Captain Jonathan Sprague

Male 1739 - 1822  (82 years)


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  • Name Jonathan Sprague 
    Title Captain 
    Birth 7 Apr 1739  Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 3 Jan 1822  North Randolph, Orange Co., Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial East Randolph Cemetery, East Randolph, Orange Co., Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Jonathan Sprague was a noted carpenter and joiner of his time, and worked at his trade in Malden and Medford. Here most of the twelve children were born. He sold his property in Malden for $3,000 continental money which proved worthless and left him dependent on his daily labor. In consequence of his skill as a mechanic in the erection of buildings he was frequently called "Captain". He was executor of his mother's will in 1775. In 1778 with his wife and two children commenced his pioneer journey on horse-back to make a home somewhere in Vermont. For a time they stayed in Cardington, NH, later called Dorchester, then went to Hanover, NH, where he laid out and built one of the college buildings by square rule, which is claimed to be the first building in this vicinity to be built by this method. An amusing incident concerning it is that some one of the workmen who was only familiar with the scribe rule, disappointed in not getting the contract himself, sawed off one-half inch of Jonathan's ten-foot pole. Jonathan however, discovered it before much use had been made of it and after this the pole was measured every morning to guard against further trouble. Deeds are recorded in Randolph on October 15, 1792 and March 12, 1793 conveying to him 100 acres of land in the S.E. part of Lot 85, where after returning from Malden with the rest of his children, he built the one and one-half story French roofed house which still stands one-half mile below No. Randolph village (which was known in those days as Farewell village), and is a very modern, well-preserved, up-to-date looking house today. He took the Freeman's oath there in 1795.

      "American Families--Genealogies and Biographical Information from Most Authentic Sources Including Much Valuable Material Drawn from Hitherto Unpublished Family Records with Accurate Reproduction--and Descriptions of Ancient Emblazonry Compiled by Masters of Genealogic and Heraldic Science", published by The American Historical Society, Inc., New York, 1921, pages 30-40.

      Jonathan Sprague was a noted carpenter and joiner of his time, and worked at his trade in Malden and Medford, Here most of his twelve children were born. He sold his property in Malden for three thousand dollars Continental money, which proved worthless, and left him dependent on his daily labor. In consequence of his skill as a mechanic in the erection of buildings he was frequently called "Captain". He was executor of his mother's will in 1775. In 1778, with his wife and two children, he commenced his pioneer journey on horseback to make a home somewhere in Vermont. For a time they settled in Cardington, New Hampshire, later called Dorchester, then went to Hanover, New Hampshire, where he laid out and built one of the college buildings by square rule, which is claimed to be the first building in this vicinity to be built in this method. An amusing incident concerning it is that some one of the workmen who was familiar with the scribe rule, and disappointed in not getting the contract himself, sawed off half an inch of Jonathan's ten foot pole. Jonathan, however, discovered it before much use had been made of it, and after this the pole was measured every morning to guard against further trouble. Deeds are recorded in Randolph on Oct. 15, 1792, and March 12, 1793, conveying him to one-hundred acres of land in the southeast part of Lot No. 85, where, after returning form Malden with the rest of his children, he built the one and one-half story French roofed house which still stands one-half mile below North Randolph Village (which was known in those days as Farewell Village), and is very modern, well-preserved, up-to-date looking house to-day. He took the freeman's oath there in 1795, and died in Jan. 1822
    Person ID I8161  OurNorthernRoots
    Last Modified 4 Jan 2021 

    Father William Sprague,   b. 4 Sep 1695, Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Nov 1747, Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 52 years) 
    Mother Dorothy Floyd,   b. 29 Oct 1699, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1775, Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 75 years) 
    Marriage Jan 1716/1717 
    Family ID F2045  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Mary Townsend   d. 16 Mar 1761, Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage 11 Apr 1760  Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F2044  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Tabitha Burditt,   b. 10 Mar 1739, Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 May 1806, East Randolph, Orange Co., Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 67 years) 
    Marriage 8 Apr 1762  Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • By the Rev'd Mr. Ebenezer Turell
    Children 
     1. William Sprague,   b. 17 Aug 1763, Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     2. Mary Sprague,   b. 4 Apr 1765, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Lucy Sprague,   b. 7 Jul 1767, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     4. Dorothy Sprague,   b. 12 Feb 1769, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     5. Dolly Sprague,   b. 2 Dec 1769, Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     6. Elizabeth Sprague,   b. 26 Feb 1770, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     7. John Sprague,   b. 6 Jan 1773, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     8. John Sprague,   c. 11 Jan 1773, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Jul 1822, Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 49 years)
     9. Lydia Sprague,   b. 13 Dec 1776, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
    +10. Edward Sprague,   b. 20 Nov 1779, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Mar 1858, Randolph, Orange Co., Vermont, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
     11. Dorcas Sprague,   b. 7 Jan 1780, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     12. Darius Sprague,   b. 10 Dec 1781, Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
    Family ID F1998  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 16 Feb 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 7 Apr 1739 - Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 11 Apr 1760 - Malden, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 8 Apr 1762 - Medford, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA Link to Google Earth
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