Ann Elizabeth Partridge

Ann Elizabeth Swasey, born in Canterbury, N.H. Dec. 20, 1810; died in Norwich, Vt. Oct. 11. 1902; married April, 1837, Gen'l Alden Partridge, born in Norwich, Jan. 12. 1785' died, Jan; 1854, son of Samuel Partridge, Jr; of Norwich. In early life, she united with the Claremont Baptist Church & retained her connection there until her death, a period of 67 years. She was the 76th. in number on the rolls of the church & the oldest in membership, having been baptized April 25, 1835. In her early years, she was of feeble physical estate & much of her time was occupied in visiting relatives & friends in Bath, Maine, Portsmouth, Exeter, Newburyport & Boston, in which centers of culture & refinement. she made a large circle of acquaintances, congenial to her refined tastes, which left an impress upon her character so remarked throughout her long life.

Ann Elizabeth, was most interesting conversationalist & correspondent, her extended acquaintance & reading of works of a high order giving her great fund of information to draw from. Her benevolence was great, & was manifested in an unostentatious way, to which many persons now living can attest. On Oct. 11, 1903, on the anniversary of the death of Mrs. Swasey in 1852, & to their oldest daughter, Mrs. Partridge, 1902, a memorial window was placed in the Claremont Baptist chjurch by her son, Capt. Henry V. Partridge, commemorative of the lives & faithfulness of the Swasey family, all of whom except one of the daughters, were members of the church. The grandparents, & uncles of General Alden Partridge went from Preston, Conn; to Norwich, Vt. in 1764, & were the earliest settlers there. He entered the U.S. MJilitary academy at West Point granduating in 1806. He established the Am. Literary, Scientific & Military Academy in his native town, which was opened for admission of cadets Sept. 4, 1820. The success of the enterprise proved the wisdom of the plan & many prominent & wealthy families of the north as well as the southern states, sent their sons there to be educated. He was principal of the Academy & sole owner of the buidlings & other property of the institution, it being strictly a private affair. It became by virture of a charter of the Vermont Legislature, in 1834, Norwich University. After the burning of the college building in March, 1866, the University was removed to Northfield, Vermont. In 1812, Dart College conferred upon him the degree of A.M. & in 1821, the University of Vt. recognized him in like manner.

Gen'l Alden & Ann Elizabeth Swasey Partridge had 2 sons: George M.C. Partridge & Capt. Henry V. Partridge.