Calvin Danielson

Other Events:

• Census: 1790, Brimfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
• Census: 1800, Butternuts Twp., Otsego, New York
• Census: 1820, Butternuts, Otsego, New York
• Census: 1830, Butternuts, Otsego, New York
• Census: 1840, Butternuts Twp., Otsego, New York; Listed in the Revolutionary Veterans section at age 85, his name does not appear in the general census
• Residence: 1790, Brimfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts; With three boys under age 16 and three females
• Residence: 1800, Butternuts Twp., Otsego, New York; With a boy and two girls under age 10, three boys age 10 to 15 and a woman over age 44
• Residence: 1820, Butternuts, Otsego, New York; With a girl age 10 to 15, a man and a woman age 16 to 25 and a woman over age 45
• Residence: 1830, Butternuts, Otsego, New York; With a boy and girl under age 5, a boy age 5 to 9, two girls age 15 to 19, a man age 30 to 39 and a woman age 70 to 79
• _MILT: 1775 - 1783; Corporal, Massachusetts Line, Continental Army

Notes:

Calvin Donaldson served in the American Revolution along with his father and five brothers. Calvin crossed the Delaware with General Washington, and participated in the capture of Hessian troops at Trenton. He was the son of John Danielson and Ruth Blodgett, and the husband of Catherine McMaster. He changed his name from 'Danielson' to 'Donaldson' in the 1830's, along with his children, siblings, and cousins, believing that 'Donaldson' was the original family name back in 1600's Scotland. He was listed in the 1840 census as 'Calvin Donaldson,' and also appeared under that name in the authoritative "History of Otsego County, New York," by D. Hamilton Hurd (1878).

Not found in Otsego Co., New York probate indices

Buried:
Prentiss Cemetery

Calvin — Catherine McMaster. Catherine was born 9 Aug 1752, Palmer, Hampden, Massachusetts; died 28 Aug 1841, New York; was buried Otsego Co., New York. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Census: 1790, Brimfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
• Census: 1800, Butternuts Twp., Otsego, New York
• Residence: 1790, Brimfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts; With two boys under age 16 and two females
• Residence: 1800, Butternuts Twp., Otsego, New York; With a woman over age 45
• _MILT: 1775 - 1783; Private, Capt Amos Walbridge's Co, Col David Brewer's 9th Regt, Continental Army

Notes:

John Danielson served in the American Revolution as did six of his sons and his two brothers. He also served in the earlier French and Indian War, and participated in the important Crown Point expedition in 1755. John was the son of John Danielson and Margaret Mighill (Maghell). Danielson enlisted 12 May 1775 as a private, Capt. Amos Walbridge's company in Brimfield, Col David Brewer's 9th Regt. He served in the battles of Bunker Hill, Long Island and Trenton. He crossed the Delaware with the troops on 25 Dec 1776. For a time he was a member of the bodyguards to General Washington. John Danielson and his wife moved from Brimfield, MA, to Butternuts, Otsego Co, NY, in 1796. After his death nearly all of his children and grandchildren changed the family surname from 'Danielson' to 'Donaldson' by common consent, believing, according to oral family history, that 'Donaldson' was the original family name back in 1600's Scotland. During the past century some researchers have speculated that John Danielson of Brimfield was the grandson of wealthy James Danielson of Killingly, CT, but that is disproven by James' 1728 will, which shows only two sons, Samuel and James, Jr. Much of the best research on the Donaldson/Danielson family was done from 1925-1965 by Harriet H. Donaldson Wilkinson.

Not found in Otsego Co., New York will index (1792 - )
Not found in Otsego Co., New York intestate estate index (1801 - )
Not found in Otsego Co., New York wills and administrations v. E & F (1813 - 1823)
Not found in Cortland Co., New York Index to Probate Wills and Proceedings v. 1 (1808-1937)
Not found in Onondaga Co., New York General Index to Probate Records v. D (1802-1903)

Buried:
Prentiss Cemetery

John married Ruth Blodget 30 Aug 1750, Brimfield, Hampden, Massachusetts. Ruth (daughter of Joseph Blodget and Elizabeth Sawyer) was born 1 Mar 1727/28, Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts; was christened 10 Mar 1727/28, Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 14 Sep 1807, Butternuts Twp., Otsego, New York; was buried Otsego Co., New York. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Ruth Blodgett Danielson was the daughter of Joseph Blodgett and Sarah Stone, and the wife of John Danielson. Ruth's husband and six sons all served in the American Revolution. Ruth moved with her husband John from Brimfield, MA, to Butternuts, Otsego Co, NY, in 1796. Ruth's descendants in the early 1830's changed the family surname from 'Danielson' to 'Donaldson,' believing, according to oral family history, that 'Donaldson' was the original family surname back in 1600's Scotland.

