William Seymour

Note: This information was supplied by Paul Carleton Seymour.

WILLIAM⁶ SEYMOUR (Samuel⁵, Samuel⁴, Matthew³, Thomas², Richard¹), born 1758 in Greenwich, Fairfield, CT, died 1811 in Newburgh, Orange, NY. Married first Esther SANDS of Long Island. Married second Eliza POWELL (daughter of Henry, Long Island). Had one son, William Jr. with Rhoda Chidsey Rhoda Chidsey of E. Haven, CT. William is recognized in the book – History of the Town of Newburgh

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This portrait miniature was found by a collector and reported to me in 2023. It shows Margaret Elizabeth (Seymour) Kernochan and appears to have been done around 1830. (This is just a guess based on her apparent age in the portrait). Note also that the text on the back describes the debunked story of the Seymours' relationship to Edward Seymour, Lord Protector.

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William Seymour, Sr. (1758-1811), and other Seymours in the Revolutionary War, then First in our line of the Connecticut Seymours to move into New York state

by Paul Seymour

When I set out on my quest to learn my ancestry I didn't even know who my Great-Great Grandfather was. He could have been from England for all I knew. As it turned out, finding the link between Great Grandfather Clinton Seymour to his father was the biggest challenge. Once I learned that Clinton was descended from William Jr., I then had a link to William Sr. over in Newburgh. I found some conflicting information on this relationship, as it was a little bit murky, which I'll explain later in this chapter. First, William Sr.'s youth and the Revolutionary War.

As we just saw in the previous chapter, William's father was an important political leader in Greenwich during the Revolutionary War. William would have turned 18 in 1776, so naturally I started looking for his war service records, and discovered that he enlisted and was made a fifer, along with at least 59 other Seymours who served in various roles during the War. Following is the list of Seymours from the Daughters of the American Revolution website, http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/default.cfm with our 2 guys, William and Samuel listed here first:

SEYMOUR, WILLIAM Ancestor #: A102459
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: FIFER
Birth: 4-13-1758 GREENWICH CONNECTICUT
Death: 4-18-1811 NEWBURGH ON HUDSON NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) CAPT CASE

SEYMOUR, SAMUEL Ancestor #: A102447
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: 1730 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Death: 4- -1818 GREENWICH CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) MEM COMM SAFETY

SEYMOUR, DRAKE Although not listed on the DAR website, I stumbled across a record of a Drake Seymour, Sergeant and Drummer, who served under Capt. Abraham Meade of Horseneck. Therefore, although 60 Seymours have been officially recognized, we now have proof that at least one wasn’t, and maybe more. Since I found this in the book – Ye Historie of ye town of Greenwich (page 133) http://www.archive.org/stream/yehistorieofyeto00mea#page/132/mode/2up, I think it’s safe to assume that this is Samuel’s son and William’s brother.

Drake lived in Greenwich until 1819, and had 5 daughters, 3 of whom lived and died in Greenwich, while the other 2 married and moved to Fishkill, NY. Drake was also listed along with his father, great-great, etc. Grandpa Samuel, amongst those who were officially recognized as losing property during the War, and eligible to receive land grants (aka Fire Lands because the British had burned their town) in Huron and Erie Counties of Ohio In this listing, http://www.archive.org/stream/historyoffirelan00wil#page/16/mode/2up/search/seymour it shows Samuel with a greater loss than Drake. William would name his first son Drake, so he obviously had a lot of respect for his big brother.

SEYMOUR, SAMUEL Similar to Drake, I also found a record in the book: Ye Historie of ye town of Greenwich (page 137) http://www.archive.org/stream/yehistorieofyeto00mea#page/132/mode/2up,for William’s brother, Samuel (born 1763). He’s listed as a private in Capt. Joseph Hobby’s company. As he would have been a young teenager, and since no Samuel Seymours from Greenwich are listed on the DAR website, I think we can assume that this was Drake and William’s younger brother, and may explain his early death, but there’s no direct evidence of how he died.

I have found no history at all of Samuel III, beyond this revolutionary war record, and noted that he wasn’t listed in his father’s will of 1818, so evidently he died young, making William’s line the only one that has carried on to today, since Drake had only daughters. William named his second son Samuel Sands, maybe for his younger brother coupled with his wife’s surname, as evidently she died giving birth to Samuel.

