George Granger, Sr.

George Granger was granted a lot upon the High Street of Suffield next north to that given his father, and sold it in 1714 for 45 lbs to Captain Asaph Leavitt. He was not married until 1693, and probably then lived in the village, although at one time he had a farm of fifty acres. George married the minister's daugher Lydia and had no more of a success in supporting a family than did his father-in-law at expounding the Word. Indeed, before his marriage he had shown himself to be a shiftless fellow. in the court records of 1691 I find "George Granger of Suffield is being presented to this court for neglecting publick worship of God, & e., petitioning this court pleading his sickness, weakness, and want of clothes this cold winter, this court ordred that the worshipful Col. Pynchon send for him, before him, and admonish him." Like all the men of that day he became the father of a large number of children. Soon after his marriage he seems to have risen to the dignity of a fence viewer, but that appears to have ended his office holding in the town. On November 29,1716, the town voted "To be at the charge at present with respect of the wife of George Granger," and also "To be at the charge of a petition to send to the General Court to see what may be don with respect to the maintenance of the wife of George Granger"; and further voted "To allow Goodman Banes seven shilling for his trouble about keeping the wife of George Granger." On June 19, 1717, the town voted "To sue George for the money which the town had necessarily expended on his wife or may expend for her relief before process be made in the law thereabout "; also, "The town did by a clear vote make choice of John Kent, Jr., in their behalf to sue George as above voted, and to proceed therein as Captain Ebenezer Pumry shall advise." On Oct. 7,1717, the town voted: "It is agreed and voted that upon condition that John Granger the son of George Grander do take care of his mother will give the Town of Suffield sufficient security in the judgement of the Selectmen to secure the town from any future charge with respect to his mother Liddia Granger; that then the Town will defray all charge that has been passed w/respect to the said Liddia Granger and quit-all other perticular persons expecting only the bond of thirty shillings given to the selectmen by the said John Granger; but if the said John do not speedily do as aforesaid, then to proceed to sue George according to a former vote of the Town." On Nov. 29 is was voted: "The Town granted William Huxley half a crown for digging George Granger's child's grave." Evidently these attempts to force husband or son to support the wife and mother were failures, for ten years afterward the Town voted "To allow three shillings a wk for the keeping of Liddia," and still later voted "To bare the charge of caring (carrying) Liddia the wife of George to the House of Correction" (poor-house). Poor Lydia's last appearance as a town charge was in Dec., 1724, and it may be presumed she soon after died in the poor-house neglected by husband and children. These unhapy events, however seem to have driven George and all his childredn from Suffield, and few, if any, of his descendants ever since have lived within its bounds. George and his family settled in the parish of Turkey Hills in the adjoining town of Simbsbuy (now East Granby) about 5 mls west from the Suffield meeting-house. Here they lived, married, and died for several generations, but to-day only one of the name remins in East Granby.