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To the Editor of The_Gazette and Courier. In various newspapers, notices of the death of Gen. Rufus Saxton which I have seen, both Greenfield and Deer field are named as his native town. The fact is he was born In Greenfield, Oct. 19, 1824. Where his father, Jon athan Al Saxton, had gone to engage in some newspaper enterprise. This failing, Mr. Saxton returned to Deer field when the child was two or three years’ old. Rufus remained in ‘Deer field until he went to West Point when 21. . His mother was Miranda Wright. The Saxtons and the Wrights were both Old Deerfield families. It is said in some of the notices of Gen.. Saxton. that the came from good fighting..stock”; that there had ‘“al ways been soldiers in the familly.’ This is an error so far as the family name goes. An examination of the Saxton stock shows that, for the times, there was a remarkable ab sence of the military element. Not a Saxton’ is found, ‘officer or private, who served in _the_war_ of 1813, the Revolution’ or the French and Indian wars. On the other hand, the exami nation shows” another remarkable fact; the ancestor’of+Gen. Saxton, in each generation ‘was «showered «with civic honors by his’ townsmen—a crucial test of character. (1) Jonathan Ashley Saxton, 1795- 1874, had no “military leanings. “He was essentially a literary man. I do not believe he ever, suted, ‘B. UR, in. hild Whiter’ Whe lived “before this timer He. invas’ an: Brigaati: ‘slavery: man of ‘the deepest ‘dye. .Perhaps.. he.ought to be enrolled, as a “fighter.” He was belligerent, and. persistent... He would Introgwasy aR very PORAPI IAS, ps et ‘ See SET RE we 2 See ee Ler speeches | we “support ; thereof—long from town meeting, not Congressional view. Very few of, his townsmen: ‘sympathized with ‘him, and his ora tory moved them only, toward the door. This mattered. not . whit'',to him; his duty was plain: before him, and “he could: not: be baulked. ” He’ once said to me, “My father has spoiled a good farmer, shy making me a poor lawyer. He had no taste for high profession, and spained nothing* by it. elvil re’ BS sainklin , Senate coe missioner, and for many years, deputy sheriff, representative’ two years.”” His wife was the ‘daughter of ‘a lawyer, who had three fenerations of min isters in his ancestral ‘line. ~ (8) David Saxton, 17384-1800, fath er of Rufus, was a shoemaker and tavern keeper. He was eminent as a Whig in the Revolution; was a justice of the prince, representative four years and for 12 years state sen ator, a leading man in all-town af fairs. His’ wife was Rebecca, daugh ter of lenenezer Barmard, clothier, with no civil or military record. (4) Joseph’. Saxton, 1694-1790, father of David was a representative 30 ‘consecutive years, and town clerk for 40; of Sarah Parsons; his wife, nothing is found. . (5) Joseph Saxton, _ 1666-1742, father of Joseph, is called captain, the only military title found on the Saxton side of the house. I must, not, “however, neglect, note an event, through which, he said, Deerfield people claim a patent of nobility. General Saxton's great great-great-great grandmother, Han nah Wright, was killed and scalped by Indiana 200 years ago. General Saxton’s line of. ancestry on the maternal side shows more military blood. His mother's moth er was. Mercy “White, 1768-1842, a daughter of Salmon White, 1731- 1815, a captain in the Revolutionary war. He was also a member of the Mass. Provincial Congress... selectman 44 years; town clerk and treasurer, eight: assessor, 18; representative, and deacon. Mercy White’s mother was. Mary Wait, 1730-1814; daughter of Joseph Wait, 1688-1780, an active scout and Indian fighter in’ Queen* Anne’s Noah He was son of Sergt. Benjamin Wait, the brave and persevering ‘stout who became famous by his heroic and suc cessful enterprise to recover the cap tives, taken “by Indians at Hatfield and Deerfield in the As Tpelan raid of Sept. 29, LO0T ‘and carried to Can ada. On the news of the attack on Deerfield, in 1704, reaching Hatfield, Benjamin. Wait was one of those who rode ‘to the rescue, and he was killed in the fight on the Meadows. »His ashes rest under-the -great—-mound..in the old graveyard in Deerfield.. Gen. Saxton is also descended from Seret. Walt in another one through the Wright family, as will be seen. dudah;. Wright, 1677-1747, was a soldier in the garrison at, Deerfield, 1704, when he was captured and car ried to Canada, but he returned. His wife was Mary Hoyt, 1684-1769 She was a daughter of David Hoyt, 1651-1704, who was second in com mand as Heutennant at Deerfield, 1704, where he was captured. . He died ‘of starvation on the’ march ‘to Canada. His’ daughter, Abigail, was killed on the way. Asahel Wright, 1721-1816, son of Judah and Mary Hoyt, was a far mer, deacon, selectman five years—a plain man with plain habits. He left directions for a plain funeral, no brass, nails, to marl his age ‘on his coffin, no fron, handles, ‘but, instead, strings of flax. His wife was Lucy Wait, 1727-1814, a granddaughter of Benjamin Wait, the hero. , ., . Asahel Wright, Jr., 1767-1828, was a farmer and selectman.). His wife was Mercy, a daughter of Capt. Sal mon White, and a mother of Miranda, the mother of Gen. Saxton. —on-Saxton-grew-up in-the_family. of his uncle, Capt. »George Wright. He worked on the farm and attended the district school at Wapping, and the Deerfield academy. To recall a little incident which occurred while he was a student here. . There was a turkey shoot going on- not far away, and one noon time. “‘Rufe went, over, and somehow got from. one of the sportsmen leave to try his skin. The Leese LAY pmenee ee Ahaks ha pea ae = aartar ans? = Eger Teme ‘made one the “titel fellow “for the ‘honor “he had brought. to. the school ° by his’ marksmanship” In “1845 the’ young man entered West: Point,: and. Ly Subsequent . Cas 1 a “hy sem uy spmeees otters public. : Smes BEORGH, SHEELDON. Deerfield, “March 20, 7190
Newspaper Details
Greenfield Gazette and Courier
Greenfield, Massachusetts, US
Sat, Apr 04, 1908
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Osman K.
USA 25 Aug 2026
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