I think it's kind of cool that great- great, etc. grandpa William was a fifer in the Revolutionary War. I remember watching movies about the war, and when seeing the fifer and drummer out in front of the advance, walking directly into enemy fire, thinking that they must be crazy. I would want something more dangerous than a piccolo in my hand under those circumstances. But really, I know nothing about the fife and drum role, so I went and looked it up: Fife_(musical_instrument)

“Fifes are an ancient instrument, referred to in Europe as the 'Schweizer Pfeife', or Swiss flute. When played in their upper register, the fife is loud and piercing, yet also extremely small and portable. By some reports a band of fifes and drums can be heard up to 3 miles away over artillery fire. These qualities made it useful for signaling on the battlefield by European armies beginning in the Renaissance period (See also Early modern warfare). Armies from Switzerland and southern Germany are known to have used the fife (Soldatenpfeife) as early as the 15th century. Swiss and German mercenaries were hired by monarchs throughout Western Europe, and they spread the practice of military fifing. By the 16th century, the fife was a standard instrument in European infantries.

The fifer also gave signals at camp such as the call to arms. While the infantry company marched, the drummer and fifer set the cadence. During marches, the fifer improvised tunes, creating variations on a theme while keeping the rhythm of the march. While the unit rested, the drummers and fifers played music to entertain the soldiers.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the protocols of the Fifes and drums became intricately associated with infantry regiments only. They were never used as signaling instruments by the cavalry or artillery. These units used trumpets and/or kettle drums. Each company of an infantry regiment was assigned 2 fifers and 2 drummers. When the Battalion (5 companies) or Regiment (10 companies) was formed up on parade or en masse movement, these musicians would be detached from the companies to form a 'band' from which the term band rises. Detached to their individual companies, the signal duties included orders to fire, retreat, advance, and so forth. By the 18th century, the military use of the fife was regulated by armies throughout Europe and its colonies. The rank of Fife Major was introduced, a noncommissioned officer responsible for the regiment's fifers, just as a Drum Major was responsible for the drummers. Books of military regulations included standard fife calls to be used in battle or at camp. During the American Revolutionary War, the British and Americans used the 'Scotch' and English Duties (particular melodies associated with various military duties). American martial music was influenced by that of the British Military throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Beginning in the early 19th century, warfare was changing and fifes were no longer practical as combat signaling devices. The fife was gradually replaced by the infantry bugle (origin of the valved cornet). They were still used as signaling instruments (opposed to musical instruments) by American units during the Civil War but gradually phased out by the 1880s. See the biography of General Truman Seymour in Wikipedia, and note that he established much of the bugle protocol for the US military that still exists today. A similar regime occurred in the British Army. The US Marines were the last American units to drop fifers from their roles. However, the British have an unbroken tradition of using fife and drums corps attached to their regiments. They still parade regularly with the regiments. Germany also continued with an unbroken tradition of fife and drum corps until the end of World War 2. They were not a mere function of the Hitler Jugend but integral to the Regular German Army. The bands of fifes and drums were regularly at the head of regimental parades and ceremonies of the infantry regiments.”

I also wondered if there was some sort of honor code which protected the Fifer and Drummer from being targeted since they were unarmed, and found out that: http://putnampark.org/Apr2010NewsLetter.pdf

“The drums were used for two main military purposes: the first for cadence while marching; and the second, and most important, for relaying commands to the troops. The drummers, usually one per company, stayed close at hand to the company Captain. Many of the instructions to the troops were relayed by drum calls. These calls were standardized in the Continental Army. A drummer (and then with addition of fifers) earned the same pay as a corporal. There are various arguments as to the reason for the higher pay, like the drummer marched in battle either out in front with the Captain, or on the side of the front line with the Captain. This made him a primary target, especially during hand-to-hand combat which pitted a drummer with a seventeen inch drum stick against a Brown Bess musket with bayonet with a reach of 75 inches. With the number of drum calls they had to learn (and be good at ) skill was certainly a factor. Music for entertaining was another story. Even though this occasionally happened, Entertainment music, or Band Musick, was never played during normal camp or march periods, so has not to confuse critical commands like the Assembly call played before the skirmish at Lexington..”

So I guess they were exempted from doing any killing, but were definitely targets.

There were two Captain Cases from Connecticut. Job and Zaccheus, both from Simsbury and both in the 18^th Regiment.

CASE, ZACCHEUS Zacheus served in Capt. Case's Co. at the Lexington Alarm. He was Capt. of the 18th Militia Regiment in 1778 Col. Noadiah Hooker's Connecticut regiment which was in the brigade of General Erastus Woldott

CASE, JOB Capt. Job Case was born on 3 Jun 1737 in Simsbury, Hartford Co., CT. He died on 6 Oct 1798 in Simsbury, Hartford Co., CT. Served in the Revolution. Entered the army as Lieutenant, and, 1779 was captain of militia when New Haven was attacked. He had charge of the company transporting cannon balls from the iron works at Salisbury to Boston. Served under Colonels Phelps and Hooker.

I did a lot of searching but didn't find any information about what either of the units of these two Captains did during the War. Above we see that Job Case was leading a unit transporting cannon balls to Boston, and they were both at the “Lexington Alarm”.

