Person:Daniel Brainerd (5)

Daniel Brainerd, (The late D. D. Field, in the Brainerd genealogy printed in 1857, stated that the Brained boy lived in the Wyllys family in Hartford. Excepting this statement I (Lucy Abigail Brainerd) have found nothing whatever to support it. Mr. Cephas Brainerd of New York city once said to me that he did not doubt the statement, as Hezekiah Brainerd, who died in Hartford while a member of the Connecticut Legislature, was taken to the house of Hezekiah Wyllis for funeral obsequies. As Hezekiah Wyllis and Hezekiah Brainerd married sisters it was very natural that his body be taken there. He probably stopped there while attending the legislature. I have once seen it in print that he was in the Wadsworth family, but did not take the title of the book in which it was found. Others have seen it, but are unable to state in what book.) the progenitor of nearly all of those who bear the name of Brainerd in America, was probably born in Braintree, Essex County, England, near the year 1641 and was brought to this country when about 8 years old and lived with the Wadsworth (The manuscript to which reference is made in other places said he lived in the Wadsworth family. The manuscript was deposited in “The Antiquarian Society of Worcester, Massachusetts,” by J. W. Thornton, Esq., 18 June 1862.) family in Hartford, Ct., remaining there until 1662 when with others he took up land and made Haddam his permanent home. …

Daniel Brainerd's children were baptized in Middletown, about eight miles distant, before permission was granted to the citizens of Haddam by the General Court of Connecticut to build a church and with a settled minister to maintain independent worship, to baptize the children, to perform the marriage ceremony, and to bury the dead. The journey thither was on horseback, following the Indian trail, which became a bridle path, with the wife seated on a pillion, carrying the child in her arms. The children were baptized as "children of ye church of Christ in Lyn (Lynn, Massachusetts) received ye Initiatory seal of ye covenant baptism by virtue of Communion of Churches."

Daniel Brainerd, of Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut, married about 1663 or '64, Hannah Spencer, born about 1641 at Lynn, Massachusetts, daughter of Gerrard and Hannah Spencer of Lynn, Massachusetts, formerly of "The New Town," Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, afterwards, about 1663 or '64, one of the settlers of Haddam, Connecticut. Mrs. Hannah (Spencer) Brainerd died before 1691, or about that time. He married, second, 30 March 1693, Mrs. Elizabeth (Wakeman) Arnold, born -----, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (-----) Wakeman, formerly of England. Samuel Wakeman died at the Bahama Islands in 1641. Mrs. Arnold was mother of Deacon Arnold. Mrs. Elizabeth (Wakeman) (Arnold) Brainerd died -----. He married, third, 29 November 1698 Mrs. Hannah (Spencer) Sexton, born probably 25 April 1653, and daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Bearding) Spencer, and widow of George Sexton, who was son of George Sexton of Windsor, Connecticut. Deacon Daniel Brainerd died 1 April 1715, æ. 74 years, and is buried in the ancient burying grounds in Haddam, a few rods east of the Court House. Mrs. Hannah (Spencer) (Sexton) Brainerd died -----.

Daniel Brainerd's home lot in the town plot was Number 5 1/2 and was bounded west on the main street, north by John Bailie, east on the river, south by Joseph Stannard. The home lots contained about four acres. …

Daniel Brainerd held many public offices of that day. He was repeatedly honored by reappointment to the office of constable, surveyor, fence viewer, town assessor, collector and justice of the peace, and with others was one appointed to stake out land and to lay out highways. He was elected Commissioner by the General Court in Hartford, Conn., in 1669. … He was one of a committee to secure a minister, 1 January 1682, and was elected deacon of the Congregational Church in that place, serving in that capacity through life. …

The Colony Records of Connecticut … show that Daniel Brainard was present as a deputy to the General Court at the May session, 1692, special session, June, 1692, October session, 1692, 26 sessions between May, 1692 and May, 1706. The same volume also shows that Mr. Daniel Brainard was chosen Justice of the Peace for the county of Hartford at the May session in 1701 and again in May, 1704 and a third time in May 1705. May session, 1692. "This Court do for the present upon good considerations and until further order free Daniel Braynard from training."^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Daniel Brainerd, in Brainard, Lucy Abigail. The Genealogy of the Brainerd-Brainard Family in America: 1649-1908. (Hartford, Conn.: Hartford Press. : The Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1908)
   1:Daniel:31.
2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Ricker, Jacquelyn Ladd. The Ricker Compilation of Vital Records of Early Connecticut: Based on the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records and Other Statistical Sources. (Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company)
   1763.

   Brainerd, Daniel, Dea., d. 1 Apr 1715 ae 74 - Old Cem, Haddam

3. ↑ Daniel Brainerd, in Find A Grave.