Son of Eliakim and Joannah (Curtiss) Stoddard of Woodbury, Connecticut
Grandson of Reverend Anthony and Prudence (Welles) Stoddard of Woodbury, Connecticut
Great-grandson of Reverend Solomon and Esther (Warham) Stoddard of Northampton, Massachusetts
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In his book, "Anthony Stoddard of Boston..." published in 1849, Elijah Woodward Stoddard gives Israel's birthdate as January 28, 1732 but William Cothren’s "History of Ancient Woodbury...Genealogical Statistics...Vol. III" published in 1879, says Israel was born on January 18, 1732 and baptised on January 23, 1732.
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After the death of his father, Eliakim, in 1749, Israel was provided one acre of land with his father’s house (and some additional land) as his part of the division of his father’s real estate in the distribution of his estate on March 31, 1752. This was the same one acre of land with "ye mansion” dwelling that was gifted and deeded to his father Eliakim by his grandfather, Reverend Anthony Stoddard, on March 22, 1736. This deed record makes it clear that the “ye mansion” house had been previously built for and used by Reverend Anthony Stoddard and was probably his main home after his family grew to be nine by 1715 and to twelve by 1720. In the probate records for the distribution of the estate of his father, Israel’s mother, Joannah Waller was given 1/3 share of each male child’s inherited real estate during her lifetime. Therefore, the house inherited by Israel could not be sold, leased or otherwise disposed without her permission. Joannah (Curtiss) Stoddard Waller died in Kent in 1768.
In addition to his inheritance from his father, Israel Stoddard was bequeathed the dwelling house (the original parsonage house) and the adjoining lands on the homelot from his grandfather, Reverend Anthony Stoddard, in his Last Will & Testament dated March 29, 1758. Reverend Anthony Stoddard died on September 6, 1760. His estate was divided and distributed on May 23, 1761. Israel then owned both of the dwelling houses and all of the old parsonage homelot of Reverend Anthony Stoddard in Woodbury.
When his mother, Joannah Stoddard, remarried to Samuel Waller in early 1750, and relocated to Kent, Connecticut that same year, the youngest children and the girls went with their mother. The eldest sons remained living in the house with Israel...with their grandfather, Reverend Anthony Stoddard, living nearby and keeping a close eye on them. The eldest son, John (from whom this writer descends) married Mary Atwood in April 1751 and relocated to Watertown (Harwinton), Connecticut. Israel was awarded the house and one acre of land as his share of the real property of the estate on March 31, 1752. The youngest brother living at the house, Abiram, two years younger than Anthony, also remained living in the house for some period of time. But he reportedly left for Albany New York where he died at age 19 in 1755. Their brother Seth went to Kent with his mother and his sisters and the youngest brother Eliakim. Anthony, two years younger than Israel, remained living in the house with his brother until 1763.
Israel Stoddard married Elizabeth Reed July 4, 1759 in Woodbury, Connecticut. His younger brother, Anthony, then married Elizabeth's sister, Phebe Reed, circa 1760. Their marriage was not registered due to the death of Reverend Anthony Stoddard in 1760 and the transition to a new minister, Noah Benedict. Israel and Elizabeth had a child, a daughter, Phebe (named after her sister), in 1760. On September 4, 1762, Israel and Elizabeth had a son, Asa. The next month, on October 26, 1762, Anthony and Phebe had a son, Amos. In the spring of 1763, Anthony, Phebe and Amos relocated to Framington (later renamed Lanesborough), Massachusetts.
The births of all of Israel and Elizabeth's children are registered in Woodbury: Phebe in 1760, Asa in 1762, James in 1765 and Elizabeth in 1769. Therefore, all the children would have been born in the "ye mansion" house Israel receved in the distribution of the estate of his father Eliakim at the end of March 1752. In addition, the birth of Anthony and Phebe's son Amos was recorded in Woodbury in October 1762 and therefore he also would have been born in the "ye mansion" house the two families shared. Therefore, any suggestion to the contrary (such as that the house was being operated as an inn "since 1754") would be denying these children their birthplace.
In his book, "History of Ancient Woodbury...Vol. I" published in 1854, Wiliam Cothern described Dr. Israel Stoddard as follow:
"Dr. Israel Stoddard. Grandson of Rev. Anthony Stoddard, the second minister, was born in Woodbury and prepared himself for the practice of medicine, and settled in Judea. He was a jovial, good-natured man, somewhat addicted to free-living, and died young."
The grave and headstone for Israel's wife Elizabeth Stoddard was found in Huron, Ohio. It is known that Israel and Elizabeth’s son Asa was living in or near Huron County, Ohio around the time of the War of 1812. Asa was known to have brought supplies down the Maumee River from Cleveland to Fort Meigs in the summer of 1813. His mother must have gone to the Western Reserve (Ohio) with her son and passed away there in 1824. Asa relocated to Dayton, Ohio and is buried there with his son, Henry Stoddard, and daughters Betsey and Ann as well as numerous other Stoddard relatives.