Below are the other 58 men who were officially recognized for their service. All but three are from Connecticut and NY, so almost certainly descended from our Richard. Another Seymour had also settled in Virginia. Also not included here, of course, are the sons, grandsons, etc of Seymour mothers, grandmothers, etc. who also trace back to the same family tree, but with different last names.

We can only imagine what hardships many others in our family, who were not officially recognized, went through during the war. For example, you'll see later that Samuel's property, and one of William's brothers' property were burned by the British during the War. Therefore the families were in great danger, and probably left homeless for a period.

SEYMOUR, AARON Ancestor #: A102378
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 3-4-1749 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 8-20-1820 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) LT SEYMOUR, MAJ NEWBERRY, 4TH CO.,2) 1ST REGT.,HARTFORD

SEYMOUR, AARON Ancestor #: A102381
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 3-11-1744 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 11-26-1795 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) LEX.ALARM; ALSO UNDER CAPTS SEDGWICK,2) JONATHAN WADSWORTH

SEYMOUR, ABEL Ancestor #: A102383
Birth: 5-5-1760 HAMPSHIRE CO VIRGINIA
Death: 8-26-1823 HARDY CO VIRGINIA

SEYMOUR, ABIJAH Ancestor #: A102384
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 7-9-1762 RIDGEFIELD FAIRFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 4-26-1848 WILTON FAIRFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT DAVID OLMSTEAD'S CO. 2) COL NEHEMIAH BEARDSLEY,CAVALRY REGT.MIL.

SEYMOUR, ALLYN Ancestor #: A102385
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 7-12-1757 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-15-1828 REDFIELD OSWEGO CO NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) CAPT SEDGWICK,COL CHESTER 2) WADSWORTH'S BRIGADE

SEYMOUR, ANDREW Ancestor #: A102386
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: SOLDIER
Birth: 5- -1734 Death: 12- -177 NEW CANAAN CONNECTICUT

SEYMOUR, ASA Ancestor #: A102388
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 9-16-1756 WEST HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 2-12-1837 GRANVILLE MASSACHUSETTS
Pension Number: *S6072

SEYMOUR, ASA Ancestor #: A102389
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 3-5-1760 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 10-28-1810 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT MATTOCK

SEYMOUR, ASHBEL Ancestor #: A102390
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: SERGEANT
Birth: 1-25-1748 WESTHERSFIELD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-31-1814 WEST HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Source: CT MEN IN THE REV.BY JOHNSTON P 25,50-51
Service Description: 1) ALSO PVT, CAPT JOHN CHESTER 9TH CO

SEYMOUR, CHARLES Ancestor #: A102391
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: (BAPTISED) 1-29-1738 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 5-16-1802 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) ALSO LT

SEYMOUR, DANIEL SR Ancestor #: A102392
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: 7-19-1730 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 11-8-1815 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) COL HEZEKIAH WYLLYS

SEYMOUR, EBENEZER Ancestor #: A102396
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: (ANTE) 1757 WEST HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 1808 ONEIDA CO NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) CAPT CHARLES SEYMOUR

SEYMOUR, ELI Ancestor #: A102395
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 11-1-1761 WEST HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: (POST) 1838 ERIE -PROB PENNSYLVANIA
Service Description: 1) CAPT WYLLYS,LCOL GROSVENOR,3D REGT.

SEYMOUR, ELIAS Ancestor #: A102399
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 8-23-1738 WEST HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: (POST) 1782 LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT WOOSTER,COL SAMUEL B.WEBB

SEYMOUR, ELIAS Ancestor #: A102400
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 2-28-1746 NEWINGTON HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 10-6-1828 NEWINGTON HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Source: JOHNSTON, CT MEN IN THE REV, P 581
Service Description: 1) CAPT POMEROY, COL CHAPMAN

SEYMOUR, ELIJAH Ancestor #: A102398
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CORPORAL
Birth: 8-6-1745 WEST HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-22-1806 SKANEATELES ONONDAGA CO NEW YORK
Service Source: JOHNSTON, CT MEN IN THE REV PP. 17, 480, 483
Service Description: 1) LEXINGTON ALARM, CAPT SETH SMITH; MAJ SHELDON'S REGT LIGHT HORSE, 2) CAPT URIAH SEYMOUR'S CO

SEYMOUR, ELISHA JR Ancestor #: A102415
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: SERGEANT
Birth: 1-27-1744 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 10-20-1776 W.HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT ABRAHAM SEDGWICK,COL CHESTER 2) GEN. LEE

SEYMOUR, ELISHA SR Ancestor #: A102402
Birth: 1722 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 1790 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT

SEYMOUR, EZRA Ancestor #: A102416
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 6-19-1748 NEW CANAAN CONNECTICUT
Death: 1815 NEW CANAAN CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT SCOFIELD,COL MEAD

