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Facts and Events
"This individual had seventeen children by one wife, three of them at a single birth. These were daughters, all of whom married and had children. It was regarded as a remarkable occurrence, and as he was a man of moderate means, he petitioned the General Court for aid in the support of his family, but it was not granted. The petition is a curious document, and is given entire, as follows:
- 'To the Honble Genll Assembly of his Majesties Colony of Connecticut in New England in their Session at Hartford in May, 1736.
- 'The Humble memorial of Samll Martin of Woodbury May it please your honors
- 'Whereas the Glorious and Supream Governour of the World has Given me reason to Sing both of Mercy & of Judgement In that He hath blessed me with a numerous posterity & has particularly of Late increased the number in an uncommon manner, my Wife this Spring being delivered of three daughters at a birth, which made my number thirteen, and all living, healthy children; And yet it hathe pleased the same Providence to lay me under some Considerable disadvantages to support my family; for I have been by a sore Wound in my hand considerably disenabled to labour; My Eldest Son now in his seventeenth year, by a double breach in his thigh is like to be a Criple all his days. My wife since her lying in inclining much to a Dropsy, & unable to take the care of the family as formerly; and having this Spring also lost two new Milch Cows, on which we had considerable dependence for the support of my family, & especially my infants, I am hereby reduced to considerable straits & scarce know how to support the charges Providence hath laid upon me. And there having been but one Instance of this nature in the Colony heretofore, vizt of Squire Curtis in Stratford. And hearing what the Charitable Disposition of the Honble Assembly was in that case to that Gentleman, together with the many Instances the Honble Assembly have given of their readiness to help and relieve such as are in want, I have hereby been emboldened and encouraged to Lay my Case in the foresd broken manner before you. And would Now Humbly Intreat this Honble Assembly to take my Case iuto their Serious Consideration, and vouchsafe me some help and relief in such measure as in their extensive charity and in such measure as in their profound Wisdom, they shall see meet whereby I may in some measure be inabled to bear the extraordinary charges Divine Sovereignty hath laid upon me amidst the disadvantages I labor under, And ye Memorialist as in duty bound shall ever pray.
- 'Woodbury, May 11th, 1736.
- 'Samuel Martin.'"[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Martin Family, in Cothren, William. History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecticut: From the First Indian Deed in 1659 to 1854, Including the Present Towns of Washington, Southbury, Bethlehem, Roxbury, and a Part of Oxford and Middlebury. (Waterbury, Conn.: Bronson Brothers, 1854-1879)
1:623, 24-25.
"Samuel (Martin),2 bap. March, 1693."
- ↑ Volume 131 Woodbury, in Connecticut, United States. Church Record Abstracts, 1630-1920. (Ancestry.com (database on-line), 2013)
86.
"Martin, … Samuel, s. William, bp. Mar. 25, 1694 [1:20]"
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