FIRST GENERATION 1. Capt. Jonathan CARVER was born on 13 Apr 1710 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut. He died on 31 Jan 1780 in London, , England. History of The Town of Sunderland, Massachusetts, by John Montague Smith, prepared by Henry W. Taft & Abbie T. Montague. Press of E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, Mass., 1899. p. 283. Doubtless descended from Robert Carver, who settled in what is now Marshfield, CT. some time prior to 1636. Lived in Montague and perhaps also in Northfield; soldier in the last French and Indian war, and narrowly escaped with his life at the massacre of Fort William Henry; afterwards Captain. In June, 1766, at his own cost and risk, he undertook a journey into the vast territory acquired by Great Britain at the establishment of peace in 1763. "What I had chiefly in view," he says, after gaining a knowledge of the manners, customs, languages, soil and natural productions of the different nations that inhabit the back of the Mississippi, was to ascertain the breath of that vast continent which extends from the Atlantic to Pacific ocean, in its broadest part, between 43 and 46 degrees, northern latitude. Had I been able to accomplish this, I intended to have proposed to government to establish a post in some of those parts about the Straits of Annian, which having been first discovered by Sir Francis Drake, of course belong to the English." The straits of Annian are not known by that name at the present day, but Seattle and Tacoma now flourish in the region where Carver would have established his post. However, the head waters of the Mississippi was the remotest region which he reached. He was everywhere hospitably received by the natives; was five months with the Nandowissies, who made him a chief. But few of them had ever before seen a white man. He arrived at Boston on his return journey, October 1768, and the next year went to London, where he published his book of travels, of which there have been about 20 editions. He entered into a project with Richard Whitworth, Esq., a man of means, to equip an expedition to carry out his original intention and not only that, but to find a passage from the Pacific to Hudson's bay. They were to have erected a fort at Lake Pepin by which to hold the new possessions and open them up to development, but the commencement of the Revolution thwarted their plans. He recognized the value of this section of country, which later explorers pronounced a barren region, incapable of sustaining a large population. (in 1848, Congress passed the bill creating the territory of Minnesota, after a struggle of several months duration. One of the arguments used by those who opposed it was that the country was not worth the cost of maintaining its government, being "an intensely cold, barren and uninhabitable region" - "Resources of Minnesota.") The story of the grant of 14,000 square miles to Jonathan Carver by the Nandowissie tribe is probably a myth, but for nearly 50 years a large space on maps of the United States was marked "Carvers Tract," and there is still in this section a town, a county and a river of his name. His life in London was one of poverty and wretchedness. He secured employment as clerk in a lottery office and died Jan. 31, 1780, according to the Gentleman's Magazine, "absolutely and strictly starved." History of the Town of Northfield, Massachusetts, by J. H. Temple and George Sheldon, published by Joel Munsell, 82 State St., Albany, N.Y., 1875. p. 418 Northfield, 1753. Moses Field gave him credit for making 20 paris of shoes in 1754; he was a sol. under Capt. Elijah Williams, 1755, and taken prisoner Aug. 9, at the fall of Fort William Henry; was serving under Maj. John Hawks, in 1758; a lieutenant under Capt. Selah Barnard, at Crown Point, Oct. 12, 1749; he commanded a company in later expeditions. Soon after the close of the war, he commenced his explorations of the great West, and spent four or five years in examining the country about Lake Superior, and the head waters of the Mississippi. He left Boston for England, in 1768, where his book of travels was published in 1778. He failed to derive a support from this, and died in poverty, at London, Jan. 31, 1780. He was married to Abigail ROBBINS (daughter of Nathaniel ROBBINS and Phebe SEVINE) on 20 Oct 1746 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut. Abigail ROBBINS was born in 1729. She died on 9 Nov 1802 in Brandon, Rutland, Vermont. Capt. Jonathan CARVER and Abigail ROBBINS had the following children: +2 i. Mary CARVER (born on 8 Apr 1747). +3 ii. Abigail CARVER (born on 29 May 1748). +4 iii. Sarah CARVER (born on 8 Jun 1750). +5 iv. Rufus CARVER (born on 14 Dec 1754). +6 v. Olive CARVER (born on 19 Jul 1758). 7 vi. Jonathan CARVER was born on 3 Jan 1759 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 104 May have been that Jonathan serving in the Continental army at the siege of Boston 1776. +8 vii. Mindwell CARVER (born on 1 May 1762). He was married to Mary in London, , England. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 104 She survived him. Capt. Jonathan CARVER and Mary had the following children: 9 i. Child CARVER died after 1780. He (or she) was born in London, , England. SECOND GENERATION 2. Mary CARVER (Jonathan-1) was born on 8 Apr 1747 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 63. of Montague, Mass. She was married to Simeon KING on 10 Jul 1765 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. 