SEYMOUR, FELIX Ancestor #: A102439
Service: VIRGINIA Rank: PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: 1725 IRELAND
Death: 2- -1798 MOOREFIELD HARDY CO VIRGINIA
Service Source: ABERCROMBIE & SLATTEN, VA REV PUB CLAIMS, VOL 2, P 449
Service Description: 1) FURNISHED BEEF FOR PRISONERS 2) AT WINCHESTER,1782

SEYMOUR, FREEMAN Ancestor #: A102417
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 1-17-1756 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 4-29-1800 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) COL WOLCOTT

SEYMOUR, HEZEKIAH Ancestor #: A102418
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 7-11-1745 HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 8-28-1815 NEW HARTFORD ONEIDA CO NEW YORK
Service Source: JOHNSTON, CT MEN IN THE REV P 382,483
Service Description: 1) CAPTS PRIOR, URIAH SEYMOUR; MAJ SHELDON 2) COL WOLCOTT JOHNSTON, CT MEN IN THE REV P 382,483

SEYMOUR, HORACE Ancestor #: A102419
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: 1761 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: LANSINGBURG NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) COL SHELDON

SEYMOUR, JAMES Ancestor #: A102421
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT
Birth: 5-26-1752 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Death: 12-11-1835 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT SEYMOUR

SEYMOUR, JESSE Ancestor #: A102422
Service: NEW YORK Rank: ENSIGN
Birth: 6-30-1754 NEW CANAAN FAIRFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 1829 BREWSTER PUTNAM CO NEW YORK
Service Source: O'CALLAGHAN, DOCS REL TO THE COL HIST OF STATE OF NY, “NY IN THE REV,” VOL 15, PP 306-307
Service Description: 1) LCOL THADDEUS CRANE, CAPTS BENJAMIN CHAPMAN, EBENEZER SCOFIELD,4TH REGT.,MILITIA

SEYMOUR, JESSE Ancestor #: A207051
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 12-4-1763 NEW HARTFORD LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: (BURIED) 12-6-1811 STILLWATER SARATOGA CO NEW YORK
Service Source: BATES, ROLLS & LISTS OF CT MEN IN THE REV, VOL 8, P 105
Service Description: 1) SHORT LEVIES, CT LINE, 11 JULY – 30 OCTOBER, 1781

SEYMOUR, JOASH Ancestor #: A102423
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: 5-1-1742 WATERBURY NEW HAVEN CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 11-17-1795 WATERTOWN LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) ALSO PVT,CAPT BENEDICT ARNOLD 2) COL DAVID WOOSTER

SEYMOUR, JOHN Ancestor #: A102424
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: 11-24-1726 HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 2-5-1809 W.HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) INSPECTOR OF PROVISIONS,HARTFORD

SEYMOUR, JOHN Ancestor #: A102425
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 1711 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Death: 9-8-1796 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) LT CARTER,9TH REGT.

SEYMOUR, JONATHAN Ancestor #: A102426
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 8-27-1759 KENSINGTON HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-26-1819 OTSEGO CO NEW YORK
Service Source: JOHNSTON, CT MEN IN THE REV, P 499
Service Description: 1) CAPT BRAYS CO, COL HOOKERS REGT

SEYMOUR, JOSEPH Ancestor #: A102427
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: ENSIGN
Birth: (BAPTISED) 7-14-1728 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 1790 COLEBROOK CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT SAMUEL ROCKWELL, 18TH REGT.,MIL.

SEYMOUR, JOSEPH Ancestor #: A102428
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: SOLDIER
Birth: (BAPTISED) 2-23-1751 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 1828 WESTERN NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) CAPT JOHN HARMON,COL DURKEE

SEYMOUR, JOSIAH Ancestor #: A102429
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: SOLDIER
Birth: 10-11-1759 WATERBURY CONNECTICUT
Death: 12-20-1804 WATERBURY CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT ELIPHALET LOCKWOOD,COAST GUARDS

SEYMOUR, LEVI Ancestor #: A102430
Birth: (BAPTISED) 3-19-1764
Death: 1850 GREENWICH HURON CO OHIO

SEYMOUR, MOSES Ancestor #: A102431
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: MAJOR
Birth: 7-25-1742 HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 9-17-1826 LITCHFIELD LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) ALSO CAPT

SEYMOUR, NATHAN Ancestor #: A102432
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: (ANTE) 1760
Death: (POST) 1796
Service Description: 1) CAPT SCOFIELD, GEN WOOSTER

