Sixth Generation

38. Nathaniel Maxfield or MUNRO was born on 22 November 1752 in Bristol, RI. He died on 4 December 1838 at the age of 86 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA. He was buried in Old East Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. He was a Revolutionary War pensioner. He served in Taunton from December 8 to December 30, 1776, and several other times. He also served on the privateer "Lady of Washington" in the West Indies for several months in the late summer and fall of 1776. They captured and brought back two vessels. He returned to Taunton and a militia company He's listed as Nathaniel Munro in the War pension records, Case no. S21393. Depositions in support of his claim were filed by Royal Sandford, Nathaniel H. West, Rev. Henry Wight, and Thomas Church. The file includes extensive descriptions of his military duty.

He was 86 years old when he died (Bristol Phenix, 8 Dec 1838, noting that he was a Revolutionary War pensioner and that he had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for 45 years). His son Allen was administrator of his estate. Nathaniel and his wife were buried in the Old East Burial Ground in Bristol, just across the street to the east of the town common about 100 feet south-southeast of the gate. The name on the tombstone is Munro, and that apparently is the name he used and was known by in Bristol.

According to genealogist Dorothy Saunders, Nathaniel was somewhat of a mystery man. His origin has not been identified. "He may have been an illegitimate Munro by a female Maxfield or he may have been a Maxfield adopted by a Munro family." If he were an illegitimate child of Nathaniel, the practice in New England towns was to bring the mother to court, identify the father, and require him to provide support, since New England towns did not like having the taxpayers support these children through welfare. Government action would have been required to assign him to a caretaker if he were an orphan. A thorough search of town records may prove or disprove what happened. Or perhaps he was a Munro named after Nathaniel Maxfield. Nathaniel Maxfield, Private, Capt. Avery Parker's co., Col. John Hathaway's 2nd Bristol Co. regt., entered service August 3, 1780, discharged August 8, 1780; service, 6 days, on an alarm at Rhode Island (Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, Boston, 1902, p. 367).

Nathaniel's death record lists Hezekiah Munro and Sally Munro and first and second next-of-kin. This may provide a clue as to his origins. There are several Hezekiah Munro's. One was born 1717 in Bristol and died 1783 in New London, CT. He married (1) Mary Haile 1738 in Swansea and (2) Bridget Cobb 12 August 1752 in New London. They had a son, Hezekiah, b. 1754 in New London. This one seems unlikely, but he could have sired a son, Nathaniel, in 1752 by someone other than his wife. Another suspect family would be Capt. Nathan Munro b. 3 Oct 1730 in Bristol and died 12 June 1801 in Bristol, m. Sarah Kinnecutt abt. 1755 and had children Sarah Munro b. 15 April 1757 and d. 14 January 1835 in Bristol and son Hezekiah Munro b. 15 May 1770 in Bristol and d. 20 April 1826 in Warren. Capt. Nathan was a brother of Hezekiah. These two families offer several suspect Hezekiah's and Sarah's, but the second one seems more likely, given proximity in Bristol. But that Hezekiah predeceased Nathaniel.

A Nathaniel Smith, b. 29 Jun 1711, d. 26 Dec 1747 in a shipwreck returning from Surinam, m. Mrs. Phebe Manchester and had one child, born posthumously, Nathaniel, b. 5 Jan 1747/8, who could have been taken in by a Munro in the family, but dates would have to be in error for this scenario (Nathaniel was supposedly born 22 Nov 1752 according to his recollection). From what records I have found, he could have been the son of Nathaniel Maxfield, born in Bristol October 2, 1718, son of Joseph and Mary Maxfield (RIVR, Arnold Collection, 6:90) and who apparently died November 17, 1745, intestate at Boston (Arnold)(date correct?). He was only 27 when he died. In the court records of Bristol, Joseph Maxfield applied on February 5, 1753, to be the administrator of his son Nathaniel's estate, Nathaniel having died intestate (Bristol Wills and Inventories, 1746 - 1793) (why so longer after son's death? Or did his son die later than 1745?). One hypothesis is that Nathaniel, being only a few months old, was placed with a Munro family after his father died. On the other hand, there is no record of Nathaniel Maxfield marrying, so no record of a mother.

