Asa CHAFFE

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Asa Chaffee was a shoemaker and a house-farmer. he probably moved to Wales, mass., between 1758 and 1760. This place, a precinct of Springfield, Mass., was later made a part of Wilbraham. February 25, 1760, he bought of his father for L35, 8s., land in Wales. "Asa Chaffe yeoman of Wilbraham and Mary Chaffe his wife" sold to William Barnes for L30, sixty acres of land there, March 20, 1764. March 22, 1768, he was chosen "Hog Reave" for Wilbraham. June 10th following, he sold to Henry Badger land in Wilbraham for L6. In a list of pew holders in the Congregational church in Wilbaham, dated June 3, 1770, it is stated that "Asa Chaffee" and wife with five others and their wives occupied pew number fourteen. The minister at this time was Reverend Noah Merrick. In South Wilbraham, in 1774, one hundred and twenty-five men, of whom "Asa Chaffee" was one, signed an agreement not to buy English-made goods.

He was a Private in "Capt. James Warriner's Company of Wilbraham who marched in defence of American Liberty on ye Alarm last April occasioned by the Lexington Fight." he served ten days, travelled one hundred and eighty miles, and received L1, 9s. 2d., in payment.

November 21, 1777, he was chosen a Constable for Wilbraham. October 18, 1779, he received $20 as bounty and mileage money for soldiers. january 30, 1784, Asa Chaffee and two others were a committee appointed in behalf of the South parish of Wilbraham for the purpose of taking a deed of a piece of land on which to build a meetinghouse. The tract of land purchased was in Wilbraham, contained about one hundred and forty rods, was purchased of William King and cost L6. March 16th following, Asa Chaffee was chosen Surveyor. may 3, 1785, he sold for L20, to his son, Ephraim, land in Monson, Mass., and march 16, 1786, land in Wilbraham to his son Cyril, Chaffee of Somers, Conn., blacksmith, for L10, 10s. Soon after this Shays' Rebellion broke out and Asa Chaffee served as a Private from September 22d to 28th, 1786, in Lieutenant Lewis Langdon's company, Colonel Gideon Burt's regiment of Militia, which marched to Springfield. He also served in Springfield as a Private from january 18th to February 7, 1787, in Captain Joseph Williams Company of Cadets, ordered into service by Major-General Shepard. September 14, 1808, he sold to his son Ephraim for $300, land in Wilbraham, and in 1809 to his son Calvin two other tracts there for $120.

Asa Chaffee died intestate and administration on his estate was granted to his son Jonathan in Northampton, Mass., February 13, 1811. The inventory, dated February 21st following, mentions real estate, an interest in a sawmill thereon, house, barn, cider mill, horses, cows, oxen, household furniture, farming utensils, etc. This was appraised by Stephen West, Calvin Stebbins and William Clark. July 17, 1811, the widow was allowed her portion of the estate.

Asa married Mary HOWLETT on 5 Sep 1753 in Woodstock, Massachusetts. Mary was born on 1 Aug 1735 in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died on 9 Mar 1783; was buried in Old Hampden Cemetery, Hampden, Hampden Co., Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Asa married Sarah ORMSBEE on 16 Feb 1785. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Joseph Chaffe was Constable and town Sealer of weights and measures in Barrington in 1729.
January 21, 1729/30, "Joseph Chaffe Junr. of Barrington, boatman," bought of Benjamin Marcy of Woodstock, husbandman, a "Mansion house" and seventy-five acres of land in Woodstock, bounded by the land of Isaiah Tiffany and John Chaffe, for L300.
February 23, 1729/30, "Joseph Chaffee Junr. of Barrington in the County of Bristol in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Boatman, for and in consideration of the sum of two hundred pounds to me paid by my Honoured Father, John Chaffee of Woodstock, in the County of Suffolk and Province aforesaid, yeoman, being part of my Portion or Patrimony of my said Father's Estate do by these presents Remit, Release and forever Quit Claim . . . unto my Father John Chaffee . . . all my right title interest Claim & Demand unto all of Housing & Lands of my said Father being & Lying in Woodstock Aforesaid, belonging . . . to me as a son or heir." This document was witnessed by his uncle Joseph Chaffe and Samuel Luther. (Woodstock Land Records.) In those days a man was called "Junior" if there was another man in his family of the same Christian name, whether he was his father or not. Between the date of the above release and July 5, 1730, Joseph and his family removed to Woodstock, Mass. (now Conn.) as on the latter date his wife was admitted to the First Congregational Church of Woodstock by a letter of dismission and recommendation from the Church of Christ in Barrington. He settled in what is now West Woodstock, and which was set off from Woodstock as the Second Precinct of Woodstock, or New Roxbury......

Joseph Chaffe died of smallpox, and one of the items in the account of the administrators against the estate is 5s. "for brimstone & rum to cleanse the infection out of the house." He lies buried in the cemetery in Hampden, Mass. (formerly South Wilbraham)...

Joseph married Hannah MAY. Hannah was born on 1 Oct 1704 in Swansea, Massachusetts; was christened on 12 Feb 1706/7 in Swansea, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of Ephraim May of Rehoboth, Mass.