Much of the best research on the Donaldson/Danielson family was done from 1925-1965 by Harriet H. Donaldson Wilkinson.

Buried:
Prentiss Cemetery

Notes:

Not found in indexes to Hampshire Co., Massachusetts probates (5 Jul 2017)

Not found in indexes to probates of Windsor Co., Vermont
Not found in indexes to probates of Windham Co., Vermont
Not found in indexes to probates of Orange Co., Vermont -- however some earlier volumes of probate records are not indexed (5 Jul 2017)

John married Margaret Mighell 23 Mar 1726/27, Brimfield, Hampden, Massachusetts. Margaret (daughter of Nathaniel Mighell and Sarah Bliss) was born 29 Feb 1707/08, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Birth:
"Margaret Mighall ye daughter of Nathanal Mighall and Sarah Mighall was Borne Feb 29th: 1707/08"

Other Events:

• Probate: 7 Oct 1783, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts; Will proved
• Residence: 16 Dec 1718, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
• Residence: 1730, Holland, Hampden, Massachusetts; "Joseph Blodgett is believed to be the first settler in the region now known as Holland. The records show that he bought land there in 1730."
• Residence: 4 Feb 1780, South Brimfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts; In the modern-day town of Holland, Hampden, Massachusetts
• Will: 4 Feb 1780, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts; To heirs of son Joseph Blodgett: 40s to share equally; to son Benja Blodgett: 40s; to heirs of son Abner Blodgett: 40s to share equally; to son Thomas Blodgett: 40s; to sons Samuel Blodgett, Jonas Blodgett, Caleb Blodgett, Elijah Blodgett, Admatha Blodgett, and daughters Sarah Blodgett alias Sarah Williams wife to John Willms, Anna Blodgett alias Anna Sherman wife to Thomas Sherman, Abigail Blodgett alias Abigail Gates wife to Samuel Gates, Ruth Blodgett alias Ruth Danielson wife to John Danielson, Lydia Blodgett alias Lydia Hubbard wife to Simeon Hubbard, Achsah Blodgett alias Winslow wife to Ashbell Winslow: equal shares of remaining estate; sons Samuel Blodgett, Jonas Blodgett, Caleb Blodgett, Elijah Blodgett executors

Joseph married Elizabeth Sawyer 16 Dec 1718, Medford, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Elizabeth (daughter of Joshua Sawyer and Sarah Wright) was born 7 Nov 1698, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 8 May 1735, Brimfield, Hampden, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Also Known As: Sarah
• Residence: 16 Dec 1718, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Notes:

Sergeant James Danielson, progenator of the family in America, was a native of Ayrshire, Scotland, whence he emigrated to the new world settling on Block Island which is now the town of New Shoreham, Rhode Island.

Early land records show that Sergeant James Danielson was a man of considerable fortune. He assumed a prominent place in town affairs. Between 1689 and 1705 he purchased large tracts of land on Block Island and was admitted a freeman of Rhode Island at the May session of the General Assembly in 1696.

In September, 1696 he agreed to raise 100 pounds to pay for making a suitable harbor. In that year he served as a soldier in the expedition against the French under General Montcalme and fought in the engagement on the heights of Abraham with General Wolfe. In 1700 he was elected Sergeant of the town of New Shoreham.

In early life he served almost continuously in wars against the Indians. During King Phillip's war he was Captain of a company of troops who passed through the region in which the present town of Danielson is located and was charmed with the beautiful "neck of land" between the Quinebaug and Assawauga Rivers.

As a result of his "heroic services" in the Indian wars he received a grant of land in Voluntown, Conn. His later purchases of land were very extensive. In 1706 he bought 800 acres of land on the Quinebaug River in what is now the town of Pomfret. This included a mansion house and barn. In 1707 he bought 2000 acres of land between the Quinebaug and Assawauga Rivers. He is said to be the first settler south of Lake Mashapaug (now Alexanders Lake) at the southern end of which he built a garrison house. This settlement afterward became the town of Killingly. James Danielson became one of the most prominent and influential men in that part of Connecticut.

He presented the town with a large burial ground located between the two rivers and was the first person to be buried in it. He died January 22, 1728 at the age of 80. His first wife was Abigail ____. His second wife was Mary Rose _____, who died February 23, 1752, aged 86." In 1724, he deeded his homestead in Killingly to his son Samuel, of which action John Danielson (his son) was one of the witnesses.