SEYMOUR, NATHANIEL Ancestor #: A102433
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 1-28-1757 CANAAN PAR FAIRFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 9-12-1846 GREENFIELD GREENE CO NEW YORK
Pension Number: *S15225 Service Source: *S15225
Service Description: 1) CAPTS BENEDICT, SEYMOUR, SCOFIELD 2) COL JOHN MEAD

SEYMOUR, NOAH Ancestor #: A102438
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 11-10-1759 NEW HARTFORD LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 3-6-1832 SODUS WAYNE CO NEW YORK
Service Source: JOHNSTON, CT MEN IN THE REV., P 495
Service Description: 1) COL BELDEN,CAPT PETTIBONE, 6TH MILITIA

SEYMOUR, RICHARD Ancestor #: A102440
Service: GEORGIA Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 1758 GEORGIA
Death: 1848 PUTNAM CO GEORGIA

SEYMOUR, SAMUEL Ancestor #: A102441
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank(s): SOLDIER, FIFER
Birth: 10-20-1759 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-25-1821 VESTAL NEW YORK

SEYMOUR, SAMUEL Ancestor #: A102442
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 9-21-1755 NORWALK FAIRFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 1-23-1834 WALTON DELAWARE CO NEW YORK
Pension Number: *S28873 Service Source: *S28873
Service Description: 1) 3RD REGT OF LIGHT HORSE 2) CAPTS CALEB ST JOHN & ABRAHAM GREGORY

SEYMOUR, SAMUEL Ancestor #: A102443
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: SERGEANT
Birth: 1-21-1754 HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 11-14-1837 LITCHFIELD LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Pension Number: S*W17797 Service Description: 1) ALSO PVT,CAPTS SEDGWICK,GOODWIN,MARSH & 2) BEACH,COLS HOOKER,STRONG

SEYMOUR, SETH Ancestor #: A102444
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: (CIRCA) 1740 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Death: 1777 NEW YORK CITY NEW YORK

SEYMOUR, STEPHEN Ancestor #: A102445
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: 7-21-1718 WATERBURY NEW HAVEN CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 11-13-1807 SHARON LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Source: HOADLY, PUB RECS OF THE STATE OF CT, 1776-1781, VOL 1, P 273
Service Description: 1) ALARM COMPANY 10TH REGT

SEYMOUR, THADDEUS Ancestor #: A102446
Service: NEW YORK Rank(s): PRIVATE, PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: 8-25-1737 WESTCHESTER CO NEW YORK
Death: 1- -1811 POUND RIDGE NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) LCOL BENEDICT,4TH REGT.,WESTCHESTER CO 2) MIL.,EXEMPTS; OATH OF ALLEGIANCE 1777

SEYMOUR, THOMAS Ancestor #: A102448
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: LIEUTENANT COLONEL
Birth: 3-17-1735 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-30-1829 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) LIGHT HORSE

SEYMOUR, THOMAS Ancestor #: A102450
Service: VIRGINIA Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 1756 HARDY CO VIRGINIA
Death: 4-16-1831 LICKING CO OHIO
Service Description: 1) GEN MCINTOSH

SEYMOUR, THOMAS Ancestor #: A102451
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 1727 NORTH WILTON CONNECTICUT
Death: 2-16-1812 NORTH WILTON CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT REUBEN SCOFIELD

SEYMOUR, THOMAS YOUNG Ancestor #: A102453
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: 6-19-1757 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 5-16-1811
Pension Number: *S

SEYMOUR, TRUMAN Ancestor #: A102454
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: (BAPTISED) 11-9-1760 WEST HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-27-1812 ALBANY NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) LT CHARLES SEYMOUR,COL BELDEN,MIL.

SEYMOUR, URIAH Ancestor #: A102455
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CAPTAIN
Birth: 9-9-1735 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 1800 NEW HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) ALSO LT

SEYMOUR, WILLIAM Ancestor #: A102456
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: LIEUTENANT
Birth: 1730 NORWALK CONNECTICUT
Death: 1821

SEYMOUR, WILLIAM JR Ancestor #: A102458
Service: CONNECTICUT - NEW YORK Rank(s): PRIVATE, FIFER
Birth: 11-15-1754 NEW HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 12-22-1841 POMFRET NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) CAPTS LATHAM,AUSTIN,STRONG,LAWRENCE, 2) THOMPSON,COLS LEDYARD,BURRALL,MC CREA

SEYMOUR, WILLIAM SR Ancestor #: A102457
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank(s): CIVIL SERVICE, PATRIOTIC SERVICE
Birth: 8-18-1728 HARTFORD HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 5-18-1782 NEW HARTFORD LITCHFIELD CO CONNECTICUT
Service Source: TOWN RECORDS, NEW HARTFORD, CT EXCERPTS MADE BY TOWN CLERK, JANUARY 8, 1929, DOCUMENTATION WITH NSDAR #863114+993
Service Description: 1) SIGNED OATH OF ALLEGIANCE,SURVEYOR OF 2) HIGHWAYS,& SEALER OF WEIGHTS

