Notes |
- The Bent Family, by Allen H. Bent, published 1900.
page 28-29.
#23 of Bent Family.
David (4) Bent (David (3), John (2), John (1)), blacksmith, was born in Framingham, March 30, 1730; died in Rutland, MA, Jan. 15, 1798, age nearly 68. The year of his marriage, or possibly before, he moved to Rutland, where he was an active and useful citizen. In addition to working at his trade, he had a large farm (160 acres at the time of his death) in the southern part of the town, a portion of it lying in what, in 1765, became the district of Paxton (incorporated as a town in 1775). The inventory of his estate included half of a pew in Rutland meeting-house and two-thirds of a pew in Paxton meeting-house. Rutland, it may be said in passing, is a fine old hill town in the very centre of the state. Jan. 3, 1775, he was chosen one of fifteen men who were to act as a Committee of Inspection to carry out the Acts of Congress. March 13, 1775, a military company was formed and David Bent was chosen captain. This company marched to Cambridge the day after the battle of Lexington and was out six days. From April 6, 1776, until March 13, 1780, when he resigned, he commanded a company in the 7th Worcester County regiment. Marched to Bennington in August, 1777.
Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 15, 1787, a cyclone swept over Rutland, doing much damage. The account in Sidney Perley's "Historic Storms of New England," says: "Seemingly gathering new fury, it continued down the side of a hill, struck a corner of Captain Bent's house and lifted the barn in the air, knocking it to pieces and throwing several large timbers a considerable distance. In the barn were four or five tons of hay, which was wholly lost. A blacksmith shop and part of a shed were entirely carried away, together with nearly two hundred apple trees; and much of the walls and fences was demolished."
The old house in which he lived is still standing, a two-and-a-half story building, east of Turkey Hill Pond, on the road from Rutland to Paxton, near the dividing line, and about 2 1/2 miles from the centre of either town. The big chimney, the little panes of glass, and the old floors held down by hand-made nails, have only recently(1898) been removed. The barn was divided several years ago and the blacksmith shop and out buildings have long since disappeared. The farm is still considered one of the best in Rutland.
Capt. David Bent married first, April 3, 1751, Lucy, daughter of Peter Moore of Rutland. He married second, Oct. 2, 1783, Martha, born Nov. 21, 1744, died July 9, 1817, daughter of James and Elizabeth Browning of Rutland.
Children of David and Lucy, all born in Rutland, MA: eleven
Children of David and Martha, born in Rutland:
#49 i. SAMUEL BROWNING, (5), B. Nov. 27, 1784.
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