THE ORIGINS OF THE DANIELSON FAMILY

By Marcella Pasay

Reading early histories of the area one may be led to believe that James Danielson arrived in Connecticut almost directly from Scotland. Some texts refer to his being "of New Shoreham" (now Block Island, RI) at the time he buys land in Pomfret in 1706. Where did he come from? In RI Genealogies, in the chapter entitled "Early Block Island Families, we read:

"Some of the first proprietors in Dorchester and Braintree did not go to Block Island in person but sent agents and factors, among them several of the Scots from the Braintree iron works, who left numerous descendants on the island. Among these may be mentioned William Tosh (McIntosh, Duncan Ross alias Tormut Rose, Alexander Enos (Innis), Duncan McWilliamson, Robert Guttridge, James Danielson, and others."

What was James Danielson's connection with the Braintree iron works? Established in the mid-seventeenth century on the Saugus River, the iron works recruited "skilled and unskilled, free and indentured" workers. Among the indentured were a number of Scots prisoners taken at the Battles of Preston and Dunbar and Worcester. Was James Danielson, namesake of the Borough, a Scots prisoner? No. James was born in 1648/1649. These battles took place within a few years after his birth. Searching the New Shoreham records, however, we read:

"James Danelson Juner his Marke being the marke?."

It was, in fact, his father, James, who first arrived in New England, probably not as a prisoner, but as a skilled worker from Scotland. Prisoners were not allowed to bring their families and were not paid much. According to the New England Genealogical Register (vol. 6, p. 250) and the Essex Quarterly Court Files, a James Danielson resided in Braintree and gave a deposition in 1653. It states he was twenty years old but he was most likely older. (If James, Jr., was born in 1648 his father would only have been fifteen years old in 1653.)

There are no further records of this first James, his wife, or what happened to them. It may be that when his work was completed he returned to Scotland and left his son as an apprentice in Braintree. James, Jr., must have been a trusted employee and exhibited good business sense to be selected as an agent for the New Shoreham enterprise. He must also have had some capital of his own in order to begin his land purchases.

James did very well on the island buying and selling property and building a cattle herd. He married twice and each wife bore him a son. When he arrived in Connecticut James and Samuel accompanied he and his wife, Mary.

At least one historical account mentions a son, William, but there is no record of his birth or death and he is not mentioned in his father's will. There is a William Danielson in the Pomfret land records but the property does not seem to be in any way adjoining or part of the Danielson property. There are no land transactions recorded between the aforementioned William and the other Danielsons. The surname of William may well be a corruption of Dennison as the early text is not clear. Until other records are found, we must exclude this William from the family of James.

Source: http://www.johnhoyt.com/donaldson.html

James Danielson was on the roster of the Saugus Iron Works in 1653. He died in 1728 in Killingly, Ct. The epitaph on his tomb stone says he died in the 80th year of his life so that makes his birth date abt. 1648. The battles that he was supposed to be captured at and sent to this country as a prisoner took place in 1650 and 1653 so there no way he could have been sent as a prisoner. He gave a deposition while at the iron works in 1653 which stated that he was 20 years old. That would have made his birth date 1633 in Scotland. David P. Wilson, researcher of Ct. genealogy found a book of Rhode Island records in the library at ECSU, that listed James Danielson being made a free man May 5, 1696. Since James Jr. was born 5/15/ 1687 he would have been 9 years old, so this was apparently James Sr. The info from my mother's 30 year research into her family reflects the following: James Danielson was resident of Ayrshire, Scotland. He settled at Block Island in May 1683.

The reason for the move to America has been explained by being a prisoner in Scotland of a war with England and being sold or forced to immigrate as an indentured servant for 10 years at an iron works on Block Island. The iron works went out of business and he became a free man. This info came from Helen Winslow Mansfield, historian at Block Island in letters dated in 1952. The other explanation is that he came of his free will to work for the iron works. Which ever was true, he became an important and influential citizen with much land on the island before selling and moving to Killingly, Conn. The records we have shows land purchases of 170 acres on the island between 1686 and 1696. He sold 124 acres of land and a mansion house on the island to Thomas Mitchell for 545 pounds. He already lived in Conn. at that time.
We do not know when he moved to Conn. but they still bought Block Island property in 1704 and started selling it in 1705. If the arrival date is correct, he would have been about 35 years old and two years later he married Hannah George Rose (widow of Tormut Rose) on 3/11/1685. She died abt. 1693 in New Shoreham, RI. He then remarried Mary Tosh (MacIntosh) at New Shoreham, RI (Block Island) 1/22/1700. He had three children: James B. , John B., Samuel B. The Killingly, Conn. Donaldsons (Danielsons) are descended from Samuel. Anita Leon, of NYC, now deceased, was a family historian.

