Hezekiah Brainerd

A man of great distinction and influence, he was a representative to the General Assembly and Speaker of hte House, a member of the Senate and instructed with various public concerns. In consideration of extra public services, the Legislature gave him and two other men of like character, a farm of 300 acres in Goshen. He died in Hartford, while attending the Legislature as Counsellor at the age of 46 years old and was buried at that place (See Colonial Records of Connecticut 1717-1725)

29. HEZEKIAH15 BRAINERD (HANNAH14 SPENCER, GERRARD (ENSIGN) (HADDAM FOUNDER)13, GERRARD12, MICHAEL11, JOHN (SR)10, JOHN9, ROBERT8, JOHN7, ROBERT6, THOMAS5, THOMAS (DE)4, NICHOLAS (DE)3, JOHN (LEDE)2, WILLIAM (LEDE)1) was born May 24, 1681 in Haddam, Middlesex, CT, and died May 24, 1727 in Haddam, Middlesex, CT. He married DOROTHY (HOBART) HUBBARD October 01, 1707 in Haddam, Middlesex, CT, daughter of Jeremiah Hubbard and Elizabeth Whiting.

Children of Hezekiah Brainerd and Dorothy Hubbard are:

71. i. HEZEKIAH16 BRAINERD, b. October 26, 1708, Haddam, Middlesex, CT; d. December 14, 1774.

72. ii. DOROTHY BRAINERD, b. February 23, 1709/10, Haddam, Middlesex, CT; d. February 1754, Haddam, Middlesex, CT.

iii. NEHEMIAH BRAINERD, b. April 20, 1712.

73. iv. JERUSHA BRAINERD, b. April 21, 1714.

74. v. MARTHA BRAINERD, b. September 01, 1716, East Haddam, Middlesex, CT; d. October 11, 1754, East Haddam, Middlesex, CT.

vi. DAVID BRAINERD, b. April 20, 1718, Haddam, Middlesex, CT; d. 1747, (At the home of Jonathan Edwards).

vii. JOHN BRAINERD, b. February 28, 1719/20.

viii. ELIZABETH BRAINERD, b. October 05, 1722.

ix. ISRAEL BRAINERD, b. June 07, 1725.

While delicacy forbids any remarks upon the living, it is pleasing to observe concerning the justices who have deceased, and who had in their day no inconsiderable share of business in these towns, and of influence in the state; that many of them were no less distinguished for their piety than for their good sense, and general regularity of conduct. The first Hezekiah Brainerd, under the disadvantages of education common in his day, acquired extensive knowledge. Early called also by divine grace, he gave himself up to the practice of religion. He used to keep days of private fasting to promote his spiritual welfare, was much in prayer and had particular evidence that his prayers were heard, and enjoyed strong [p. 23.] and abiding consolation and hope. His mental and moral worth soon attracted public notice, and he was raised to the station of an assistant in the colony of Connecticut, which station he held till his death, On a proposition to establish a court of Chancery in the state, he was selected as the Judge, though the court was never organized. He died at Hartford, during a session of the Assembly, May 24, 1727, aged 46, and was buried in the old burying ground in that place. Happy effects of his prayers and labors were left upon his children. His third son was the celebrated David Brainerd, missionary to the Indians from the Honorable society in Scotland for the propagation of christian knowledge, and pastor of a congregation of christian Indians in New Jersey, whose life as drawn by the elder President Edwards has excited the admiration of the pious both in Europe and America. With superior intellect, it discovers the greatest humility, self-denial, zeal and benevolence. His fourth son was John Brainerd, the successor of David in the pastoral office, who was considered by his acquaintance as equally pious, though not so much distinguished for talents. Others of the family were respectable both for their piety and abilities.

(A History of the Towns of Haddam and East-Haddam by David D. Fiels, A.M. Paster of the Church in Haddam 1814.)

