Mansfield, Tolland County, Connecticut

1. Mansfield, Connecticut Vital Records, Susan Dimock, 1898, 475 pp. ......... (Fred 8/26/99)

Records regarding birth, baptism, marriage and death were collected from three sources:

Town Records: Births, Marriages and Deaths recorded by surname 1703-1850.

First Church: Baptisms by date 1710-1849.
Marriages by date 1744-1820.
Deaths by date 1807-1850.

Second Church: Baptisms by date 1745-1849.
Deaths by date 1830-1843.

In 1898, Susan Dimock wrote " ... the records are fast becoming illegible. In many cases they are already partly destroyed". Maybe this explains why the First Church records include baptism dates for eight children of Nathaniel, Jr. and Desire (Stetson) Southworth, while the Town records include birth records for only six children.

child date of birth date of baptism date of death

Lois
Eleazer
Anne
Eunice
Ozias
Gurley
Samuel Stetson
RUTH 08-25-1765
12-29-1768
04-17-1773
01-16-1776
09-18-1778
02-21-1780 [2]
08-03-1783
03-01-1786 [1,2] 05-24-1767
04-02-1769
07-18-1773 (Ann)
05-19-1776
10-21-1778
04-22-1781 (Gursham)
12-07-1783
06-11-1786
03-13-1850

02-28-1834 [3]
03-15-1864 [1]

[1]
[2]
[3] Dates from Christian Hollow records ... [ Photo of Gravesite]
www.tiac.net/users/weymouth/Html/fam04871.htm.
NEHGR, Volume 111, p. 187, Burlington Flats, Otsego, NY, Inscriptions.

2. The Constant Years (1730-1813), Roberta K. Smith, 1990, 68 pp. ......... (Fred 2/24/2000)

This book covers the life and times of Constant Southworth. He is the youngest brother of RUTH SOUTHWORTH's grandfather, NATHANIEL (1714-1790). Constant survived hard times to become a prominent figure in Mansfield history. Shortly after he was born his father left on a sea voyage from which he never returned. This book points out two possibilities of his disappearance ... 1) he left to "improve his fortune" ... or, 2) he left because of "family problems".

In any event the, the family suffered financially after their father left. The book says, "the older boys were placed where they could earn a living", although there is no specific mention of RUTH's grandfather NATHANIEL (the oldest son).

There are several interesting pages about Constant's (and our) ancestors. More pages describe what was going on in Mansfield during Constant's lifetime. Since he lived to the age of 83, this covers a period including RUTH's childhood.

One interesting fact ... Constant was the town clerk for 50 years, from 1756-1805. The book points out that for his own children, he even recorded the time (time of day) of birth. I thought it ironic that the date of birth for RUTH (his grand niece) was missed in the records all together!

3. Listen to the Echos, Roberta K. Smith, 1983, 81 pp. ......... (Fred 2/24/2000)

An interesting history ot the Spring Hill area just north of Mansfield Center. It covers the period 1703-1850.

There are a number of biographies of early settlers. I didn't see any of ours, and don't know that we had any at Spring Hill. But we are related to the Dunham's, Freeman's and Gurley's whose families lived there.

4. That Sacred Plant of Paradise, Jack Hall Lamb, 1975, 34 pp. ......... (Fred 2/24/2000)

This is the script for a re-enactment of a town meeting held October 10, 1774. This was a period in time just a few months prior to Mansfield's involvement in the Lexington Alarm.

There are several biographies, SAMUEL STETSON (1713-1782); Constant Southworth, brother of NATHANIEL SOUTHWORTH (1714-1790), Jonathan and Samuel Gurley, younger brothers of LOIS GURLEY (1719-1754).

1. Mansfield, Connecticut Vital Records, Susan Dimock, 1898, 475 pp. ......... (Fred 8/26/99)
	Records regarding birth, baptism, marriage and death were collected from three sources:
		Town Records:	Births, Marriages and Deaths recorded by surname 1703-1850.
		First Church:	Baptisms by date 1710-1849. Marriages by date 1744-1820. Deaths by date 1807-1850.
		Second Church:	Baptisms by date 1745-1849. Deaths by date 1830-1843.
	In 1898, Susan Dimock wrote " ... the records are fast becoming illegible. In many cases they are already partly destroyed". Maybe this explains why the First Church records include baptism dates for eight children of Nathaniel, Jr. and Desire (Stetson) Southworth, while the Town records include birth records for only six children.
	child	date of birth	date of baptism	date of death
	Lois Eleazer Anne Eunice Ozias Gurley Samuel Stetson RUTH	08-25-1765 12-29-1768 04-17-1773 01-16-1776 09-18-1778 02-21-1780 [2] 08-03-1783 03-01-1786 [1,2]	05-24-1767 04-02-1769 07-18-1773 (Ann) 05-19-1776 10-21-1778 04-22-1781 (Gursham) 12-07-1783 06-11-1786	03-13-1850 02-28-1834 [3] 03-15-1864 [1]
	[1] [2] [3]	Dates from Christian Hollow records ... [ Photo of Gravesite] www.tiac.net/users/weymouth/Html/fam04871.htm. NEHGR, Volume 111, p. 187, Burlington Flats, Otsego, NY, Inscriptions.

2. The Constant Years (1730-1813), Roberta K. Smith, 1990, 68 pp. ......... (Fred 2/24/2000)
	This book covers the life and times of Constant Southworth. He is the youngest brother of RUTH SOUTHWORTH's grandfather, NATHANIEL (1714-1790). Constant survived hard times to become a prominent figure in Mansfield history. Shortly after he was born his father left on a sea voyage from which he never returned. This book points out two possibilities of his disappearance ... 1) he left to "improve his fortune" ... or, 2) he left because of "family problems". In any event the, the family suffered financially after their father left. The book says, "the older boys were placed where they could earn a living", although there is no specific mention of RUTH's grandfather NATHANIEL (the oldest son). There are several interesting pages about Constant's (and our) ancestors. More pages describe what was going on in Mansfield during Constant's lifetime. Since he lived to the age of 83, this covers a period including RUTH's childhood. One interesting fact ... Constant was the town clerk for 50 years, from 1756-1805. The book points out that for his own children, he even recorded the time (time of day) of birth. I thought it ironic that the date of birth for RUTH (his grand niece) was missed in the records all together!

3. Listen to the Echos, Roberta K. Smith, 1983, 81 pp. ......... (Fred 2/24/2000)
	An interesting history ot the Spring Hill area just north of Mansfield Center. It covers the period 1703-1850. There are a number of biographies of early settlers. I didn't see any of ours, and don't know that we had any at Spring Hill. But we are related to the Dunham's, Freeman's and Gurley's whose families lived there.

4. That Sacred Plant of Paradise, Jack Hall Lamb, 1975, 34 pp. ......... (Fred 2/24/2000)
	This is the script for a re-enactment of a town meeting held October 10, 1774. This was a period in time just a few months prior to Mansfield's involvement in the Lexington Alarm. There are several biographies, SAMUEL STETSON (1713-1782); Constant Southworth, brother of NATHANIEL SOUTHWORTH (1714-1790), Jonathan and Samuel Gurley, younger brothers of LOIS GURLEY (1719-1754).