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Elizabeth Dwinnell Banks |
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Elizabeth (Betsey) Dwinnell Banks was born in 1756 in Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Benjamin Dwinnell and Mary Estey. She married William Banks in September, 1781. William was the son of William and Tamar Banks and born in Oakham, Massachusetts on February 29, 1760. Elizabeth's widow's pension application said they had had a baby girl who died at birth. They had no children who lived. William and Elizabeth informally adopted their nephew who was also named William Banks (1802). He was the son of William's brother, Israel Banks. According to Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, William Banks was a private in Captain John Crawford's Company in Rhode Island. William served from July 23 to 26 in 1777. He also served as a private in Captain John Crawford's Company, which marched to Bennington on the alarm of August 20, 1777. He was discharged on August 23, 1777. He was again a private in Captain Estil's Company. He enlisted in that company July 2, 1777 for one month. He was discharged from this company on January 4, 1778. His family members testified that he spoke about his time in the war especially the time when his right hand man and his left hand man and file leader were all shot down. Elizabeth's widow's pension application stated that he served six months in Rhode Island and an undetermined time in New York. In 1785 William Banks, Jr. bought land in Keene from William Banks. At the time of the 1790 census, the William Banks Jr. household was in Keene and consisted of a man over 16, two women, and a boy under 16. By 1794 they had moved to Marlborough when William Banks was listed as living in the northeast district of Marlborough. When the 1800 census was taken they were still in Marlborough. The household consisted to of a man and a woman between 26 and 45, a man between 16 and 26, an a girl between 10 and 16. In 1802 and 1803 he was a selectman in Marlborough. Around 1815, they lived in Sullivan.
According to the History of the Town of Sullivan, William Banks was a moderator of the Baptist Church in Sullivan in 1815. In 1820 they were in Gilsum. The household consisted of a man and a woman over 45 and a man between 18 and 26. According to Gazetteer of Cheshire County, N. H., 1736-1885:
William died in Gilsum on April 29, 1830. On March 7, 1849, Elizabeth (Betsy), age 92, appeared before Judge Larkin Baker at her home in Gilsum to give an affidavit that she was qualified to receive a widow's pension based on the service of her deceased husband William Banks in the Revolutionary War. She signed with a mark. Witnesses were William Banks and James F. Isham (pension application #W23529). In spite of numerous declarations of William's service and their marriage, the pension was not approved. The 1850 census of Gilsum, Cheshire County, New Hampshire lists Elizabeth Banks age 93 living with her foster son, William Banks. Elizabeth died on March 4, 1853 at the age of 96 in Gilsum.
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©Roberta Tuller 2023
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