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Hezekiah Brainerd was the youngest child of Col. and Deacon Daniel Brainerd and Hannah Spencer. He was born in 1681 in Haddam CT. and died in 1727 in Hartford, CT. He was a Representative from Haddam, Assistant & Speaker of the Upper House. He died at age 46 years while attending the General Court. (Families of Early Hartford, Connecticut, p. 90)

In the records, he was called "Worshipful" Hezekiah Brainard.

The son of Deacon Daniel Brainard & his wife Hannah (Spencer) Brainard, daughter of JARED SPENCER, Daniel was a resident of Haddam, Conn. and married Dorothy Mason, widow of Daniel Mason and daughter of Rev. Jeremiah Hobart, on Oct. 1, 1707. They were the parents of nine children, which amoung them were:

Nehemiah (3rd child) b. Feb. 20, 1712, d. Nov. 9, 1742, 2nd minister of Eastbury Parish in Glastonbury, Conn.; m. Elizabeth Fiske.

Martha (5th child) b. Sept. 1, 1716, m. Joseph Spencer (Major Gen. of the Rev. Army)

David (6th child) b. April 20, 1718, d. Oct. 10, 1747, an eminent preacher and missionary to the Stockbridge, Delaware and Susquehannah Tribes of Indians.

First Settlers of Connecticut and Massachusetts, Nathaniel Goodwin, 1856, p. 199.

• David Brainerd (April 20, 1718–October 9, 1747) was an American missionary to the Native Americans who had a particularly fruitful ministry among the Delaware Indians of New Jersey. During his short life he was beset by many difficulties. As a result, his biography has become a source of inspiration and encouragement to many Christians, including missionaries such as William Carey and Jim Elliot, and Brainerd's cousin, the Second Great Awakening evangelist James Brainerd Taylor (1801–1829).
• David Brainerd was born on April 20, 1718 in Haddam, Connecticut, the son of Hezekiah, a Connecticut legislator, and Dorothy. He had nine siblings, one of whom was Dorothy's from a previous marriage. He was orphaned at the age of fourteen, as his father died in 1727 at the age of forty-six and his mother died five years later.[2]
• After his mother's death, Brainerd moved to East Haddam to live with one of his older sisters, Jerusha. At the age of nineteen, he inherited a farm near Durham, but did not enjoy the experience of farming and so returned to East Haddam a year later to prepare to enter Yale. On 12 July 1739, he recorded having an experience of 'unspeakable glory' that prompted in him a 'hearty desire to exalt [God], to set him on the throne and to "seek first his Kingdom"'.[3] This has been interpreted by evangelical scholars as a conversion experience.[4]
• .... etc.
• From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Brainerd ___________________________
• HOBART, Dorothy
• b. 21 AUG 1679 Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
• d. 11 MAR 1731/2
• Parents:
• Father: HOBART, Jeremiah
• Mother: WHITING, Elizabeth
• Family:
• Marriage: 19 APR 1704
• Spouse: MASON, Daniel
• b. 26 NOV 1674 Stonington, New London, CT.
• d. 7 MAY 1705 Lebanon, New London, CT.
• Parents:
• Father: MASON, Daniel
• Mother: DENISON, Margaret
• Children:
  • MASON, Jeremiah
• Family:
• Marriage: 1 OCT 1707
• Spouse: BRAINARD, Hezekiah
• b. ABT 1680 Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
• d. 24 MAY 1727 Hartford, CT.
• Parents:
• Father: BRAINARD, Daniel
• Mother: SPENCER, Hannah
• Children:
  • BRAINARD, Hezekiah
  • BRAINARD, Dorothy
  • BRAINARD, Nehemiah
  • BRAINARD, Jerusha b. 1 APR 1714 Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
  • BRAINARD, Martha
  • BRAINARD, David b. 20 APR 1718 Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
  • BRAINARD, John b. 28 FEB 1719/20 Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
  • BRAINARD, Elizabeth b. 5 OCT 1722 Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
  • BRAINARD, Israel b. 7 JUN 1725 Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
• From: http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_25.htm#82 __________________________