GLEASON




The name of Gleason is found in various localities in various forms. In the very early records it is frequently spelled Leson, or Leeson. Later it appears with some thirty variations in spelling, such as, Gleison, Glezon, Gleeson, Glysson, Gleazon, Gleyson, Leason, Leison, Lesen, Eison, Eason, etc.

(I) Thomas Gleason, immigrant ancestor, was born, it is supposed, in Sulgrave, Northampton county, England, 1607, died in Cambridge, Mass., 1686. He was married in England to Susanna Page, who died Jan. 24, 1691, in Boston, Mass. His name first appears in the records of Watertown, Mass., where he took the oath of allegiance, June 1, 1652. In 1658 he removed to Charltestown, and Dec. 3, 1658 he leased from Captain Scarlett a portion of the Squa Sachem lands. These lands, lying in what is now Medford, had been deeded to the town of Charlestown in 1639 by Squa Sachem. By the will of the latter, all of the property was bequeathed to certain prominent citizens, among whom were Governor John Winthrop and Edward Gibbons. In this way they secured possession of the lands on the west side of Mysticke pond, and it was this land which was subsequently leased to Thomas Gleason. Soon after the lease was made, a question arose as to the rightful ownership of the lands, and in March, 1662, the town of Charlestown instituted a suit against Thomas Gleason for the purpose of obtaining possession. The case was still unsettled when he died in the spring of 1686, and he had in the meantime used all his resources in fighting it.
Children:
1. Thomas, born in England, 1637.
2. Joseph, 1642.
3. John, 1647, Watertown.
4. Philip, 1649-50, Watertown.
5. Nathaniel, 1651, killed April 21, 1676 in the Sudbury fight.
6. Isaac, 1654.
7. William, 1655, Cambridge, Mass.
8. Mary, Oct. 31, 1657, Cambridge.
9. Ann, 1659, Charlestown, Mass.

(II) Isaac, son of Thomas Gleason, was born 1654, in Watertown, died May 14, 1698, in Enfield, Conn. He married, June 26, 1684, Windsor, Conn., Hester, daughter of James and Hester (Williams) Eggleston, born Dec. 1, 1663, Windsor, and died there. Her father, James Eggleston, was the son of Begat Eggleston, who came from England, probably Exeter, to Dorchester, Mass., 1630. He was in the Pequot fight and received for his service a grant of fifty acres of land. He died Dec. 1, 1679, and his widow married (second) James Enno. Her mother, Heater Williams, was the sister of Roger Williams, and is said to have been the first white child born in Hartford.
Isaac Gleason enlisted in King Philip's war, and is credited at the garrison at Springfield, Mass., June 24, 1676, with seventeen pounds, four shillings, nine pence; August 24, 1676, credited with six pounds, eighteen shillings, ten pence. He was admitted an inhabitant of Springfield, Feb. 5, 1676, and in 1678 is named on a list of about one hundred and thirty persons, who took the oath of allegiance. The order for convening these persons and of administering the oath was given by Major John Pynchon, under the authority of the general court held in Boston, Oct. 2, 1678. The following extract is copied from the town records of Sprigfield:
"Feb. 9, 1679. At meeting of selectmen Issack Gleason ordered to look after South door of meeting house to prevent persons, especially boys, from leaving church unnecessarily during service."

He was by trade a carpenter. He removed to Enfield, Conn., where he settled in 1681.
Children:
1. Hester or Esther, July 21, 1685, Enfield.
2. Isaac, Nov. 12, 1687, mentioned below.
3. Thomas, July 29, 1690, Enfield.
4. Abigail March 14, 1692-93, Enfield.
5. Martha, Aug. 7, 1695.
6. Deborah, Jan. 23, 1698.

(III) Isaac (2), son of Isaac (1) Gleason, was born Nov. 12, 1687 in Enfield, died June 5, 1761. He was one of the first settlers in the southeast part of Enfield. His name appears, in the list dated June, 1736 , of the soldiers who were in the Falls fight above Deerfield and who were entitled to a share in the lands granted by the general court.
He married, Aug. 31, 1712, Mary, daughter of John Prior.
Children:
1. Esther, Sept. 7, 1713.
2. Isaac, March 10, 1715-16, Enfield.
3. Mary, July 7, 1718.
4. Joseph, Aug. 13, 1721.
5. Jonah, July 4, 1724.
6. Abigail, April 3, 1728.
7. Job, Jan. 28, 1731.
8. Jacob, mentioned below.

(IV) Jacob, son of Isaac (2) Gleason, was born March 10, 1734, Enfield, died April, 1805, in Benson, Rutland county, Vermont. He married (first) Hannah, daughter of Ezekiel and Hannah (Chandler) Pease, born in Enfield, Jan. 11, 1732. He married (second) Ruth _____, who died March 4, 1813, aged seventy-one.
He was a soldier in the revolution. About 1786 he removed with his family to Benson, and was the first settler in the east part of that town, which was then a wilderness.
Children:
1. Jacob, married (second) Widow Harrison.
2. Benoni, born 1760.
3. Enoch, mentioned below.
4. Sherman.
5. Sacket.
6. Bissell, married Asahel Stiles, of Pittsfield, Mass.
7. Laura, married Thomas Goodrich, of Pittsfield.
8. Putnam.

(V) Enoch, son of Jacob Gleason, married Polly Rumsey of Hubbardston, Vermont.
Children:
David, mentioned below; Sackett; Vivalda; Chauncey; Adelia; Jane; James.

(VI) David, son of Enoch Gleason, was born about 1770 and appears to have settled in Manchester, Vermont.

(VII) David (2) son of David 91) Gleason, was born at Manchester, Vermont, in 1800, died there in July, 1828. He married Abigail Pollard.

(VIII) David Thomas, son of David (2) Gleason, was born at Winhall, Vermont, June 13, 1828. He attended the public schools, but on account of ill health left school at an early age. In 1850 he came to Denmark, Lewis county, New York, where he has since resided.
During the sixty years he ahs witnessed the growth of the town from a frontier community to its present [1910] flourishing condition. He came before railroads were built and he has seen the introduction of the telegraph as well as the telephone. He has a fund of reminiscences of a generation that has passed away. In the first trying days of his settlement in the new town, he longed for the Green Mountains in which his boyhood was spent, and from time to time went back to visit. But he prospered in Denmark, and became one of the most successfull farmers of that section.
He retired a few years ago from active labor to a well-earned period of rest and ease. Though not of an ambitious nature and not caring for public office or distinction, he was a man of much influence in local affairs and highly esteemed by all his neighbors and townsmen. Few men in this section are as well known or more honored than he.
In politics he is a Domocrat. He married, Nov. 8, 1860, Mary (Sharp) Barnum, died May 15, 1895, daughter of William and Betsey (Kitts) Sharp. William Sharp came from England when about seventeen years old, having been forced into the British army, but deserted and came to America.

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