An American Family History

"[L]iberty must at all hazards be supported.
We have a right to it, derived from our Maker.
But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us,
at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood."

Jonathan Dwinnell was born in 1751 in Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Benjamin Dwinnell and Mary Estey. He was a yeoman.

According to History of the Town of Gilsum New Hampshire, he served as a private in the Continental Army. He was in Captain Elish Mack’s company that marched from New Hampshire on July 22, 1777 and joined the Continental army at Saratoga, and was in the battle of Bennington. Three men in the company were killed. They were discharged about September 22 and were paid for two months and two days service.

According to Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, Volume 5, he was on the list of men raised for six months service with Brigadier General Paterson. He passed muster in a return dated October 25, 1780 at Camp Totoway. He was on the payroll for six months. The men were raised by the town of Middleton for service in the Continental Army during 1780. They marched June 27, 1780 and were discharged December 15, 1780. His service was six months and one day.

He married Esther Wadsworth on May 5, 1783. The Reverend Aaron Hall performed the ceremony. Esther was born in 1764 and was the daughter of Samuel Wadsworth and Huldah Heaton. 

Their nine children were born in Keene, New Hampshire. 

David Dwinnell was born on October 12, 1783.

Betsey Dwinnell Blake was born on January 30, 1785. She married Ashael Blake.

Abigal or Abiah Dwinnell Edson was born on April 30, 1787. She married E. Edson. Sarah or Sally Dwinnell Harvey was born on April 12, 1789.

She married Calvin Harvey.

Rachel Dwinnell was born on October 12, 1791.

Huldah Dwinnell Baker was born on March 3, 1794. She married married Thomas Baker.

Calista Dwinnell Bell was born on March 16, 1796. She married Ely Bell.

Samuel Dwinnell was born on March 2, 1799. He was a tanner in Lynn.

They also had a son Luther Dwinnell. 

The family appeared in the 1790 census in Keene, New Hampshire.

The family (Jona  Dwinnell) appeared in the 1800 census in New Hampshire. The household consisted of one boy under ten, one boy between sixteen and twenty five and one man over 45, three girls under ten, one between ten and fifteen and one woman between 26 and 44.  

In 1801, Jonathan was on the list of people whose land the Third New Hampshire Turnpike crossed.

By 1810 the family had moved to Hillsborough, New Hampshire. 

Jonathan was placed on a Revolutionary War veteran's pension on January 25, 1883 when he was 82 years old. He died in Marlborough, Cheshire County, New Hampshire about 1835 at age 84.

from The History of Keene, New Hampshire by Simon Goodell Griffin

Samuel Wadsworth came from Middletown, Ct., about 1760; married, 1762, Huldah, daughter of Seth Heaton, one of the first settlers of Upper Ashuelot. In 1770 he bought the original house lot No. 12—the old fort property— where Mr. Lemuel Hayward now lives, and two years later bought lots 10 and 11, north of it. He was a blacksmith and lived in one of the houses that were built inside the fort in connection with its walls, and had his shop within or near the fort. The stone foundations of his forge may still be found, just north of Mr. Hayward's house.

He rose to the rank of major in the militia, but was one of the few tories in Keene at the time of the Revolution, though not one of the more obnoxious ones. After residing in the fort for some years he removed to Beech hill, where he died in 1782, aged forty-two.

He had nine children, four sons and five daughters, but only one son, the youngest, lived to manhood. His name was Samuel, born after his father's death, in 1783; married Betsey Lawrence, sister of Asa, of Roxbury, and John, of Keene; removed to Roxbury, near the outlet of Woodward's pond; was thrown from his horse and killed in February, 1835.

Three daughters of William Towne and Joanna Blessing were wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft in Salem. Rebecca Towne Nurse, Mary Towne Estey, and Sarah Towne Bridges Cloyes were persecuted in 1692. The children of people in the line below are all descendants of Mary Estey.
	William Towne, Mary Towne Estey, Isaac Estey, Aaron Estey, Mary Estey Dwinnell, Israel Dwinnell, Isaac Davis Dwinnell, Sr., Isaac Davis Dwinnell, Jr., Victoria Zellena Dwinnell, Robert Wilson Miller, Sr., Robert Wilson Miller, Jr.