The problem with "Refugees from Long Island to Connecticut" is it has so many errors. Most researchers are afraid of trusting it as a source. In my families case Fredric Gregory Mathers states that my ancestor Benjamin Nicolls 1726-1799 was part of another Nicolls line. But the Benjamin Nicolls Jr he names was death in 1760. Mathers mix repeated mixes up people with similiar sounding names. On page 319, Memorials of Old Bridgehampton, James Truslow Adams, (Bridgehampton NY : 1916) There is a listing of tombstones in Sagg Cemetery. "In memory of Captain David Pierson who died Feb. 15, 1829. Ae 78. He was distinguished for strong mental power firmness of character & strict integrity." Just above is "In memory of Susannah Wife of Capt. David Pierson who died March 17, 1816. Ae 64." Many of the Pierson's are buried in this cemetery. Carolee Nichols Diamond William Lee Simpson Jr wrote: >The "Refugees from Long Island to Connecticut" has numerous references to a >Capt David Pierson who married Elizabeth Gelston daughter of Deacon and >Patriot Maltby Gelston (pages 357-358.). Page 505 discusses the Pierson >family and shows there are conflicting dates and data on Capt Pierson. One >source said that Capt David Pierson married Elizabeth who was born 4 Nov >1746 and died in East Haddam 1 Jan 1777 while exiled from British occupied >Long Island. Miss Lucy Gelston and Eliz's Tombstone in East Haddam Ct. were >cited as references. >The "Refugees" has numerous references to Capt David Pierson's military >service in both the 1st and 2nd Regiment of Suffolk Co. Militia: Pages 169, >994 and 995. Page 994 says that Capt David Pierson commanded the 2nd >Southampton Company. > >William Lee Simpson Jr >Registrar Col. Fielding Lewis Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American >Revolution. >wlsimpsonjr@comcast.net > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: FHall96752@aol.com [mailto:FHall96752@aol.com] >Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 1:19 AM >To: NYSUFFOL-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: David Pierson & Elizabeth Gelston > >Need proof that David Pierson, b. ca. 1742, d. Columbia Co., NY Sept. 24, >1818 served in the Revolutionary War. He married Nov. 20, 1764 to Elizabeth > >Gelston, b. Nov. 30, 1746, Suffolk Co., NY & she d. 1792 at Bridgehampton, >Long >Island, NY. Their son David, Jr., m. Charlotte Francis on Dec. 9, 1804 at >Pittsfield, Mass. Any help appreciated. >Frances Hall > >______________________________ > > > >==== NYSUFFOL Mailing List ==== >Plainview: Germanic Ancestry: The German Genealogy Group meets 7 p.m. 1st Thursday, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Family History Center, 160 Washington Ave. Call 631-265-0621 or 718-460 4240. > >============================== >Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the >last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > >

Mather has inaccuracies but he does cite references. In the case of Capt David Pierson that married Elizabeth Gelston, he cites a tombstone for Elizabeth in East Haddam where David Pierson evacuated to. He also cites numerous muster sheets that consistently show a Capt David Pierson at the time a Capt David Pierson married an Elizabeth Gelston. The big advantage of Mather is that he collected a vast amount of data and put it in one document and frequently cites sources and records which despite the errors; provide a good guide to verifiable records that might not be found otherwise. According to Mather there is more than one David Pierson. He cites at least three possibly four David Pierson's and acknowledges the problem with the number of variations of spelling of Pierson. The Capt David Pierson in the Suffolk militia is listed after the War in a request for reimbursement as Col. David Pierson apparently a militia rank obtained after the war. The David Pierson cited below is probably a sea Captain and seems to match the David Pierson cited in Mather that was born in 1751. Sincerely Bill Simpson -----Original Message----- From: Carolee N Diamond [mailto:sixof@erols.com] Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 7:40 PM To: William Lee Simpson Jr Cc: NYSUFFOL-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NYSUF] RE: David Pierson & Elizabeth Gelston The problem with "Refugees from Long Island to Connecticut" is it has so many errors. Most researchers are afraid of trusting it as a source. In my families case Fredric Gregory Mathers states that my ancestor Benjamin Nicolls 1726-1799 was part of another Nicolls line. But the Benjamin Nicolls Jr he names was death in 1760. Mathers mix repeated mixes up people with similiar sounding names. On page 319, Memorials of Old Bridgehampton, James Truslow Adams, (Bridgehampton NY : 1916) There is a listing of tombstones in Sagg Cemetery. "In memory of Captain David Pierson who died Feb. 15, 1829. Ae 78. He was distinguished for strong mental power firmness of character & strict integrity." Just above is "In memory of Susannah Wife of Capt. David Pierson who died March 17, 1816. Ae 64." Many of the Pierson's are buried in this cemetery. Carolee Nichols Diamond William Lee Simpson Jr wrote: >The "Refugees from Long Island to Connecticut" has numerous references to a >Capt David Pierson who married Elizabeth Gelston daughter of Deacon and >Patriot Maltby Gelston (pages 357-358.). Page 505 discusses the Pierson >family and shows there are conflicting dates and data on Capt Pierson. One >source said that Capt David Pierson married Elizabeth who was born 4 Nov >1746 and died in East Haddam 1 Jan 1777 while exiled from British occupied >Long Island. Miss Lucy Gelston and Eliz's Tombstone in East Haddam Ct. were >cited as references. >The "Refugees" has numerous references to Capt David Pierson's military >service in both the 1st and 2nd Regiment of Suffolk Co. Militia: Pages 169, >994 and 995. Page 994 says that Capt David Pierson commanded the 2nd >Southampton Company. > >William Lee Simpson Jr >Registrar Col. Fielding Lewis Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American >Revolution. >wlsimpsonjr@comcast.net > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: FHall96752@aol.com [mailto:FHall96752@aol.com] >Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 1:19 AM >To: NYSUFFOL-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: David Pierson & Elizabeth Gelston > >Need proof that David Pierson, b. ca. 1742, d. Columbia Co., NY Sept. 24, >1818 served in the Revolutionary War. He married Nov. 20, 1764 to Elizabeth > >Gelston, b. Nov. 30, 1746, Suffolk Co., NY & she d. 1792 at Bridgehampton, >Long >Island, NY. Their son David, Jr., m. Charlotte Francis on Dec. 9, 1804 at >Pittsfield, Mass. Any help appreciated. >Frances Hall > >______________________________ > > > >==== NYSUFFOL Mailing List ==== >Plainview: Germanic Ancestry: The German Genealogy Group meets 7 p.m. 1st Thursday, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Family History Center, 160 Washington Ave. Call 631-265-0621 or 718-460 4240. > >============================== >Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the >last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > >