Colonel Joab Stafford, I

Colonel Joab Stafford, one of Cheshire's earliest settlers, distinguished himself at the Battle of Bennington in 1777. He married Susanah Spencer on 6 Oct 1751 in East Greenwich, RI.

He was originally buried in the old Cheshire Cemetery and his remains were re-interred here in 1927.

The following biographical sketch, written by Stefan Bielinski, was supplied Hunter Rauhofer:

"According to traditional sources, Job Stafford (also Joab) was born in November 1729. Thus, he would have been the son of Thomas and his second wife Audrey Greene Stafford of Kent County, Rhode Island. The two marriages made Thomas the father of at least fourteen children. Joab's father then would have been a lumber merchant who also owned considerable real estate.

In October 1751, Job married Rhode Island native Susanna Spencer. Their marriage is said to have produced ten children - all of whom were born in New England. He was a noted Anabaptist and supportive of its evangelical initiatives.

Job followed his father into landholding and lumbering. In 1762, he is said to have been elected to represent Coventry, Rhode Island in the provincial assembly. At that time, he was referred to as "captain."

Following the end of the last colonial war, he is said to have purchased almost 400 acres of land in Berkshire County, Massachusetts and to have moved there with his family. A number of Rhode Island families settled there at that time.

An experienced militia officer in Rhode Island, Job Spencer was an officer in the Revolutionary army achieving the rank of colonel. He is said to have been wounded at Bennington in 1777. An invalid, he later received a pension for service.

In 1783, Job began to sell off his property in Massachusetts and subsequently relocated his family to Albany. Two years later, he liquidated his remaining real estate and accepted a position as land commissioner in New York State.

In October 1786, he was a leader of those who successfully petitioned the Albany council for permission to use the city lamps.

While in Albany, perhaps Joab's family was a part of the household of his son-in-law and business associate, Thomas Spencer.

An undated (but probably written after 1850) reference appearing in Munsell's "Annals of Albany" claimed that "the late Spencer Stafford's father" was the last proprietor of the "Blue Belle tavern" which was located "at the elm tree corner of State and Pearl streets, in a Dutch house."

Following the death of Job's wife in September 1795, he moved into the Bethlehem home of his son-in-law. By 1800, he was ill and moved again to Cheshire, Massachusetts.

Joab Stafford died in Berkshire County, Massachusetts in November 1801. This Revolutionary War veteran and transplanted Yankee had lived seventy-two years."

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Dec 12 2023, 16:46:58 UTC