SEYMOUR, ZACHARIAH Ancestor #: A102460
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: CORPORAL
Birth: 1-4-1759 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 7- -1822 CANANDAIGUA NEW YORK
Service Description: 1) PVT,COL SAM'L B.WEBB,CAPT WHITING ASST. 2) CMSRY OF ISSUES,DEP.COM.OLIVER PHELPS

SEYMOUR, ZACHARIAH Ancestor #: A102461
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 9-24-1712 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 8-27-1777 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Service Description: 1) CAPT CHESTER WELLS,COL CHESTER

SEYMOUR, ZADOCK Ancestor #: A102463
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: PRIVATE
Birth: 4-30-1757 WATERBURY NEW HAVEN CO CONNECTICUT
Death: 11-2-1845 POMPEY HILL ONONDAGA CO NEW YORK
Pension Number: *S29440 Service Source: *S29440 Service Description: 1) CAPT JOSEPH MANSFIELD, COL RETURN MEIGS

SEYMOUR, ZEBULON Ancestor #: A102464
Service: CONNECTICUT Rank: ENSIGN
Birth: 9-12-1736 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT
Death: 7-27-1807 HARTFORD CONNECTICUT

While looking for our William, I found first another William Seymour. He kept a diary which is an important historical account and a very interesting read. “Journal of the Southern Expedition, 1780-1783, by William Seymour, Sergeant-Major of the Delaware Regiment.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 7 (1883): 286-98, 377-94. http://www.battleofcamden.org/seymour.htm

William Sr. was born in Greenwich CT, the fourth child and second son of Samuel Jr. in 1758. In 1790, about 150 years after his GGG Grandfather Richard landed in Hartford as a founding member of that town, and then later also a founding member of Norwalk, William Sr. then moved to Newburgh, Orange, NY at the age of about thirty two. We don't know much about what he did in Greenwich, or between there and Newburgh. But we do know that he started his family in Connecticut, as he had his first two sons there. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dav4is/ODTs/SEYMOUR.shtml#MARVIN1_2

To complicate matters they were with two different women, one of whom was his wife Esther Sands. Our William Jr. was born to Rhoda Chidsey in 1785 two years after Drake was born to his legal wife in 1783. I've seen conflicting evidence of where William Jr. was born, either in Greenwich or East Haven. It would make more sense that he was born in East Haven, as this is where Rhoda is from, and she was a bit young at 21 to have been in Greenwich on her own. Either way, it sounds a bit sticky, and might explain the subsequent withdrawal of William Sr. and Esther to Newburgh in 1790.

Rhoda Chidsey of East Haven (1764-1820?)

First let's learn about the Chidseys. http://www.chedsey.com/probate/john56.html As you can see at this site, Rhoda, born 1764, is mentioned as having married William Seymour, but this doesn't mesh with other facts as noted above. Of interest regarding Rhoda Chidsey, GGGGG Grandma Chidsey as a matter of fact, you also see that her time and place of death are unknown, and I haven't been able to find any other information about her, except that she probably accompanied William Jr. to Delaware County around 1800. If you follow Rhoda's trail on the above site, you'll also see that she was the GG granddaughter of an early arrival of East Haven. Deacon John Chedsey (spelled this way on site) arrived from England in 1645 or 46.

She was the 8^th of 11 children born to John Chidsey (1720-1783) and Sarah Shepard (1728-1783), married 1745.

East_Haven,_Connecticut The Town of East Haven, after being founded by Puritans in 1638 and then changing names several times, became an incorporated town in May 1785. “At the initial town meeting, Isaac Chidsey was named First Selectman on July 5, 1785.” Ironically the year of William Jr.'s birth. Isaac was neither a brother nor an Uncle, so some sort of cousin, but we can guess that E. Haven was a small town, and having an illegitimate child in a prominent, politically active and religious family might have been inconvenient. A Chidsey Boulevard still exists there today.

Newburgh, New York

Back to William Sr., he was evidently a good businessman, and a civic leader in the young, and growing town of Newburgh. Newburgh is about 60 miles up the Hudson River from NYC. It seems that it was a safe haven for some people escaping NYC from the British during the Revolutionary War, and was a patriot stronghold. It was also home to an “almost military coup” in 1783, just seven years before William arrived, which is interesting but beyond the scope of this ancestry, but here's a link with information. http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/newburgh/

http://www.firststepsdesign.com/historyindustrial.htm “Before the days of railroad and canals, Newburgh was a natural outlet for much of the country's trade. After all, it was on the Hudson River and was the only main shipping point north of New York City. The construction of the turnpikes in the early 1800s initiated Newburgh's ascent. It opened up an avenue of trade extending miles into the interior, bringing products to Newburgh for shipment to New York City. As merchants relocated to Newburgh, the Newburgh Bank opened its doors and the city began to prosper. Between 1800 and 1810, the population of the town grew almost 50 percent to 4,600.”

