This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/pAC.2ACI/2108.2.1.3 Message Board Post: Sarah About 5 years ago a lady asked me to do a look up for the name Risden from a book I have of graves in Fairfield, VT PRIOR to 1851. Among them are children of John Risden & Sally Stevens. Perhaps the parents were buried here as well. The following is from the posts done at that time. Inscriptions from Fairfield VT Cemeteries pre 1851 as printed in "Some Early Records of Fairfield, VT" Gilbert Doane, pub Aug. 16, 1938 by the 150th Anniversary Committee The North Fairfield Cemetery in Herrick section of Fairfield is near the Union Church Pg 47 Risdon, Daniel, s/o John & Sally, d. 27, July 1841, ae 6 yr 6 mos. 1 day [No. Fairfield] Infant dau. of John & Sally, d. 16 Mar. 1819, 11 days - [No. Fairfield] Infant dau. of John & Sally, d. 12 Mar. 1819, 7 days - [No. Fairfield] Matilda, d/o John & Zilpha, d. 20 July 1810, age 11 days [No. Fairfield] Polly, consort of John, d. 25, Mar 1827, age 38 yrs [No. Fairfield] Thomas E., s/o John & Sally, d. 28, Apr. 1850, a 17 yrs 4 mos 11 days [No. Fairfield] Zilpha, w/o John, d. 17, Feb. 1820, a 37 yrs [No Fairfield] Deborah Brodowski responded: … I had found that John Risdon had been married 3 times and fathered a total of 17 children. I only found the children of John and Zilpha (she was listed as 3rd wife but I think was first according to what you just sent) Anyway, These children are apparently some more of John's children. Still missing 3 by my count - I'm wondering if Nathaniel would have been a child of Zilpha and John - probably not possible unless not listed in the list I have. Do you know of any other Risdons buried this time period Vermont? Also, help me understand - any difference between "consort" and "wife"? Again, thanks so much for help. My response: First, a consort is the old term for wife. Relict was the term for widow. Not sure if this will add any new names for you or not... In 1850 census - Fletcher h/h 198 John Risden, 70, b.VT farmer, 1200 Sally, 60, b. VT Stephen, 20,VT, farmer Oliver, 21, VT, laborer 1850 Fairfield census h/h 117 John Risden, Jr. 44 VT farmer Rosina, 39, VT Edwin, 19, VT farmer Lucretia??? (maybe something similar, definately L ___tia) 17, VT Amy L.,15, VT Charles, 8, VT Daniel,6, VT Merritt, 6 mos., VT (census taken 7/30/1850) Rachel Baker, 94 I came across this little note in the Vermont Historical Gazeteer, Vol 2 pg 205 [town of Fletcher]which might relate to your Risdons: "In the month of April 1850, 4 young men had been to a raising and were returning home through the woods. One of them, Thaddeus Chase, had a gun in his hand, and as one of the party Thomas Risdon was passing over a tree fence the gun in the hands of Chase (who was several feet behind) was accidentally discharged, lodging its contents in the body of young Risdon who survived but a little more than 24 hours." Deborah: Thanks for the information. I think this must be a child of Sally Austin Stevens and John Risdon. Sally A. Stevens is the third wife of John - he was to have a total of 17 children - thought one might connect to my Risdons - no luck yet but I have been collecting information on them. I have a Thomas E. b. Jan 17, 1833 and d. April 28, 1850. I think he is the Thomas buried in the Franklin County No. Fairfield cemetary. I will add this information to my collection.