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- Immigrated to Percy Twp., Newcastle District, Upper Canada about 1797. This rural area is now known as Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Ontario, Canada. The closest town of any size is Warkworth.
Researcher Dick Bronson of Spokane, Washington, has linked Barnabas Brunson of Percy Township., Newcastle District, Upper Canada, back to Richard Bronson, a founder of both Hartford and Farmington, Connecticut. By the time Barnabas was born, his family had been in the United States for more than 100 years and Brunson descendants were numerous. Although Barnabas is believed to be the fourth son of Moses and Hannah (Kelsey) Brunson, none of his known children were named after his parents. There is also no knowledge of what he is doing after he left Farmington, Connecticut, although he is believed to have moved to the MA/NY border area in the Green River/Hillsdale area of Columbia Co., perhaps for military service.
The following was extracted from ancestry.ca
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, 17 Vols.
Volume 2, page 718. "Brunson, Barnabas, Alford. Corporal, Capt. Peter Ingersoll's co., Col. David Brewer's (9th) regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 24, 1775; service, 2 mos. 1 week, 5 days; also, company return [probably Oct., 1775]."
Volume 2, page 563. Bronson, Barnabas, Alford. Capt. Peter Ingersoll's co., Col. Rufus Putnam's (late David Brewer's) 9th regt.; order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Nov. 18, 1775.
The following was extracted from Karen Black's web site details for Barnabas.
Land records indicate that Barnabas moved into Canada about 1797, accompanied by his second wife Hannah, his older sons Amasa and Orsemus and his daughter Lavinia. Lavinia may have already been married to Reuben Mallory. Although his exact relationship to Barnabas is unclear, William Brunson also moved into the Newcastle District at this as did other founding families from the Hartford, Connecticut area (e.g. the descendants of Rev. Samuel Stone), most of the families probably attracted by the virgin timber in what was still a primordial forest.
A list of Original Settlers of Percey (sic) indicates that Barnabas occupied Lot 23 in the fourth Concession and that his son Amasa occupied Lot 24 in the second Concession, but subsequent records indicate that the reverse is true. Other household head census records indicate that Barnabas still had one male under 16 living with him in 1804 and 1805, probably Philander. Possiby Philander had married by 1810 as Barnabas now had one female and one male over 16 living with him and his wife.
Although Barnabas and Amasa Brunson were not officially recorded as Loyalists, they somehow qualified for substantial land grants along the Percy/Seymour Twp. border. Barnabas' property was located on Lot 24 in Conc.2. Various land records refer to Barnabas' holdings as either Percy or Seymour Twp., but the Brunsons themselves knew their home as Cramahe or "Crammie" in Newcastle District, Upper Canada, although by 1870 their official postal address was Warkworth, Ontario.
Brunson, Barnabas' will written 18 Sep 1820, while he resided at "Percy Township, District of Newcastle, Upper Canada" which names his children and specifies his grandson Barnabas as his chief heir.
This will was probated 22 Feb 1822, presumably after Barnabas' death.
Heirs included his beloved wife Hannah who kept all the furniture she had brought with her when he married her. His children received the following:
1. Orsonus received 5 pounds to be paid 2 years after B's death;
2. Amasa, who remained near his father, received 5 shillings;
3. Levineah, who married Reuben Mallory, received 2 pounds 11 shillings;
4. Abel, who was left behind in the States with another family, received 25 pounds to be paid in cattle and
grain three years after B's decease;
5. Phylanien, who probably also had remained in the States, received 10 shillings.
At first it seemed possible that Barnabas had at least one other son, since he left the bulk of his estate (specifically Lot 24, Con 2 in Percy Township and its livestock) to his grandson Barnabas Brunson (b.1806). The father of this grandson was not named. Here are some reasons why Barnabas may have left most his estate to his namesake:
1. he was Barnabas' namesake;
2. his uncles were already settled on their own land;
3. he was the oldest son of Barnabas' oldest son, inheriting the property because his father was dead;
4. he was the oldest son of Barnabas' oldest son Amasa who was already settled on his own land. In further support of this last reason is the fact that this grandson Barnabas (1806) named his own son Amasa.
Information from Dick Bronson formely of Spokane, Washington also included sons William and Amos, but as there was no mention of either man in Barnabas' will and since William Bronson was still alive when the will was probated, it's doubtful he was Barnabas Brunson's son. However, he was probably some kind of relation since he received his Northumberland County property the same day Barnabas did.
As to the will's failure to include Amos as an heir, possibly his name has been confused with Abel's over time. Amos-Abel may be the same person. In any case, little is known about any Amos, but much is known about Abel Brunson, who was also very much alive when the will was probated. Noteworthy is the fact that he named none of his numerous children after either his supposed father Barnabas or his supposed mother Charity. However, Abel was not raised by his father following his mother's premature death, remaining in the States when his father immigrated Upper Canada.
As to the paternity of grandson Barnabas (b.1806), he is probably Amasa's son.
More About BARNABAS BRUNSON:
Immigrated: About 1790, Northumberland Co., Ontario, Canada possibly from Rutland, Vermont, in a group led by Joseph Keeler.
Property: July 20, 1818, Received land patent from Crown for 200 acres in Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Ontario, Canada
Resided: September 01, 1797, Con 2, Lot 24, Percy Twp., Northumberland Co., Ontario, Canada
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