Benjamin Bodwell (1741-1787)

Son of: James 1713

In 1775 Benjamin enlisted as a Private, was Corporal in Capt. Abel Pettibone's command: 2^nd Regiment of Conn. Troops, and served as Sergeant in the 18^th Regiment of Conn. Militia in 1776, in the New York Campaign. Benjamin was discharged, December 18, 1776.

"Wee the Subscribers Hearing of the Distressing Situatsion our Breatheren are in at Boston by the mourders and Barberaties Committed on them by the King Troop: Wee Do volontarely Enlist our Selves to Go to Boston to assist our Brothering and to Defend our Just Rights and Prevledges under the command of Elisha Phelps and Job Case or any other man wee Shall Chuse to be our Commander as witness our hand this 21 Day of April 1775" Benjamin Bodwell, 3^rd signee out of 17. Simsbury, Conn.

Benjamin is buried in Hop Meadow Cemetary, Simbury, Ct. (Graves of Revolutionary Patriots, Vol 1)

There is a family tradition told of Mary Woodbridge Bodwell. Nearly all the able bodied men in Simsbury were away serving thier country in the Revolutionary War, and the boys were left to do the work. Benjamin had a grist mill and Benjamin and Mary's house was very close by. Mary was ill, and in bed with a young infant. One of boys rushed into the house saying, "There's a boy in the pond drowning." Mary sprang from her bed, rushed to the pond, rescued the boy-not her own-but one who had come with corn to be ground and while it was being ground was tempted to try the boat. Not knowing how to manage the boat, he fell overboard trying to recover an oar. Mary went back to her bed and suffered no ill consequences from her exposure. (Heather Robertson)

Born	Died	Married	Spouse
22 Aug 1741	7 Apr 1787	17 Feb 1768	Mary Griswold Woodbridge
Methuen, Ma	Simsbury, Ct	Simsbury, Ct	b. 5 Apr 1747

Children of Benjamin and Mary (Woodbridge) Bodwell

	Name	Birth Date	Birth Place	Death Date	Death Place
1.	Jerremy	23 Apr 1769	Simsbury, Ct
2.	James	16 Dec 1769	Simsbury, Ct	6 May 1812	Simsbury, Ct
3.	Clarissa	19 Jun 1771	Simsbury, Ct.	7 Feb 1847	Castine, Me
4.	Mary	17 Apr 1774	Simsbury, Ct	14 Apr 1868	Claridon, Oh
5.	Erastus	12 Dec 1776	Simsbury, Ct	9 May 1828	Farmington,Ct
6.	Dorothy Lamb	2 Jan 1780	Simsbury, Ct	12 Apr 1873	Canton, Ct
7.	Augustus	30 Nov 1783	Simsbury, Ct	23 Oct 1868	Farmington,Ct
8.	Benjamin Wyllys	2 May 1786	Simsbury, Ct.	21 May 1866	Claridon, Oh

01/01/97 02/08/97

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Contact: bodwell@ptcpartners.com December 26,1996
Copyright (C) 1996, 1997 Donald J. Bodwell. All rights reserved