There was a Nathaniel Maxfield b. in Dartmouth September 5, 1756, son of John Maxfeld and Dinah Sherman. John and Dinah had only two childen. Other child, Abraham, married Eliz. Hathaway August 15, 1782. Another Nathaniel Maxfield b. Oct. 15, 1785, son of Abraham and Elizabeth. Did John and Dinah die young, leaving Nathaniel and Abraham orphans? Hypothesis is that John was a first or second cousin of the Nathaniels in Bristol.

Hypotheses concerning Maxfield family from here back is based upon NEHGS, "Early Settlers of Salisbury, MA," 1854-p. 159, RIVR Arnold Collection (on line, NEHGS, 2003), and court document from Bristol Wills and Inventories. Joseph Maxfield, Nathaniel's father, was born March 4, 1691-2 in Salisbury, MA and died March 6, 1768 (at age 78 years?). Joseph's wife died in Bristol March 10, 1732. A number of Maxfields in that time period belonged to the First Church of Bristol. The most likely daughters who could have borne a child to a Munro would have been Ann Maxfield, born April 17, 1736 (would have been 16 in 1752) and Catherine, born December 25, 1738 (would have been 14 in 1752, less likely), both daughters of Daniel Maxfield and Mary, Daniel born in Bristol 8 September 1712 of Ebenezer and Anne. Martha TAYLOR and Nathaniel Maxfield or MUNRO were married on 1 November 1774 in Bristol, RI.¹¹²

39. Martha TAYLOR was born about 1757 in Newport, Newport Co., RI. She died on 12 July 1816 at the age of 59 in Bristol, RI. She was buried in Old East Burial Ground, Bristol, RI. She was 59 years old when she died (b. abt. 1757). Her birth and parentage needs to be proven conclusively. No record of children of Nathaniel Taylor and Elizabeth Arnold has yet been found. If her mother died in childbirth or shortly thereafter in 1757, someone must have taken in Martha.

A Martha Taylor b. March 2, 1735, in Bristol of Rev. Barnabus, b. 28 Jan 1702 in Yarmouth, and Martha Allen Taylor, b. 6 Sep 1703 in Chilmark. Their children were named Nathaniel, Rebecca, Susannah, Allen, Martha, Abigail, Eleanor, Elizabeth, Mark, and Parnel. Parnel married Nathaniel Smith and had a son, Allen Taylor Smith. Some of the children were born in Chilmark, MA, and some in Bristol, while the last two may have been born in Lyme, CT. No further info about daughter Martha Taylor, other than birth (would have been old enough to be mother of Martha Taylor b. abt. 1757). Allen died 2 May 1758, leaving son Nathaniel as the only one who could father a daughter named Taylor. Barnabus was son of Seth Taylor from Barnstable. A Mary Taylor m. Capt. Charles DeWolf 28 April 1771. She was b. Oct. 1744 and was the sister of Martha Taylor b. 1735. Her second daughter b. 8 May 1774 was named Martha.

A Martha Taylor who was daughter of Reuben Taylor and Avis Slocum, was born January 26, 1763, in Portsmouth. This Martha Taylor may have had a child, Lawton, father unknown, born January 26, 1791 (Arnold). She made a will dtd. 13 May 1800, proved 10 Feb. 1834, (p. 168), mentions son Lawton Taylor, cousin Rown Taylor.

There was a Martha Taylor born 4 Nov 1749 in Newport, no parents listed (Friend?)(of Peter and Thankful?).

A Martha Taylor, widow, d. 22 Jan 1789 in Bristol, 86 years old (that was wife of Rev. Barnabus). Rev. Barnabus' family seems to have been the only Taylors living in Bristol.

Given naming habits of families, the names of children of Nathaniel and Martha could provide clues as to her parents. Those children's names include Phebe, Martha, Benjamin, Allen, Henry, and Nathaniel, with two children born whose names are not known. Allen named his first daughter Martha Taylor Munro, presumably after his mother. His first son was named Samuel and his second son Allen. Other children were named Mary, Lucy, John, Isabella (twice) and Sanford Benton.

Children were: