Haddam, Middlesex Co., CT, Biographies
Extracted from Encyclopedia of Connecticut Biography
The American Historical Society
1917
CHAMPION, General Henry, Revolutionary Soldier
Henry CHAMPION, the immigrant ancestor, came from England and settled in Saybrook, Connecticut, as early as 1647. He had various parcels of land in Saybrook, and about 1670 removed to Lyme, where he was one of the first and most active founders. He was admitted a freeman there May 12, 1670, and owned land. He died February 17, 1708-09, aged about ninety-eight years. He married (second) March 21, 1697-98, Deborah JONES, of Lyme.
Thomas CHAMPION, son of Henry CHAMPION, was born April, 1656, in Saybrook, and died April 5, 1705, in Lyme. He resided on land given him by his father in Lyme. He also had grants there. His will was dated April 4, 1705, the day before his death. He married in Lyme, August 23, 1682, Hannah BROCKWAY, born September 14, 1664, died MArch 2, 1750, daughter of Wolston and Hannah (BRIGGS) BROCKWAY.
Lieutenant Henry CHAMPION, son of Thomas CHAMPION, was born May 2, 1695, in Lyme, and died at East Haddam, November 26, 1779. When he became of age he made an agreement with his brother Thomas to devide the homestead, and in 1716, settled in East Haddam, whre he bough fifty acres of land in the first division. He lived about a mile east of the meeting house, and his house is still standing. He was "a man of more than medium height, square and compactly built, all his joints seemed to be double, and he was possessed of great strength. His face was handsome, his eyes dark and his complexion florid." His will was dated June 29, 1764, and proved February 7, 1780. He married, in East Haddam, January 16, 1717, Mehitable ROWLEY, baptized December, 1704, died Oct 5, 1775, daughter of Moses and Mary ROWLEY
Colonel Henry CHAMPION, son of Lieutenant Henry CHAMPION, was born in East HADDAM, January 19, 1723, and died July 23, 1779. At the age of 18 he was appointed ensign of the East Haddam South company. In 1758, he was elected captain of a company to serve in the French War. The company left Colchester, where he had settled, on June 8, 1658 and marched to join the main army at Lake George. He left a diary with an account of the trip and campaign. He returned home November 15 and on March 8, 1759, was elected captain of the fifth company of the second regiment, and was transferred to the command of the twelfth or Westchester company in May, 1760. On May 14, 1772, he was appointed major of the twelth regiment of colonial militia. On April 26, 1775, he served as one of the commissioners to supply the troops with provisions and stores, and when General Washington took command of the army he recommended that he be one of the commissaries. He served in that position until the evacuation of Boston in March, 1776. In 1775, he was appointed colonel of the Twenty-fifty regiment. When the army began to assemble at New York, Colonel CHAMPION acted as commissary and from that time the army was supplied almost wholly by him. He also provided for the troops ordered to Rhode Island. He received the appointment of sole commissary-general of the eastern department of the Continental army in April, 1780. In that spring, he was placed incommand of a train, largely supplied from his own resources, to relieve the distress of the army at Morristown. In a very short time he reached the Hudson, was ferried across at Newburgh, and delivered the provisions. In May, 1780, he resigned his commission and returned to his home in Westchester. He was deputy to the general assembly in 1761, from 1765 to 1779, and in 1781-83-90-91-92. He was deacon of the Westchester church from 1775 until his death.
He married (first) in East Haddam, Deborah BRAINARD, born June 20, 1724, died March 17, 1789, daughter of Captain Joshua and Mehitable (DUDLEY) BRAINARD. He married (second) in Westchester, November 24, 1791, Mrs. Sarah (BRAINARD) LEWIS, born April 30, 1744, died January 17, 1818, widow of Judah LEWIS, and daughter of Stephen and Susannah (GATES) BRAINARD. [p 28-30]
[Note: The births of the children of Henry CHAMPION & Mehitable ROWLEY are listed in the East Haddam births]
General Henry CHAMPION, son of Colonel Henry CHAMPION, was born in Westchester, Connecticut, March 16, 1751, and died there July 13, 1836. Her served in the Revolution as ensign at the Lexington Alarm. On April 26, 1775, he was appointed second lieutenant of the Eighth Company, Second Regiment, and on May 1 promoted to first lieutenant. He wa on duty at Roxbury until December 10. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill. On January 1, 1776, he was promoted adjutant on the staff of Colonel Samuel Wyllys, and after the evacuation of Boston, marched to New York, and assisted in fortifying that city. He took part in the battle of Long Island, August 27, 1776, and was with the army at White Plains, October 28, remaining until December, 1776. On January 1, 1777, he was promoted captain of the First Connecticut Line, remaining until the regiment was reorganized as the Third. On July 15, 1779, he was appointed acting major of the First Battalion Light Brigade. This corpes was composed of picked men from all the regiments under Washington's immediate command, and was organized especially to attempt the capture of Stony Point, which was successfully done. Major CHAMPION remained in the army until the close of the Revolution. He was a member of the Order of the Cincinnati in Connecticut.
Major CHAMPION was deputy to the General Assembly in 1789, 1793-98, 1800-05, and from 1806 to 1817 was assistant. He was a deacon in the Westchester church from 1813 to 1828. General CHAMPION always celebrated July 16, "Stony Point Day," at his home in Westchester. He obtained the charter for the Phoenix Bank of Hartford, because the State Bank had refused him the accommodation of a loan. He was largely insterested in the Connecticut Land Company, to which he subscribed over eighty-five thousand dollars. The towns of Champion, New York, and Champion, Ohio, were named in his honor. He was instrumental in obtaining the school fund for Connecticut and was chairman of the committee of the legislature appointed to arrange for the holding of the Hartford Convention in 1814.
He married, in East Haddam, October 10, 1781, Abigail TINKER, born March 24, 1758, died April 19, 1818, daughter of Sylvanus and Abigail (OLMSTEAD) TINKER.
George CHAMPION, Missionary to the Zulus
Few families coming to New England in its early settlement were of highter order and character than the one bearing this name, and few were so conspicuous in the War of the Revolution and in public affairs before and after that period. The pioneer ancestor was Henry CHAMPION, who emigrated from England, settled at Saybrook, Connecticut, where he was found as early as 1647, later removed to the east side of the Connecticut river, and became one of the first and most active founders of the historic town of Lyme; he died in February, 1709. His son, Thomas CHAMPION, was born in Saybrook, Connecticut, in April, 1656, died April 5, 1705; he married Hannah BROCKWAY. Their son, Henry CHAMPION, was born in Lyme, Connecticut, May 2, 1695, d.ed November 26, 1779, in East Haddam; he married Mehitable ROWLEY. Their son, Colonel Henry (2) CHAMPION, was born in East Haddam, Connecticut, January 19, 1723, died July 23, 1797, in what is now Colchester, Connecticut; he served in the Revolutionary War and resigned his commission in the army in May, 1780; was deputy to the General Assembly from Colchester, in 1761, from 1765 to 1779, in 1781, 1783; he married (first) Deborah BRAINARD, (second) Mrs. Sarah (BRAINARD) LEWIS. His son, General Henry (3) CHAMPION, was born in Westchester, Connecticut, March 16, 1751, died there, July 13, 1836; he served int he Revolutionary War and continued in that service until the close of hostilities; he was deputy to the General Assembly in 1789, 1793 to 1798, 1800 to 1805, and from 1806 to 1817 held the office of assistant. Their son, Major Henry (4) CHAMPION, was born in Westchester, Connecticut, August 6, 1782, died there, December 28, 1823; he served in the regular army, was major of the Connecticut militia, and represented Colchester in the State Assembly in 1820; he married Ruth Kimberly ROBBINS. They were the parents of the Rev. George CHAMPION of this review.
Rev. George CHAMPION was born in Westchester, Connecticut, June 3, 1810, died in St. Croix, West Indies, December 17, 1841. He was graduated from Yale College in 1831, taking then a three-year course at the Andover Theological Seminary, and was ordained at Colchester, Connecticut, November 19, 1834, as misionary to the Zulus, near Port Natal, in South Africa. Of this grandson General Henry CHAMPION was very fond and proud, and being unwilling that he should go out to Africa offered to pay the expenses of five missionaries to go as substitutes, if he would consent to remain at home. George's reply was: "If I stay at home it will be said that only the poor go. You may send the five, and I will go myself and that will make six missionaries." When General CHAMPION found that he could not prevail against him he generously gave him $60,000 for the expenses of himself and the party. He was one of the first missionaries to South Africa, going in 1834, and labored there four years. He was one of the three men who reduced the Zulu language to writing and prepared a manuscript copy of the Bible before the mission was broken up and the missionaries driven away on account of the war between the Boers and the Zulus. Upon his return to the United States, he was settled over a small church in Dover, Massachusetts, entering upon his pastoal duties in 1839. Two years later, owing to ill health, he sailed for the West Indies where his death occurred. [p 80-81]
Jonathan Ogden MOSELEY, Lawyer, Congressman
Jonathan Ogden MOSELEY was born at East Haddam, Connecticut, in 1762, son of Dr. Thomas MOSELEY, a justice of the peace, and member of the Connecticut Medical Association, an active and successful physician for many years, honored and esteemed in the community.
