Person:Lydia Blunt (2)

Maine mar. records for Francis Tufts shows one to Sarah Blount (sic) 1767; however, Family history books and bio's say he married 1) Sarah "Blunt" and they had several children, and she died; he then married Lydia Blunt Blackstone, a widow, and they had John, ME; Josiah, d.OH; Sarah Tufts Greely, wife of Moses; and Mary Butler, wife of Francis Butler, Esq, bur. in Riverside Cem. Farmington, ME. It was after Lydia's death in 1830, ME, that his thoughts turned to Ohio where two sons and one daughter lived. When Samuel Knowlton, a kinsman/friend was removing there, Rev. Francis Tufts (at 87 yrs of age) decided to ride horse-back the one-thousand-mile trip with them to get there. They started Sept. 1, 1831, and arrived Oct 13, 1831, went through nine states, stopping only for "the sabbath" to worship. Rev. Tufts was always invited to preach which he ably did. It was reported he had a retentive memory--well versed in Old and New Testments that he could quote entire chapters or suitable portions of scripture. His kindness and congeniality always made him a welcomed guest. Rev. Tufts was in near perfect physical condition even after the long trip, which Samuel Knowlton commented on, but two years later he passed away, well past his 90th birthday. "The Story of His Predecessor and Descendants" by Marion Thomas Whitney, pub. 1995, states that Josiah Tufts (1780-1841), who mar. Jane (Greely) Tufts, was his son. Jane was dau. of Seth Greely (1737-1825) who came to Maineville in 1815. Info also taken from "Tufts Family History--A Thousand Mile Trip".