In a letter to my mother, Harriet H. Donaldson, she said that James 1st wife was Abilgail by who he had a son, John. There is no record of a wife Abigail on BI and no record of the date of birth for John on BI. My mother speculated that John was born in Scotland and his mother Abigail died there. This would explain the missing info on BI. There is more info about property purchases, etc. but too much to list here. Send Email for more info if interested. He is buried at the Old Westfield Cemetery which is the cemetery he gave to the community.

James married Mary Tosh 22 Jan 1699/00, New Shoreham, Washington, Rhode Island. Mary was born 6 May 1669, New Shoreham, Washington, Rhode Island; died 23 Feb 1752. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Residence: 13 Aug 1676, Durham, Strafford, New Hampshire; In the settlement then called Oyster River
• Residence: 19 Dec 1701, Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts

Notes:

Not found in index to early Hartford Co., Connecticut probate records (6 Jul 2017)
Not found in indexes to New London Co., Connecticut probate records (6 Jul 2017)
Not found in indexes to Hampshire Co., Massachusetts probate records (6 Jul 2017)

Died:
The town of Plainfield was included in Hartford County at the time

Nathaniel married Sarah Bliss 15 Jan 1701/02, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts. Sarah (daughter of Samuel Bliss and Sarah Stebbins) was born Oct 1681, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts; died 26 Feb 1751, Brimfield, Hampden, Massachusetts; was buried Brimfield, Hampden, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Residence: 19 Dec 1701, Springfield, Hampden, Massachusetts

Notes:

Buried:
Brimfield Center Cemetery

Other Events:

• Probate: 4 Nov 1740, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; Will proved
• Probate: 2 Feb 1740/1, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; Estate inventory; total is not given but approaches £400
• Will: 26 Oct 1738, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts; To "beloved wife" Rebeckah Bloggett: life estate in all possessions and full rights to sell, improve, etc. for her own maintenance and comfort; to sons Thomas, Joseph, and Samuel Bloggett: lands already given; to daughters Rebeckah Russell, Abigail Reed: "All My Moveable house hold Stuff", exceptions noted; to sons Thomas Bloggett, Samuel Bloggett: certain furniture excepted from the daughters' bequest, and clothing; to son Joseph Bloggett: £20; to daughter Rebeckah Russell: £10; sons Thomas and Samuel Bloggett, executors

Notes:

Some years after his marriage Thomas moved to Lexington (Mass.) where he took up land and became one of the town's most active and prominent citizens, and the ancestor of the greater part of the Lexington Blodgetts. He was assesses in Woburn from 1684 to 1689, and first assessed in Lexington in 1691. "Captain Blodgett" as he was familiarly called was a subscriber to the "Meetinghouse"; he gave 1 pound, 6 shillings towards the first Meetinghouse, and 5 shillings towards the purchase of Lexington Common, at a meeting held April 1711. At another meeting held June 9, 1713. It was voted to build a new church on the plan of the one at Concord, and Thomas Blodgett and two others were appointed to carry out the measure, (Hudson's History of Lexington) Thomas and his wife were admitted to the Church March 5, 1699, by letters of dismissal from the Church in Woburn. At the first town meeting in Lexington, Thomas Blodgett was chosen Tythingman, an office of great importance and dignity at that time. He was made an assessor in 1704, chosen Selectman in 1714, many times re-elected, and in short filled nearly every place of honor and trust in the town. The will of Thomas Blodgett was filed in Probate Court, November 24, 1740, and recorded with Middlesex Wills, Book 22, p.341; it mentions wife Rebecca, sons Thomas and Joseph, who had 20 pounds extra, son Samuel and daughter Rebecca, who had 10 pounds extra.

Died:
Lexington town records do not seem to have this record

Thomas married Rebecca Tidd 11 Nov 1685, Woburn, Essex, Massachusetts. Rebecca (daughter of John Tidd and Rebecca Wood) died 8 Mar 1750, Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Not found in Middlesex Co., Massachusetts index to probates (27 Jun 2017)
Not found in Worcester Co., Massachusetts index to probates (29 Jun 2017)

Buried:
First Burial Ground

Joshua married Sarah Wright 2 Jan 1678, Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts. Sarah was born 16 Jan 1653, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 1697, Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts; was buried Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
First Burial Ground

Notes:

Married:
Could not find a record of this marriage in MA Vital Records