Nathaniel Bancroft

NATHANIEL7 BANCROFT, 1683  (Son of: THOMAS6, JOHN5, THOMAS4, RALPH3, JOHN2, WILLIAM1) 

He was born October 24, 1683 in Enfield, Hartford, CT, and died August 26, 1764 in Granville, MA.

The parents of Nathaniel Bancroft were Thomas Bancroft (b. 1621) and his much younger 4th wife Hannah Gardner.

Nathaniel Bancroft married RUTH HAILE November 20, 1708 in Springfield, Hampshire County, MA, daughter of GERSHAM HAILE and ANN VINTON. She was born 1687.

Notes for NATHANIEL BANCROFT, 1683: The vital records of Springfield, MA read the following "November 20, 1708 Nathaniel Bancroft doth enter his intention of his marriage with Ruth Haile. both of Springfield".

The following is listed in the Springfield town records: (Enfield was in Springfield, MA in 1683, it is now in CT) Nathaniel Bancroft and his wife Ruth of Springfield, sold 3 parcels of land in Enfield, adjoining that of Thomas Bancroft, to Israel Phelps, December 1714.

According to the Parish records of the "First Congregational Church, Lynn, MA; A meeting that was attended by all 61 inhabitants was held April 7, 1707 in Springfield, MA. It was voted that all males at least 21 years of age shall be granted land. Nathanield was given 10 acres by the Aggewan River. He also later received two 10 acreas lots on the east side by a Brook.

His will is recorded at Northampton, Massachusetts and is dated December 3, 1752, it probably was probated 1/20/1753.

November 1, 1778, father-in-law Gershom Haile, sold to Nathaniel Bancroft, 4 acres of land, west of the Connecticut River and south of the Agawan River.

Nathaniel lived in West Springfield, MA and then followed his brother Samuel to settle in Granville, MA. On March 28, 1754, he was elected Highway Surveyor in Granville, MA.

Notes for RUTH HAILE: Her will was probated 1/20/1753. Ruth parents were Gershom Hale (Haile) and Ann Vinton.

Children of NATHANIEL BANCROFT and RUTH HAILE are:

i. JOHN8 BANCROFT, b. April 05, 1731, W. Springfield, MA; d. May 07, 1759.

	ii.	ANN BANCROFT, d. October 17, 1779;    m. LUTHER LEONARD, October 09, 1749.

iii. THOMAS BANCROFT, b. November 10, 1709, West Springfield, MA; d. September 26, 1777, Granville, MA.

	iv.  AZARIAH BANCROFT, b. 1711; d. 1745, Louisburg, Nova Scotia.

	Notes for AZARIAH BANCROFT b. 1711: In 1745 Azariah was recruited by Sir William Pepperrel, a merchant, to take the French fortress in Louisbourg on Isle Royle, which is now Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. This was done as a profitable venture by William Shirley, Governor of Massachusetts. 

Azariah was offered 25 shillings per month, a blanket, one half pounds of ginger and sugar per month. All of his debts were suspended until his return from the campaign. Azariah jumped at the chance to reverse the family fortune and signed up to fight at Louisbourg. He became part of the undisciplined rabble, who never had any military training. The troops behaved so badly that they gained the reputation of not being able to take directions very well. The English never took them seriously in the Revolutionary War. They did capture Louisbourg, but a treaty was signed in Europe, and at the close of the war Louisbourg went back to the French. Many soldiers died of disease. Azariah either died in a assault or died of disease, because he never returned to Granville, MA.

v. SAMUEL BANCROFT, LIEUT. 1711, b. July 08, 1711; d. July 06, 1778, Granville, MA.

	vi.   NATHANIEL BANCROFT, 1712, b. 1712.

vii. RUTH BANCROFT, 1713, b. March 12, 1713/14.
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