AARON SEEKINS [#116], b. probably Cambridgeshire, England about 1690, d. before Dec. 1747, m. Middleborough, MA 12 Jan 1724-5 LYDIA (PIERCE) Hayford (dau. of Isaac Pierce and Alice Chartley), b. abt. 1689, d. 1785. She m(1) Bridgewater, MA 3 Jul 1706 John Hayford, b. 23 Feb 1681, d. 1719.
Aaron Seekins is thought to have emigrated from England to Massachusetts where he settled at Middleborough prior to 1717. Whether or not he was a Quaker, as were many Middleboro residents, is not on record. He first purchased land there from Thomas Caswell in 1724. After that date and until about 1747, there were several records of deeds of land sales and purchases by him. His wife Lydia was the widow of John Hayford, who died in 1719. She was of a Quaker family, her father Isaac having moved from Duxbury to Middleboro about 1710. Lydia died in 1785, aged 96.[1]
Aaron may have had a brother Moses, who was recorded in Middleboro as having married Damaris Thrasher of Taunton on November 7, 1717.
REF: [1] The Seekins Genealogy - Paul O. Seekins, 1970 (pgs.1-2)
[2] Plymouth County Courthouse Records (18:192)
[3] The Mayflower Descendant (4:73) (Middleboro Vital Records)
[4] History of the Hayford Family - Otis Hayford, 1901 (pg.39)
[5] Family Tree Maker website - The Maine Seekins Home Page
by Brenda J. Seekins
Children:
1. Aaron, b. abt. 1725, d. 15 Dec 1777, m. Middleboro, MA 17 Apr 1746 Hannah Wescott, b. 7 Apr 1725 Children: (see below) 2. Robert, b. abt. 1730, d. bef. 1790, m. 6 Jun 1754 Abigail Townsend (dau. of George Townsend of Taunton) Chil.:[5] 1) Mercy, b. abt. 1758, m. Raynham, MA 25 Jan 1776 Elijah Caswell; 2) James, b. abt. 1759, m. Rehoboth, MA 3 Feb 1779 Hannah Lamberth; 3) Thankful, b. abt. 1761, m. 1781 Oliver Goff; 4) Elizabeth, b. abt. 1765, m. Taunton, MA 5 Jun 1783 Joshua Lincoln, Jr.; 5) Sibel, b. abt. 1778, m. Raynham, MA 24 May 1798 John Boodery
Children (of Lydia by John Hayford):[4]
1. Ebenezer Hayford, b. Pembroke, MA 20 Jun 1707, m. 22 Mar 1733-4 Mary Brooman 2. Alice Hayford, b. Pembroke 21 May 1710 3. John Hayford, b. Middleboro 7 Jan 1712, m. 23 Nov 1738 Thankful Phinney 4. Jacob Hayford, b. Middleboro 24 Oct 1715, probably died young 5. Samuel Hayford, b. Middleboro 17 Sep 1719, d. 10 Jul 1801, m. 2 Jul 1741 Hannah Reynolds, b. 2 Feb 1715, d. 1 Feb 1799
AARON SEEKINS [#58], b. probably Middleborough, MA abt. 1725, d. 15 Dec 1777, m. Middleborough 17 Apr 1746 HANNAH WESCOTT (dau. of Thomas Westcott and Hannah Reynolds), b. Middleboro 7 Apr 1725.
Aaron Seekins first resided at Middleboro, then Dartmouth and Freetown, MA at various times between 1746 and 1777 during which period there were land deeds recorded in both Plymouth and Bristol Counties. He last resided in Freetown.[1/2] Middleboro vital records give the marriage of Aaron Seekins and Hannah Wescoat, Jr., both of Middleboro, married by Benjamin Ruggles.[2] The Seekins genealogy claims Aaron was a soldier in the American Revolution. This may be questionable however. Aaron's sons Caleb and Martin served in the war,[4/13:9701] and one might then think that the Aaron of Freetown who also served would be more likely to be their brother, ie. Aaron, Jr. The Revolutionary War soldier Aaron Seekins died in 1777 while a prisoner of the British. Since Aaron the son survived the war, it would seem that it was indeed the father who was the soldier. Whatever the case, Aaron's service record is included below.