Jonathan O. MOSELEY acquired his preliminary education in the common schools of the neighborhood, after which he became a student at Yale College, from which institution he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, 1780, and three years later received the degree of Master of Arts from the same institution. He was admitted to the bar of his native state, and located in East Haddam, his birthplace, for the active practice of his chosen profession. He served as State's Attorney for Middlesex county, 1797-1805, and was a Federalist representative in the Ninth to the Sixteenth Congresses, inclusive (1805-1821), a period of sixteen years, performing the duties of all these various offices in a highly commendable manner. He also held the rand of colonel in the State militia, and was justice of the peace of East Haddam for several years. He was a noted orator, and delivered the memorial address at East Haddam on the occasion of the death of Washington. Subsequently he removed to the Northwest Territory and settled in Saginaw, Michigan, where his death occurred September 9, 1839, aged seventy-seven years. [p 95]
REDFIELD, Daniel
Daniel REDFIELD, son of Theophilus REDFIELD & Priscilla (GREENEL) REDFIELD, was born September 22, 1707, and resided at Clinton, Connecticut. In 1725 he recognized the church covenant. In May, 1746, he was commissioned ensign of the Third Company of Colonel Elisha WILLIAMS' regiment of Wethersfield, raised for a contemplated expedition against the French in Canada. During a part of his life he was a sea captain, and died January 11, 1758. His wife, Elizabeth, whom he married in 1728, died November 2, 1775, aged seventy four years.
REDFIELD, Theophilus
Theophilus REDFIELD, son of James & Elizabeth [HOW] REDIELD, was born in 1682, probably at Saybrook, and died February 14, 1759. He was a joiner by trade, and settled at Killingworth, Connecticut, soon after becoming of age. In March, 1704-05, he purchased a small peice of ground in that part of Killingworth which was afterward set off as Clinton. On December 24, 1706, he married Priscilla GREENELL (or GRINNELL), the seventeen-year-old daughter of Daniel & Lydia [PABODIE] GREENEL, who three years before had settled in that part of Saybrook, now known as Westbrook. Priscilla GREENEL's mother, Lydia [PABODIE] GREENEL, was born, (according to "The Paybody Family" by B. Frank PABODIE) April 3, 1667, daughter of William PABODY, of Duxbury, Massachusetts, and Little Compton, Rhode Island. William PABODIE was born in England, 1620, and died December 13, 1707. He married December 26, 1644, Elizabeth, born 1624-25, died May 31, 1717, daughter of John & Priscilla [MULLINS] ALDEN, the story of whose marriage is immortialized in Longfellow's "Courtship of Miles Standish." William PABODIE (or PAYBODY) settled at Plymouth with his father; afterward removed to Duxbury, where he held many offices of trust and responsibility. He owned much land there. He was one of those to whom Bridgewater was set off in 1645; was one of the first proprietors of Freetown in 1659; was one of the original pruchasers of Little Compton in 1675, and removed there with his family about 1684. His father, John PAYBODY, was born in England about 1590, died at Bridgewater about 1667; had a wife named Isabel. He and his son Willaim are named among the original proprietors of Plymouth. Daniel GRINNELL, father of Daniel GRINNELL, mentioned above, was born in 1636, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and died at Little Compton in 1703. He married Mary, born November, 1740, daughter of William & Mary WODELL. William WODELL was in Boston at an early date, and died at Tiverton, Rhode Island, in 1693. In 1643, he, with others, was banished from Massachusetts for "heresy and sedition" and returned to Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where they had previously been living. In 1643 he was granted land in Portsmouth; was commissioner, 1656-63; deputy, 1664-65-66-67-69-70-72-73-74-75-80-81-82-83-84-86. During these years, he served on many important committees. In 1684 he was chosen assistant, but positively declined to serve. Daniel GRINNELL was a malster; was made freeman at Portsmouth in 1657. His name appears in several real estate transaction in that town and at Little Compton. He served on the grand jury and as constable. His father, Matthew GRINNELL, died prior to 1643; was a resident of Newport, Rhode Island. His wife Rose died in 1673. Abut 1717 or 1718, Theophilus REDFIELD purchased about one hundred and twenty acres of land on Chestnut Hill in Killingworth, Connecticut, and there he resided during the remainder of his life. He served on many important town committees, and was known as "Sergeant REDFIELD." He died February 14, 1759. His widow, Priscilla (GREENEL) REDFIELD, died January 12, 1770, aged 81 years.
SPENCER, Joseph, Revolutionary Soldier
Joseph SPENCER was born in East Haddam, Connecticut, in 1714, died there January 13, 1789. He was reared and educated in his native town, and there spent his entire lifetime. In 1758, he entered the northern army with the rank of major, serving in three campaigns with such conspicuous bravery and skill that he was promoted to the rank of colonel. On June 22, 1775, upon General Washington's recommendation, he was commissioned brigadier-general in the Continental army. He was stationed at Boston, Massachusetts, until after its evacuation, after which he participle in the defense of New York City, the surrender of which to the British, he strenuously opposed. He was advanced to the rank major-general on August 9, 1776, and two years later was assigned to the command of the patriot forces in Rhode Island. In order to expel the British from Newport, Rhode Island, he assembled a considerable army at Providence, but owing to a delay of several weeks' duration, he was forced to dismiss his troops without accomplishing the desired end, not having an opportunity to advance against the enemy. For this failure he was tried by a court of inquiry, which absolved him from all blame in the premises. Congress, however, was not satisfied with the decision of the court of inquiry, and insisted that the case be reopened, and rather than again undergo the ordeal, General SPENCER tendered his resignation on June 14, 1778, which was accepted, and from that time until his decease, a period of almost eleven years, he lived in retirement from active pursuits. [p. 28]