Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
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Enfield, <strong>Connecticut</strong>. At a meeting <strong>of</strong> the<br />
selectmen, January 6, 1662, he was<br />
granted four acres <strong>of</strong> "wet meddow on<br />
ye back side <strong>of</strong> ye Long Meddoe," and<br />
on February 6, 1664, he received another<br />
four acres "at ye grape swamp by the<br />
Long Meddow," and other land. He was<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten selectman, served on juries, was a<br />
thrifty farmer and a useful man in the<br />
community, acting in various <strong>of</strong>ficial ca-<br />
pacities. He was killed by Indians while<br />
going to church at Springfield, March'26,<br />
1676, and was buried in the old cemetery<br />
at Springfield. He married, December<br />
31, 1663, Sarah Leonard, who was born<br />
December 13, 1645, in Springfield, daughter<br />
<strong>of</strong> John and Sarah (Heald) Leonard.<br />
She married twice after the death <strong>of</strong> John<br />
Keep, and died in February, 171 1. The<br />
inventory <strong>of</strong> John Keep's estate placed its<br />
value at £329 us. 7d.<br />
Samuel Keep, eldest son <strong>of</strong> John and<br />
Sarah (Leonard) Keep, was born August<br />
22, 1670, in Long Meadow, and was for<br />
some time under the care <strong>of</strong> his grandmother,<br />
Sarah Leonard, afterward was<br />
with his uncle, Samuel Bliss. He was<br />
among the petitioners for the establishment<br />
<strong>of</strong> the town <strong>of</strong> Brimfield, and con-<br />
tributed £12 10s. for the benefit <strong>of</strong> the<br />
settlement, receiving one hundred and<br />
twenty acres <strong>of</strong> land there. He died August<br />
23, 1755, and was buried at Longmeadow.<br />
He married, February 27,<br />
1695, Sarah Colton, <strong>of</strong> Longmeadow, born<br />
September 25, 1678, daughter <strong>of</strong> Captain<br />
Thomas and Sarah (Griswold) Colton,<br />
granddaughter <strong>of</strong> George Colton, who<br />
came from Sutton C<strong>of</strong>ield, eight miles<br />
from Birmingham, England, to Spring-<br />
field, in 1644. Sarah Griswold was a<br />
daughter <strong>of</strong> Matthew and Anna (Wolcott)<br />
Griswold, granddaughter <strong>of</strong> Henry<br />
and Elizabeth (Saunders) Wolcott. Henry<br />
Wolcott came from Tolland, Somersetshire,<br />
England, where his family was<br />
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY<br />
379<br />
seated as early at 1525, and settled at Dor-<br />
chester, Massachusetts, in 1630, later at<br />
Windsor, <strong>Connecticut</strong>. His wife was a<br />
daughter <strong>of</strong> Thomas Saunders, <strong>of</strong> Lidiard,<br />
St. Lawrence, Somerset. Their daughter.<br />
Anna, became the wife <strong>of</strong> Matthew Gris-<br />
wold, who came to <strong>Connecticut</strong> about<br />
1639, and was a prominent man at Wind-<br />
sor. Their daughter, Sarah, was the wife<br />
<strong>of</strong> Captain Thomas Colton, and their eldest<br />
child, Sarah, was the wife <strong>of</strong> Samuel<br />
Keep.<br />
Josiah Keep, son <strong>of</strong> Samuel and Sarah<br />
(Colton) Keep, was born November 11,<br />
1713, in Longmeadow, and settled in<br />
Brimfield, near Monson, where he died<br />
July 29, 1777. He was a member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
church at Brimfield in 1757, and one <strong>of</strong><br />
the organizers <strong>of</strong> the Monson church in<br />
1762. He married, May, 1737, Lois Noble,<br />
<strong>of</strong> Westfield, born July 4, 1708, daughter<br />
<strong>of</strong> Deacon Thomas Noble.<br />
Their eldest son, Josiah Keep, was<br />
born August 30, 1745, in Monson, where<br />
he was a farmer, and served as a corporal<br />
in the Revolution in Captain Reuben<br />
Munn's company, Colonel David Leon-<br />
ard's regiment, March 1 to April 11, 1777,<br />
sent to reinforce the army at Ticonderoga.<br />
He was killed by a sled at Woodstock,<br />
December 9, 1799. He married,<br />
November 28, 1771, Love Kibbe, born<br />
March 7, 1745, in Somers, <strong>Connecticut</strong>,<br />
died May 7, 1824.<br />
Their third son, Josiah Keep, was born<br />
January 26, 1778, in Monson, where he<br />
was a farmer, and died October 1, 1851.<br />
He married, October 2y, 1801, Lucy<br />
Tucker, and they were the parents <strong>of</strong><br />
Josiah Otis Keep.<br />
Josiah Otis Keep was born April 23,<br />
1812, at Monson. He was a blacksmith<br />
at West Brookfield, Warren and Paxton,<br />
Massachusetts, and died August 2, 1895,<br />
in Paxton. Most <strong>of</strong> his life was passed<br />
at Paxton, and he was the original mem-