3. Abigail CARVER (Jonathan-1) was born on 29 May 1748 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 63. of Montague, Mass. She was married to Joshua GOSS on 1 Oct 1774. Joshua GOSS Int. Marriage on 10 Sep 1774 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 63. of Montague, Mass. 4. Sarah CARVER (Jonathan-1) was born on 8 Jun 1750 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. She died in 1836. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 63. of Montague, Mass. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 104 She was a wid in 1797 She was married to Samuel CHURCH on 19 Jun 1775 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. Sarah CARVER and Samuel CHURCH had the following children: +10 i. Martha (Patty) CHURCH (born on 10 Jun 1792). 5. Rufus CARVER (Jonathan-1) was born on 14 Dec 1754 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. He died in East Troy, Walworth, Wisconsin. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 63. of Montague, Mass. History of The Town of Sunderland, Massachusetts, by John Montague Smith, prepared by Henry W. Taft & Abbie T. Montague. Press of E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, Mass., 1899. p. 284. A revolutionary soldier; removed from Montague to Deerfield, thence, 1797, to Brandon, Vt., and thence to Sodus, N.Y.; died at East Troy, Wis. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 104 Shoemaker; Rev. sol. from Northfield and Deerfield; was in the battle of Bunker Hill and in the campaign when Burgoyne was captured; served three months at Danbury on the invasion of the Tories; left Deerfield about 1797 for Brandon, Vt.; was living at Sodus, N.Y. 1837. History of the Town of Northfield, Massachusetts, by J. H. Temple and George Sheldon, published by Joel Munsell, 82 State St., Albany, N.Y., 1875. p. 418 A minute man at Northfield, 1775; marched to Lexington under Lieut. Ebenezer Janes, on the news of the fighting there; in May, he enlisted under Capt. Elihu Smith, for eight months; was in the battle of Bunker Hill, under Gen. Putnam; on the alarm from the northern invasion, 1777, he marched under Capt. Wright, to Bennington, where he arrived two days after the battle; the same year served three months at Danbury, Ct., being drafted. After the war, he lived in Montague and Deerfield, and about 797 removed to Brandon, Vt.; after 1832 he removed to Sodus, N.Y., where he lived, 1837 with a son and son-in-law. He was married to Priscilla CUMMINGS on 6 Nov 1780 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. Priscilla CUMMINGS was born about 1749. She died on 22 Jan 1825. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 63. of Hinsdale History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 104 of Hinsdale, N.H. Rufus CARVER and Priscilla CUMMINGS had the following children: 11 i. Levius CARVER died in , , Canada. History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 398 Moved to Canada where he died. +12 ii. Jonathan CARVER. +13 iii. Mindwell CARVER. +14 iv. Olive CARVER. +15 v. Fanny CARVER (born on 16 Dec 1781). +16 vi. Abigail CARVER. +17 vii. Sarah CARVER (born on 13 Nov 1789). 18 viii. Lucy CARVER died on 20 Feb 1805. 19 ix. Polly CARVER died on 7 May 1829. 6. Olive CARVER (Jonathan-1) was born on 19 Jul 1758 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. She died on 21 Apr 1789 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. She was buried in Old South Cemetery, Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. 4 children. She was married to Moses GUNN (son of Lt. Nathaniel GUNN and Dorothy MARSH) on 10 Jul 1781 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. Moses GUNN was born on 3 May 1754 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. He Int. Marriage on 17 Jun 1809 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. He Int. Marriage on 23 May 1818 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. He Int. Marriage on 23 May 1818 in Greenfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. He died on 6 Feb 1844 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. He was buried in Old South Cemetery, Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. Published by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 79 of South Hadley, Mass. History of the Town of Northfield, Massachusetts, by J. H. Temple and George Sheldon, published by Joel Munsell, 82 State St., Albany, N.Y., 1875. p. 542 of Montague, Mass. Vital Records of Montague, Massachusetts To The End of The Year 1849. P ublished by the Essex Institute Salem Mass. 1934. p. 113 of Montague, Mass. Olive CARVER and Moses GUNN had the following children: +20 i. Laura GUNN (born on 21 May 1782). +21 ii. Henry GUNN (born on 13 Feb 1784). 22 iii. Olive GUNN was born on 21 Mar 1786 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. She died on 18 Nov 1831. Died unmarried +23 iv. Moses GUNN (born on 19 Jul 1788). 8. Mindwell CARVER (Jonathan-1) was born on 1 May 1762 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. She was married to Elisha GUNN (son of Lt. Nathaniel GUNN and Dorothy MARSH). Elisha GUNN was born on 10 Oct 1765 in Montague, Franklin, Massachusetts. History of The Town of Sunderland, Massachusetts, by John Montague Smith, prepared by Henry W. Taft & Abbie T. Montague. Press of E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, Mass., 1899. p. 384. Removed to Ohio.