Rev. Solomon Paine

Mayflower Descendant of Stephen Hopkins and Constance Hopkins

Biography

Solomon Paine (1698 – 1754) and his older brother Elisha Paine were church separatists during the great revival and were both arrested for spreading their convictions. They opposed the state organized church and fought for the right of laypeople to organize and preach which at the time was illegal. They also preached the idea that grace was the key to salvation (not just good works). Their preaching lead to the Canterbury revolt in 1741 - 1745 where 57 people left the state church, kicked out the state appointed pastor and formed their own congregation. Leading this movement were brothers Elisha and Solomon Paine. They declared freedom of religion an “unalienable right given by God” (long before Jefferson used those same words – “unalienable right”). Solomon died long before the revolution but he started a fever of revolt against the state and church in Connecticut.[1][2]

Solomon Paine (1698 – 1754) was the son of Elisha Paine (1658 - 1735) and Rebecca Doane (1668 - 1758). His father was a Mayflower Descendant via Stephen Hopkins.[3]

On 2 May 1720 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut Solomon Paine married first to Ruth "Sarah" Carver (14 DEC 1701 Weymouth, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA - 9 AUG 1731 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut) the daughter of David Carver and Rush Whitmarsh. On the marriage record he name was recorded as "Sarah."[3] [4] Solomon and Ruth "Sarah" (Carver) Paine had five children:

• 1. Solomon Paine (29 MAY 1722 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 18 JUN 1722 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut) died young.[3][4]
• 2. Ruth Paine (25 MAY 1723 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 26 NOV 1788) married on 25 May 1743 in Canterbury, Elisha Cleveland (1717 - 1786) as his second wife.[3][4]
• 3. Elihu Paine (5 AUG 1725 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 27 FEB 1752 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut) married on 24 Nov 1748 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut, Elizabeth Cleveland (4 FEB 1730 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 18 JUN 1788 Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, USA).[3][4] Elizabeth (Cleveland) Paine married second to Ezra Ensworth (1702–1788) on 13 Oct 1757 in Canterbury. See also Find A Grave Memorial# 11530173[5]
• 4. Ichabod Paine (7 SEP 1727 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 22 NOV 1812 Amenia, Dutchess, New York, USA) married on 16 Jan 1748 in Canterbury, Hannah Boswell (1730 - 1804).[3][4] See Find A Grave Memorial# 22429998[6]
• 5. David Cleveland Paine (18 JUN 1729 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 24 APR 1805 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut, USA) married on 5 Apr 1759 in Canterbury, Lydia Johnson (4 OCT 1733 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 14 NOV 1812 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut)[3][4] (widow of Amos Fasset 8 AUG 1728 Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts - 13 JUN 1756 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut). See Find A Grave Memorial# 17868638[7] and Find A Grave Memorial# 17868683[8].

After Ruth died he married second on 31 May 1732 in Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut, to Priscilla Fitch (5 FEB 1702 Windham, Windham, Connecticut - 6 MAY 1782 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut) daughter of Captain John Fitch and Elizabeth Waterman.[3][4][9] Solomon and Priscilla (Fitch) Paine had three children:

• 1. Solomon Cleveland Payne (8 MAR 1732 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 22 FEB 1822 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut) married on 8 JUN 1756 in Canterbury, Mary Bacon (15 MAY 1732 Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut - 22 SEP 1820 • Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut, USA) and they had two children Elisha Payne (1757 - 1802) and Molly Payne 1759 - 1821).[3][4]
• 2. Priscilla Paine (20 AUG 1734 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 19 OCT 1817 Ashford, Windham, Connecticut, USA) married on 24 Dec 1755 in Plainfield, Josiah Spaulding (1729 - 1835).[3][4] See Find A Grave Memorial# 159050553[10]
• 3. Elisha PAINE (16 NOV 1736 Canterbury, Windham, Connecticut - 27 NOV 1755 Albany, Albany, New York) unmarried.[3][4]

Solomon Paine is buried in Cleaveland Cemetery in Canterbury. See Find A Grave Memorial# 9520175 for a photo of his burial monument[11]

Biography and sources by Roland Henry Baker, III

Sources

• 1. ↑ Richard M Bayles, History of Windham County, Connecticut, (New York: W.W. Preston, 1889) Canterbury Connecticut Church History posted 9 Aug 2011 Windham County and second section posted 9 Aug 201
• 2. ↑ Thomas S. Kidd God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution (Basic Books, First Trade Paper Edition 2012) link
• 3. ↑ John D Austin, Stephen Hopkins Silver: Mayflower Families through Five Generations, 3rd Edition, Vol 6 p 41 # 170 and p 177 (Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2001)
• 4. ↑ Paine Family Records Vol. II, Pg 162 - avail. on www.openlibrary.org
• 5. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 11530173
• 6. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 22429998
• 7. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 17868638
• 8. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 17868683
• 9. ↑ Donald Lines Jacobus and Edgar Francis Waterman, The Waterman Family, Volume I: Descendants of Robert Waterman of Marshfield, Massachusetts, through Seventh Generations ( Hartford, CT: The Connecticut Historical Society, 1939) p 50 link
• 10. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 159050553
• 11. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 9520175