William Seymour Sr. played a major role in the development of the turnpikes mentioned above in the early history of Newburg as we'll see later. He also played a major role in what was apparently a big dispute over the Episcopal Church's power, thereby establishing a separation of church and government. According to the book History of the Town of Newburgh

Obviously William was highly trusted, even though he had just arrived from Greenwich. William was also a major local businessman. I wonder where the money to start the shipyard came from?

Later he was also entrusted with the construction of a new courthouse.

His 3rd son William C. also carried on William Sr.'s civic duties after his early death.

And finally, the author wrote an extremely complimentary biographical sketch of the man.

As an objective point of view from an unrelated third party, this is very telling. If you review the entire book, you'll note that he was especially complimentary of William. Also note that neither Rhoda nor William Jr. are mentioned at all. I don't know if this means that they were kept secret by William, or if it was an intentional omission by the author.

It also raised another question, at least for me. What was the Liverpool Trade? Well, leave it to me to go and look it up. According to Wiki- http://www.liverpoolwiki.org/Liverpool_History#head-0e81feea2011f352afc8e576e8e767c54f0ace78

“From about 1730 the merchants of Liverpool made profits from the slave trade. The trade formed the 'Slave Triangle'. Finished goods were traded to the Africans in return for slaves. The slaves were transported across the Atlantic to the West Indies and the Southern States with sugar, cotton and tobacco brought back to Liverpool.

Liverpool was late in the slave trade behind Lancaster and Bristol, yet quite quickly eclipsed all others monopolising the trade. Two thirds of all slaves transported from Africa to the Americas sailed in Liverpool ships. Slaves never entered the port of Liverpool. The reality was that the slave trade was only a sideline for many merchants and shippers, being just one of the legs in the trade triangle, not the foundation of the great port. When slavery was abolished in 1807 it made little impact to the ports economy, with many prominent Liverpool people campaigning against slavery.

After the abolition of slavery, many slave merchants turned to building cheaply made, congested housing around the dock areas to cater for the expanding port - which quickly turned into slums. They turned from dealing from one human misery to another.”

Oh well, William just built the ships. I did another bit of research on the ships that he built. I'm not sure if there was more than one Liverpool Packet, or not, but one was very famous, and I didn't come across proof that it was, or wasn't the same ship.

Liverpool_Packet-wp>Liverpool_Packet

“Liverpool Packet was a privateer schooner from Liverpool, Nova Scotia, which captured 50 American vessels in the War of 1812. During the war the privateer ship was briefly captured by American privateers, eventually being recaptured by the British. The Liverpool Packet was the most successful privateer vessel ever to sail out of a Canadian port.

Canadian privateer

The Liverpool Packet was originally the American slave ship Severn, captured by HMS Tartarus in August 1811. The American schooner was condemned as an illegal slave ship by the Halifax Vice Admiralty Court as both Britain and the United States had recently outlawed the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The ship was ordered sold at auction by the Court, she was purchased by Enos Collins and other investors in October 1811. They renamed her Liverpool Packet, although she was sometimes bore the nickname The Black Joke, a name of several infamous slave ships. At first, her owners used the small and fast schooner as packet ship carrying mail and passengers between Halifax and Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

War of 1812

Upon the outbreak of the War of 1812, the owners of the Liverpool Packet quickly converted her to a privateer. Under the command of Joseph Barss Jnr, she captured at least 33 American vessels during the first year of the war. His strategy was to lie in wait off Cape Cod, snapping up American ships headed to Boston or New York.

Captive

She was a menace to New England shipping until the Americans captured her in 1813. On 10 June the privateer schooner Thomas of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Captain Shaw, master, mounting twelve guns and manned with a crew of one hundred men encountered Packet. Thomas chased her for about five hours but light winds prevented Liverpool Packet from escaping.

Liverpool packet struck her colours but then as the Americans came alongside the two vessels ran into each other. As the British ran up to push the vessels apart the Americans, fearing they were going to be boarded, boarded Liverpool Packet. Firing broke out that killed three Americans.[4] American anger over their earlier losses to the Packet resulted in poor treatment of Barss, who languished in jail for months on a diet of bread and water until he was exchanged for American prisoners held in Halifax.

In American hands she was briefly renamed Young Teaser's Ghost and then Portsmouth Packet. Under the name Portsmouth Packet, Captain John Perkins, she had a short, unsuccessful career failing to capture a single prize for the Americans

Recaptured

The HMS Fantome recaptured the Liverpool Packet off Mount Desert Island, Maine, after a chase of thirteen hours. At the time, the privateer schooner was armed with five guns, carried a crew of 45, and had sailed from Portsmouth the previous day.

