracious life. In her day it had not come into vogue - what may even now e too much of a fashion - to form societies of the King's Daughters, but if that title can eve belong to women in this life, beyond a doubt it belonged to her."

On the 17th of Sept. 1863, there was a remarkable and interesting meeting of eight of the children of Elijah at the old homestead in Leicester. Some of the elder children left home before the younger ones wee born, and this was the first and only time that they were all together during theirs lives. There were present Amos, Joseph, Betsey, Lydia, Mary, Charlotte, Louisa and Henry. The eldest of the number was 81 and the youngest 54. Before they parted there was a large and excellent photograph taken of the group.

Elijah married Elizabeth WHEELER in Mar 1781. Elizabeth (daughter of Amos WHEELER and Mary Belcher HENSHAW) was born on 4 May 1763; died on 30 Mar 1800. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Elijah married Mary Belcher WHEELER on 21 Jun 1801. Mary (daughter of Amos WHEELER and Mary Belcher HENSHAW) was born on 19 Dec 1774; died on 15 Aug 1851. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Louisa Amelia WARREN was born on 18 Aug 1807.

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Ebenezer Warren first appears in Leicester in 1744, at which time he bought of Patrick Watson, for L112 10s., three aces of land with a dwelling-house, bark-house, Mill-house, beam-house and tan-yard. The land comprised a portion of the farm now owned by Edward Warren. In the deed conveying the property he is styled "of Medford," but the records of that town contain no account of him, and it is probable that his residence there had been of short duration. It is not positively known who his parents were. There is however, little doubt that he was a grandson of Peter, of Boston. Joseph Warren, of Leicester, grandson of Ebenezer, made a written statement that the latter was born in Charlestown in 1714. This statement is not substantiated by the records of Charlestown, but no evidence has been found to refute it. Very little is known of his life and character beyond the fact that he was a man of intelligence and of good repute. He was evidently quite successful in business, as he added largely to his possessions, owning, a few years before his death, about one hundred acres of land, beside his dwelling-house and tan-yard buildings. He died in 1800 and was buried in Leicester, but no gravestone marks the spot.

He married Lydia Harrington, of Brookfield, Mass. Noting is known concerning her, excepting that she became insane and it was found necessary to secure her with a chain, fastened to a bolt in the kitchen, to prevent her from running away. She died in 1795.

The dwelling-house named in the deed was a small, one-story building situated on the north side of the road to Spencer, a short distance east of the road to Paxton. The tan-yard was on the opposite side of the road, a little farther east. About the year 1780 he built a new house a short distance east of the old one. It was larger than the first, two stories high, with an ell of one story in the rear. upon the death of Ebenezer the house descended to his son Elijah, and from him to his son Henry Elijah, by whom it was demolished about the year 1860.

Ebenezer married Lydia HARRINGTON. Lydia died in 1795. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]