Betty wrote: > Seth Blanchard, b. ca 1778 in Massachusetts, m. Lydia Rice 3 Apr 1804, of > Sturbridge, daughter of Caleb and Sally (Abbot) Rice. Seth was said to be of > Brookfield, MA where their marriage bans were published 30 Jan 1804. There If Seth could have been born in 1779, rather than 1778, then he might be the son of William and Prudence Blanchard of Brookfield, whose last recorded child was Polly, born 1778 Sep 24. William's census tally in 1800 was 00201-00101. One possible interpretation of those figures is William + Prudence + son Perly + another son + a "hired girl" brought in after Polly married and moved out in 1799, or maybe Polly didn't actually get married and was still living at home. Concerning Seth's death: does his gravestone give an age at death, or does it give a year of birth? What cemetery is he buried in? Is Lydia buried next to Seth? John Chandler