Aaron Seekins originally enlisted in Captain Levi Rounsewell's company of Minutemen, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, serving for three days. He enlisted again on May 5, 1775 in Capt. Rounsewell's Co., Col. David Brewer's 9th Regt. and served for three months and four days. He is also listed on a company return, dated Roxbury Oct. 7, 1775 and Capt. Rounsewell's Co., (late) Col. Brewer's regt., order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated at Roxbury Nov. 8, 1775. There does not appear to be any activity for him in 1776 but Aaron Seekins of Freetown, enlisted January 8, 1777 as a private in Major's Co., Col. Marshall's Regiment, Continental Army for a term of three years. He probably served in the Battle of Bennington as he is credited with 14 days worth of pay for 280 miles traveled to Bennington at 1 day for each 20 miles of travel. He was in Capt. Amasa Soper's 4th Co., Col. Thomas Marshall's regt. He was reportedly taken prisoner by the British and died in their captivity December 15, 1777[3/170:17] (also given as Nov. __, 1777).
Aaron's son Martin was described in one service record of 1780 as of Dartmouth, 18 years of age, 5'2" tall, and dark complexion.[4/13:970] Also note that there are no more records of land transactions for Aaron Seekins after 1777.
REF: [1] The Seekins Genealogy - Paul O. Seekins, 1970 (pgs.2-3)
[2] The Mayflower Descendant (18:77)
[3] National Archives
[4] Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary
War, 1905
[5] Descendants of Electious Reynolds - Susan Rogers Clement,
privately published newsletter (e-mail: [email protected])
[6] Family Tree Maker website - The Maine Seekins Home Page
by Brenda J. Seekins
Children:
1. Aaron, b. 1749-50, d. bef. 1840, m. 3 May 1771 Tabitha Raymond, b. 1751, d. bef. 1840 Chil.:[6] 1) John, b. abt. 1773, m. 3 Jul 1794 Nancy Pigsley; 2) Ezekiel, b. 1775, m. Plymouth, MA 8 Jun 1798 Anna Reynolds; 3) Benjamin, b. Freetown, MA 15 Oct 1779, d. Enfield, ME 15 May 1856, m. Belfast, ME 11 Jan 1807 Abigail Tyler; 4) William, b. Strafford, VT 1780, m. Windsor, VT 1808 Lydia Hallowell; 5) Josiah, b. 1786, d. Swanville, ME 19 Nov 1866 (age 92 y. 8 m., bur. Seekins Cemetery), m(1) 19 Mar 1803 Sarah Smith (dau. of Manual Smith & Sarah Raymond), b. abt. 1777, d. 1819/20 (age 43), m(2) Swanville 16 Jul 1820 Adelia Knowlton (dau. of John Knowlton and Mary Curtis), b. 14 Jul 1804, d. abt. 1869; 6) Thomas, b. Strafford 1788, m. 1811 Philo Matthews (dau. of Jacob Matthews), b. Lowell, MA, d. 1842; 7) Charles, b. 1792, m. abt. 1820 Helen ____; 8) Heber G., b. 1794, d. aft. 1873, m(1) Bethany, NY 1815 Lois ____, d. 29 Aug 1836, m(2) Elryia, Ohio 1837 Marie ____, b. abt. 1801, d. Columbia, Ohio 8 Feb 1873; 9) (girl), b. Sharon, VT 1796 2. Sarah, b. abt. 1751, m. Dartmouth, MA 3 Mar 1771 Ezra Gonsey 3. Mary, b. abt. 1752, m. (int.) 6 Mar 1778 Noah Ball, b. prob. Dartmouth, MA 31 Dec 1754, d. Wilmington, VT 10 Mar 1837 4. Caleb, b. abt. 1754 5. Lydia, b. abt. 1756, m. 16 Jul 1775 Timothy Jenne, b. abt. 1755 6. Paul, b. abt. 1759-1760, d. Barton, VT 1810[6] Chil.:[6] 1) John, b. abt. 1784, maybe res. Bennington, VT and German Flats, Herkimer Co., NY 7. Martin, b. 1762, d. aft. 1827, m. abt. 1783 Gedida ____, b. Wareham, MA abt. 1763, d. Ellington, NY 9 Aug 1835,[5/22:3] moved to Thetford, VT abt. 1785, to Batavia, Genessee Co., NY abt. 1808, and Ellington, Chautauqua Co., NY abt. 1827 Chil.:[6] 1) Virtue, b. VT abt. 1785, m. 27 May 1804 Benjamin Penum; 2) Sarah, b. abt. 1788; 3) Zenas, b. abt. 1793; 4) Harmon, b. abt. 1794; 5) Polly, b. 1796, d. abt. 1872, m. Bethany, NY 1815 George Miller (son of John Miller and Betsey), b. NY 11 Aug 1793, d. 11 Jun 1873; 6) Joseph, b. Strafford, VT 1798, d, Ellington, NY 5 Jun 1880, m. 1819 Betsy Hutchinson (dau. of John Hutchinson), b. VT 1803, d. Ellington 8 Jun 1865 8. Margaret, b. abt. 1765, m. 22 Jan 1785 Ephraim Bragley
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