The recaptured schooner was brought into Halifax where her original owners repurchased her and restored the name of Liverpool Packet. Under a new captain named Caleb Seeley, she captured fourteen prizes before the year ended. In 1814, she captured additional prizes in May and June. Then in August, she took two prizes while acting in concert with HMS Shannon while they were sailing off of Bridgeport and New York. Liverpool Packet continued to work often with British naval vessels right to the war's end.

After the war, her owners sold her in Kingston, Jamaica; her subsequent fate is not known. The War of 1812 was the last time the British allowed privateering, since the practice was coming to be seen as politically inexpedient and of diminishing value in maintaining its naval supremacy.”

Although the Packet is listed as being from Nova Scotia, I don't know if that means that it was purchased by and sailed by Canadians, or if it was built there, but I tend to think it was a different ship.

As we see, although William was very active and accomplished a lot for the new town of Newburgh, he was incapacitated at the age of 47, and died at 52. It makes me wonder how much more he could have done if he hadn't had the unfortunate fall.

If you happen to be from the Esther Sands line, I've done a fair amount of research on that family as well, since it appears to me that there was some kind of partnership between the Sands and Seymours at this time. I say this because both William Sr., and William Jr. named sons Samuel Sands Seymour which is discussed more on William Jr.'s page.

Regarding William Sr.'s sons with Esther Sands, I found a record of an oft- cited civil court case, Seymour vs. Delancy, where Drake was suing on behalf of William C. for performance of a contract to trade some waterfront lots in Newburgh for 2 large farms outside of town. Drake had lost at the local level and had taken this case all the way to a unique level called - The Court for the Trial of Impeachments, and the Correction of Errors, of the State of New York. This body constituted the entire State Senate, the Supreme Court, the Chancellor, and the Lieutenant Governor. In the appeal, Chief Justice John Savage and 9 State Senators voted to uphold the original finding of the local Chancellor, but the Chancellor was reversed, and Drake won the case on William C.'s behalf. I'm not sure why Drake is fighting William C.'s battles, as William was already grown and married, and apparently living in Newburgh as his son was born there in 1819. In the book, History of the Town of Newburgh it was noted that William C. had moved to Brooklyn at some point, and was there in 1861, so he lived a very long life. Following is a summary of the case.

The lots, which were on Water Street, and inherited from William Sr., were owned in 1/3 shares by William Jr.'s three half-brothers, and were sold for a total of about $40,000, which makes the $1,000 reportedly given to Jr. in 1800 appear pretty small. William Jr. wasn't named in Sr.'s will. The lots included wharves and buildings, and sounds like it could have been William Sr.'s old ship-building site. At the time of the deal, there was a rumor of the Navy building a big ship yard, and the buyer, Ellison, was reportedly hoping to make a bundle on the subsequent appreciation in value.

This was seven years after William Sr. had died. Drake, acting on behalf of his little brother William C., traded William C.'s 1/3 share of the lots in 1818 to a Thomas Ellison, for 2 farms, totaling 799 acres, outside of Newburgh in the towns of Montgomery and Wallkill, also in Orange County. Not long after the contracts were signed, Ellison died and his heirs, his oldest daughter Mary DeLancy and her little brothers and sisters who were minors, decided that they would rather have the farms than the lots and refused to complete the deal, which is why Drake sued.

Ellison had also bought the 2/3 shares in the lots from Drake and Samuel Sands in 1818 for about $13,000 each. Ellison's heirs, claimed that Ellison was a habitual drunk and therefore not capable of making a fair and beneficial deal. To make things worse, Ellison's widow had also recently died as well, so the children were orphaned, and being looked after by the only adult child, Mary.

I read the entire ruling, in Google Books, which was extensive, and it seems that all of the witnesses agreed that Ellison was a drunk, but half said that when he was sober he was quite capable, while the others thought he was never capable. The heirs were also claiming that the farms were worth much more than William C.'s 1/3 portion of the lots, which is what the Chancellor had ruled in his original verdict.

In my opinion, it looks like the local Chancellor just felt sorry for the recently orphaned kids and made an emotional rather than a legal judgment, and that Drake had made a perfectly good deal and that it should be completed. The Senator, John Sudam, who wrote for the majority was quite critical of the local chancellor. I can imagine, though, that maybe Drake wasn't real popular with some members of the local community due to this case.

This ruling was made in 1824, so it had been dragging out for six years. Later the same year Drake was killed by one of 3 other men who he was hunting with, when one of the other guys' guns accidentally fired at close range. http://www.pawchs.org/newspapers/SusqDem1824.html Hmmmmmmm….