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Note: The Probate records for the estate of Israel Stoddard indicate on the first page of the inventory a "House and Buildings" valued at £255 and a "Home Lot" of 9 acres valued at £11 per acre (£99) and several other parcels of land. This real property was located in Woodbury. His son Asa received this property. In additon, there was also a house listed on the last page of the inventory with 10 acres of land in the town of Washington. This property was valued at £250. The property given to Israel's son James' children in Israel Stoddard's Will. There is also a right of land in Vermont and a couple of other miscellaneous land parcels included in the real property inventory. Note there is no mention of the one acre of land and the "ye mansion" dwelling Israel received from his father Eliakim's estate at the end of March 1752. Further, "widow Gilchrist" is listed as owing a a debt to the estate of Israel Stoddard in the amount of £32.6.10. Since Peter Gilchrist is known to have occupied the house of Israel Stoddard (Peter Gilchrist died in 1783), and since Peter Gilchrist was related to Israel Stoddard through his marriage to Damaris Judson (her sister Esther married Israel's cousin Nathan Curtiss), it can only be assumed that this was a debt remaining from the purchase of the "ye mansion" house, a barn and a shop and one acre of land in Woodbury between Peter Gilchrist and Israel Stoddard — a transaction and deed that was never duly recorded. Widow Damaris Gilchrist sold the house, barn and shop and one acre of land for $1,000 to Abijah S. Hatch in October 1806.
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Asa Stoddard, the eldest son of Israel Stoddard, sold a 12-acre parcel with "my current dwelling house & barn & horse shed" in Woodbury to William Moseley on February 18, 1799. It is belived this is the house and land he received from his father's estate which came to his father from the settlement of his great-grandfather's estate (the estate of Reverend Anthony Stoddard). In other words, this was the parsonage house and land his father, Israel Stoddard, received in the division and distribution of Reverend Anthony Stoddard's estate in 1761. The property owned by Asa Stoddard in Woodbury was bordered to the north by the land and dwelling owned and occupied by Damaris Gilchrist, the widow of Peter Gilchrist. It was the "ye mansion" dwelling and his birthplace.
Asa Stoddard then must have moved to Ohio circa 1800. Parts of northern Ohio along Lake Erie, including Huron County, were claimed by Connecticut during and after the American Revolution. Later it was called the Western Reserve. The land was ultimately ceded to the United States as part of the formation of the Northwest Territory in 1800.
It is curious to note that Asa’s wife, Armenal (Prindle) Stoddard, who died in 1825, is buried in Woodbury.
Children of Israel and Elizabeth (Reed) Stoddard:
1. Phebe born November 25, 1760 in Woodbury, Connecticut. She was named after her mother's sister. Phebe died at age 18, and unmarried, at Woodbury, Connecticut on December 5, 1778.
2. Asa born September 4, 1762 in Woodbury, Connecticut. Asa married Armemal Prindle. Asa died in Dayton, Ohio on April 11, 1842. Armenal died in 1825 and is buried in Woodbury, Connecticut.
3. James born May 14, 1765 in Woodbury, Connecticut. James became a doctor like his father. He married Mary Judson and died in Washington, Connecticut (near Judea) in 1805. No grave for James or Mary has been located (2019).
4. Elizabeth born June 17, 1769 in Woodbury, Connecticut. Elizabeth married Taylor Sherman and is the grandmother of General William Tecumseh Sherman.
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Last Will and Testament of Israel Stoddard
I, Israel Stoddard if Woodbury in Litchfield County, being weak of body but sound in mind & memory, blessed be God, and apprehending myself to be near my end, do make, ordain & publish this my Last Will and Testament.
In the first place, I commit my body to the dirt and my soul to God who gave it in hopes of a blessed immortality through the mouth of this Redeemer
2nd I give and bequeath unto my affectionate wife Elizabeth one third of all my personal estate to have forever also one third of my real property to her and her heirs forever.
3rd. I give and bequeath unto my son Asa the remaining two thirds of all my real estate to hold to him said Asa & his heirs forever, and also the remaining two thirds my personal estate to him the said Asa forever, Reserving the dwelling house & ten acres of land be the same more or less which I own and possess in the town of Washington which said land and dwelling I give and Divine unto the male heirs of my beloved son James to hold forever.
Reserving also,
4th. The Sum of thirty pounds lawful money which I order to be paid unto my Daughter Elizabeth over & above the sum I have advanced to her since her first setting out.
And,
5thly. I order also that my debts be paid out of my personal estate before distribution of the same.
Lastly, I appoint Elizabeth my wife, my son Asa & Nathan Preston of said Woodbury executors of this my Last Will & Testament.
In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of July in the year of our Lord 1774
In Presence of Israel X Stoddard
his mark
David Tallman
Elijah Sherman
Noah B. Benedict
August 7, 1774 In addition to said alteration of the forgoing, it is my will & pleasure that my wife Elizabeth should have the use and improvement of the house and about ten acres of land which I have given to the children of my son James during her lifetime. Israel Stoddard
In Presence of
Phineas Pond
Seth Bacon
Uriah Gillet
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Information is based on the research of the author of this biography; from information obtained from the book, “The Autobiography Manuscript of Major Amos Stoddard;” and from information obtained from the book, "Family of Wells and Eunice Stoddard," published in 1995 by Sharlene Stoddard. In her work, Sharlene reconciled discrepancies of previously published Stoddard genealogies.