Close Family Tree

Benjamin Close served as a private in the Connecticut Line and was severely wounded through the body and left arm in a skirmish at Eastchester, New York, while acting as advance guard to the army under Washington.

He was given a tract of land in Cayuga County, New York, where he moved to in 1793.

Living at Stamford, Connecticut.

Benjamin Close, Milton (now Genoa), Cayuga County, New York

To:

Sarah Mead Close, Stanwich in Greenwich, Fairfield, Connecticut

May 22, 1798

Dear and loving wife, I take this opportunity to let you know that I am well at present thanks be to God for it and I hope these few lines will find you and my little ones so and I must inform you that we got on to our land the 6th day of May through a long and tedious journey.

The roads being very muddy, which made it very tedious, though we made out to drive about 10 miles per day. But when we got to Courtwright, a place so called, I was taken very unwell. I was taken about 10 o'clock at night and held me until next morning about 6 or 7 o'clock with a very extreme vomiting which was the worst sickness I ever had in my life. Then it turned the other way which left me very weak and no stomach to eat for two or three days. But through the tender mercy of almighty God I was enabled to travel with the team, but you must needs think it cost me a great deal of money being so long upon the road.

I something expect by horse wagons that passed by us that we might travel 20 or 25 miles per day with a horse wagon. Our team at last got very much beat out and suffered very much for the want of keeping. I was obliged to buy rye peas and meal to give to my beast and at last I was obliged to take a very large load on my beast, another on my back and go on which I went 18 miles through the wilderness to a house in which time I never saw man nor beast, except my mare and dog, and then returned to help the others in which time Daniel and Squire had left us. My little mare was was very much beat out, but she not so much as the oxen, for one of Jonathan's the last day lay down in the yoke and could not go further and they were obliged to yoke the two near oxen together, they being the stoutest, to complete the journey. But all arrived safe there without further damage than what I have endeavored to relate to you.

Thanks be to the Lord for his kind Providence over us on our journey and I pray that he will go on in ways of mercy with us. And I must further inform you that after we got on to the land we were obliged to help Jonathan build a house which took us some time so that we never got our land laid out till the 13th day of the month and the 14th Squire went to work and Daniel and I went off to get our deeds, it being about 10 miles there, where we found one of your former neighbors, Mr. Barber, who appeared very happy to see us and ordered a very good dinner to be got for us and further he gave us great satisfaction in the principles of religion and said that when we came away that if we went to Horseneck [Greenwich] before we see him again we must give his respects to his old mistress and to all his old friends.

And further, we find our land to be very good well-watered and I think there is no difficulty in getting a good living here after one year and I will inform you that I have planted some potatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and watermelons. I have go a good garden cleared and have begun to clear summer fallow. I shall not plant much corn it being so late.

Further I will inform you that there is a very great plenty of peaches where Mr. Barber lives and some apples. Our nearest neighbor is about one mile off and appears to be a religious man as we stayed there while we were building Jonathan's house. There appears to be nothing wanting but a meeting and that I hope we shall be able to have in a little time and say no more at the present but my kind and affectionate love to you and my little ones and the Lord be pleased to dwell with you and support you under every difficulty and trial that shall be laid upon you and give my duty to my mother-in-law, my respects to my brothers and sisters and all enquiring friends.

Benjamin Close

I must add something further. I must inform you that Daniel being so unwell causes me some trouble and difficulty. I suppose his lying out at night caused it. His lying on the ground has taken a great cold and I thought it best, as he was unable to do anything, for him to return home.

Living at Northumberland, New Yor.

Living at Genoa, New York.

Living with family at Genoa, New York.

Living with family at Genoa, New York.

The Close Family according to Daniel M Mead in his book A History of the Town of Greenwich, Fairfield County, Connecticut published in 1857.