Nielsen Hayden genealogy

Adiel Sherwood

Male 1749 - 1824  (74 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All

  • Name Adiel Sherwood 
    Birth 25 Dec 1749  Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Death 14 Dec 1824  Kingsbury, Washington, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Burial Baker Cemetery, Hudson Falls, Washington, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I27759  Ancestry of PNH, TNH, and others | Ancestor of AP
    Last Modified 8 May 2020 

    Father Seth Sherwood,   b. 18 Jun 1720, Stratfield, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1784, Fort Ann, Washington, New York Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 63 years) 
    Mother Sarah Pitcher,   b. 20 Aug 1728, Norwich, New London, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage 1745  Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F16571  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Sarah Sherwood,   b. Jun 1755, Litchfield County, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Mar 1827, Kingsbury, Washington, New York Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 71 years) 
    Marriage 1772  Newton, Fairfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3
    Children 
    +1. Mary "Polly" Sherwood,   b. 16 Jan 1780, Kingsbury, Washington, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jan 1842, Sandstone, Jackson, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 62 years)
    +2. Adiel Sherwood,   b. 3 Oct 1791, Fort Edward, Washington, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 18 Aug 1879 (Age 87 years)
    Family ID F16570  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 8 May 2020 

  • Notes 
    • He was a lieutenant in the Revolution in the Charlotte County militia in Sep 1775, and in the first New York Regiment of the "Line", commanded by Colonel Goose Van Schaick. He was a member of the New York State Assembly, representing Washington County, in the 8th New York State Legislature, 12 Oct 1784 to 27 Apr 1785, elected 27 to 29 Apr 1784 (not 1783 as asserted in various Sherwood family histories). From January to April 1785, the Assembly met at the Old Royal Exchange near the foot of Broad Street, near its intersection with Water Street, putting it catty-corner across from today's One New York Plaza, home of (among many other businesses) various offices of Macmillan Publishers, publisher of AP's novels, although not the location of the office of the part of Macmillan that publishes her.

      From Laws of the State of New-York, Passed at the Thirty-Fourth Session of the Legislature (Albany: S. Southwick, 1811): "An ACT for the relief of Adiel Sherwood, relative to certain class-rights. Passed February 22nd, 1811. WHEREAS Seth Sherwood, in his life time, by virtue of certain certificates of class-rights, was entitled to locate seven hundred acres of land; and whereas the legal representatives of the said Seth Sherwood have transferred the said class-rights to Adiel Sherwood: Therefore, Be it enacted by the people of the State of New-York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That the said Adiel Sherwood be allowed to locate the said class-rights upon any of the unappropriated lands belonging to the people of the state, not otherwise directed by law to be disposed of; and that the commissioners of the land-office are hereby authorized and required to issue letters patent to the said Adiel Sherwood, his heirs and assigns, for the said seven hundred acres of land which may be so located."

      According to his Find a Grave page: "Commanded at various times Ft. Ticonderoga (1776) and Fort Ann (1777); fought under Arnold to repel the British from New York; under George Washington at Monmouth; wintered with Washington at Valley Forge; captured and prisoner of war in Montreal until 1782 when returned to America and settled at Fort Edward, NY." Some Sherwood family histories assert that he was a particular friend of George Washington. We have been unable to substantiate anything in this paragraph, although some of the details of military service may be true. Many of the same Sherwood family histories, obituary notices, and entries in local biographical dictionaries, and of course Wikipedia entries, also promulgate the idea that this Sherwood family's origins were in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire. In fact the origins of their earliest Sherwood ancestor, Thomas Sherwood who died in 1657 at Stratford, Connecticut, are unknown.

      It's notable that while Adiel Sherwood was fighting on the American side, his brother Thomas Sherwood (1745-1826) was a spy for the British and an ensign in the pro-British Loyal Rangers under Major Edward Jessup. In 1779 Thomas and his wife Anna Brownson removed to Quebec, and five years later settled in what would become Leeds County, Ontario. Their son Adiel Sherwood (1779-1874) was a paymaster in the Leeds militia during the War of 1812, and went on to a long career of public service distinguished enough to earn him an entry in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

      Adiel Sherwood and Sarah Sherwood were first cousins once removed, he a grandson and her a great-granddaughter of Dr. Thomas Sherwood and his wife Abigail Darling.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1269] Find a Grave page for Col Adiel Sherwood.

    2. [S4126] A. S. Florence Bible Record, Monticello, Georgia. From Jasper County Georgia Cemetery and Bible Records by Jewel Moats Lancaster. Shady Dale, Georgia, 1969., date only.

    3. [S4126] A. S. Florence Bible Record, Monticello, Georgia. From Jasper County Georgia Cemetery and Bible Records by Jewel Moats Lancaster. Shady Dale, Georgia, 1969., year only.