Sixth Generation

50. Perez HAMLIN was born on 3 February 1748 in Sharon, CT. He died in 1826 at the age of 78 in Auburn, Cayuga Co., NY. He resided at New Concord, NY, later in Lenox, MA, and was called a miller in 1782. He may also have been a blacksmith. He and his brother Asa received a deed from their father to a grist and saw mill and water power in Lenox, now Lenox Dale in 1786 which they conveyed to their brother Cyreneus May 5, 1787. It is a tradition that he served as an officer in the Revolution. One by his name served in Col William B. Whitney's 7th Albany Co., Militia Regiment.

The most remarkable event in his life was his participation in Shay's Rebellion. From Field's History of Berkshire County, 1829: "On February 26, 1787, Capt. Holcomb marked from Sheffield to headquarters with a company of drafted men.... Learning this fact, a body of the insurgents under Capt. Perez Hamlin, who had been lurking about the borders of New York, 80 or 90 in number, made an irruption the night following into Stockbridge at midnight, which they pillaged at their pleasure and took a great number of the most respectable inhabitants as prisoners. The next morning they proceeded with their booty and prisoners to Great Barrington, where they halted at a public house near the Episcopal Church. News of this irruption was soon communicated to Sheffield; runners spread the news, and the citizens friendly to government met at the centre, with such arms as they could muster. About one o'clock, being joined by Captains Dwight and Ingersoll and a small company from Great Barrington, who had fled before the insurgents. They were prepared to advance northward to meet them. The whole body making eighty was under the command of Col. John Ashley, late of Sheffield. The insurgents were now supposed to be coming down to Sheffield, and various rumors were abroad as to the course they were taking. It was at first supposed they were coming on the meadow road, and that they had turned off by the Episcopal church westward and were making their way through Egremont out of the County. Upon hearing this, Col. Ashley turned to the left, passed hastily on the back road, and then turning by Archer Saxton's drove furiously for Francis Hare's in Egremont. He had scarcely passed the brook north of the quarry when it was announced that the insurgents were in the rear, coming after them. They had been marching towards Sheffield on the back road, but hearing of the government forces, had turned at Saxton's in pursuit of them just after Col Ashley had diverged at that place. A halt was immediately made, the sleighs were thrown out of the way, and an attempt made to form the companies. After a few moments of great confusion, Capt. Goodrich directed the Sheffield company to follow him through a lot of girdled trees on the west side of the road; and the Great Barrington company under Capt. Ingersoll advanced through a copse of timber on the east. By this time a scattering fire commenced and continued while the companies were advancing with a rapid march, fify or sixty rods, when a well-directed fire from eight or ten who were formost upon a considerable body of insurgents in the road, discomfited them and put them to flight. The whole body dispersed at once and fled in different directions. They left two of their number dead near the place of action and more than thirty were wounded, among whom was Hamlin, their captain, and a man named Rathburn, who died some time after of his wounds. A body of men coming from Lenox under Capt. William Walker immediately after the skirmish enabld the conquerors to take more than fifty prisoners. The loss of the militia was two killed and one wounded.

This skirmish took place over a little valley, now crossed by the Hartford turnpike, near the west line of Sheffield. The insurgents generally discovered great want of firmness and perseverance in the actions in which they were engaged, owing in part to their being poorly officered, but more probably to serious doubts concerning the lawfullness of their proceedings, and apprehension of their proving finally mischevious to themselves. Six were convicted of treson in Berkshire County and were sentenced to death, four of whom receiving a free pardon April 30, 1787, and the rest on May 17, except one who sentence was commuted to seven years hard labor. It is said that Capt. Hamlin took a Col. Ashley prisoner at Stockbridge, probably the father of the Col. Ashley who opposed him in this fight, and recognizing an old fellow officer of the Revolution released him.

Capt. Hamlin was seriously wounded and captured in the fight. He was tried and convicted of treason and sentenced to death, but reprieved from time to time and finally escaped from jail. In these measures he no doubt believed, as did others of that time and place, that he was patriotic in fight for the supposed rights of the people. It is supposed that a desire to adopt the Federal Constitution and to ratify the same in Massachusetts at that time led towards lenient treatment of those engaged in the insurrection.

He bought a house on East Street in Lenox May 25, 1791, and sold it March 1, 1794. He was financially ruined throught his connection with the rebellion. He moved to New Haven, Vermont, and lived there until the spring of 1813, when he and his wife and son Stephen moved to Aurelius, NY. Rhoda HUNT and Perez HAMLIN were married on 3 February 1769 in Sharon, CT.

51. Rhoda HUNT was born on 11 April 1752 in Sharon, CT. There was a Rhoda Hunt, dau. of John Hunt abt. 1700-10-15-1793 and Keziah Darling, born in Smithfield, RI, date unknown, but abt. 1750.

Ancestry of Rhoda Hunt as presented from Martin Eck Family Tree by Joanne E. Martin, Internet, 8-24-2005.

AGBI - Vol. 87, page 211, ref. Ancestors of Henry Montgomery Smith and Catherine Forshee by Anne Morrill Smith, Brooklyn, NY, 1921, p. 38.

Children were: