1. Samuel¹ Prescott; born April 1773 in Epsom, Merrimack Co., NH, year of birth calculated from age at death; married Betsy Matson January 1798 possibly in Vershire, Orange Co., Vermont; he died 17 September 1837 in Waterbury, Washington Co., VT, age 64 years; buried in Waterbury Center Cemetery, Waterbury Center, Washington Co., VT.

     The basic information on the family of Samuel Prescott comes from the Prescott Memorial. No record of the marriage of Samuel Prescott or births of his children has been found to date in contemporary documents. This source varies in accuracy as is to be expected from such a monumental work. The information on two children, Lyman Prescott and Huldah (Prescott) Bryant, includes their place of residence: "Huldah . . . resides Troy, Walworth Co., Wis." and "Lyman . . . resides Sparta, Monroe Co., Wis." It is possible that the author, William Prescott, contacted either or both of them when preparing the manuscript, thus lending some credibility to the information presented. However, even the information given on these two children is incomplete.

     Samuel Prescott's probate record does verify some of the relationships in this family. He was married to a woman named Betsy and the following children are confirmed in the probate record: Sherburn, Harvey, Huldah, Polly, Lyman, and an unnamed daughter deceased before 1838. Neither Polly nor the deceased daughter are listed in the Prescott Memorial. Samuel's will does state that he had additional unnamed children. He was head of household on the census of 1800 in Vershire, Orange Co., VT.¹

Samuel Prescott, head of a household corresponding to the family proposed below, is found on the census of 1810 in Vershire, Orange Co., VT ² and the census of 7 August 1820 in the same location. ³ The 1830 census schedule for Vershire shows a Samuel Prescott household in which the oldest male is age 20-30 with a female age 50-60. Despite the lack of a male of appropriate age, this household's location in the Vershire listing corresponds to that of Samuel Prescott in the 1820 census schedule. In 1820 the order of families is Phinehas Eastman, Saml. Prescott, Elias Lathrop, Sherburn Prescott, and Saml. Durgin. In 1830 the order is Wm. E. Eastman, Samuel Prescott, Elias Lathrop, Sherburn Prescott, and Stephen Durgin.

Land record designations show that Samuel Prescott moved from Vershire to Waterbury, Vermont, sometime between 1 October 1827 and his death, which occurred 17 September 1837. He left a will dated 24 June 1837, Waterbury, Vermont, which was probated on 21 November 1837 in Montpelier, Washington Co., VT. These probate records show that Samuel Prescott was a prosperous and productive farmer. He was buried in Waterbury Center Cemetery, his tombstone reading simply "Samuel Prescott// died// September 17, 1837// aged 64 years."

Unfortunately, Waterbury vital records do not give any evidence on the relationships in this Prescott generation. However, births, deaths and marriages of members of later generations who remained in the Waterbury area are recorded there.

     Betsy Matson was born circa 1775 in VT. She died probably in Waukesha Co., WI, after 5 September 1850, the enumeration date of the 1850 census.

Betsy's age is listed as 75 years in the 1850 census enumeration of Mequanigo, Wisconsin. The resulting birth year of 1775 corresponds to the June 1776 date given in the Prescott Memorial. However, that volume gives her birthplace as Epsom, Merrimack Co., NH. Although her 1850 census listing gives a Vermont place of birth, historically, the New Hampshire birthplace is more likely. Neither birth record nor parents have been found for her to date; nor has a marriage record appeared. Her maiden name of Matson has been found only in the Prescott Memorial. She was remembered in her husband's will in the following manner:

I give to my beloved wife Betsey Prescott all my household goods of whatsoever name or nature which I may have at the time of my decease except one good Bed and bedding and my Clock. I also give to my said wife during her natural life, the use and occupancy of one undivided third part of all the real estate whereof I may died seized, subject to the following condition, it is my wish, pleasure and will that my son Harvey [actually looks like Henry] Prescott should live in the house with my said wife and comfortably support & maintain her his mother, and that while he so does, that he shall occupy and take the use of said third part so given to my said wife as aforesaid, the same as though it were his own.

Betsy (Matson) Prescott is probably the female age 60-70 enumerated in the household of Lyman Prescott in Mequanigo, Milwaukee Co., WI, on 22 July 1840. She is listed as Betsy Prescott, age 75, in the census enumerated on 5 September 1850, Mukwanego, Waukesha Co., WI, in the household of her widowed daughter Huldah (Prescott) Pollard. This census listing is the final record found to date on Betsy, widow of Samuel Prescott.

     Known children of Samuel¹ Prescott and Betsy Matson were as follows:

• + 2 i. Samuel² Prescott, born 29 January 1799 Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Mary Hart.

• + 3 ii. Sherburne Prescott, born 2 June 1800 Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Judith Haseltine.

• 4 iii. Esther Prescott; born 30 December 1803 in Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married John Gile April 1830.

• + 5 iv. Amos M. Prescott, born 19 September 1805 Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Fanny A. Wrisley.

• + 6 v. David Prescott, born 15 June 1808 Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Eliza Ann Eaton.

• + 7 vi. Harvey Prescott, born 10 April 1813 Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Hannah Bridges.

• 8 vii. John Prescott; born 8 August 1815 in Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Ann Parker September 1838.

       He was head of household on the census of 22 July 1840 in Mequanigo, Milwaukee Co., WI.⁵

• + 9 viii. Huldah Prescott, born 18 February 1819 Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Stillman Pollard; married Samuel Bryant.

• + 10 ix. Lyman Prescott, born 12 June 1820 Vershire, Orange Co., VT; married Sarah Barnard; married Mary Johnson.

• 11 x. Polly Prescott; born circa 1810 in VT.

       Polly Prescott is a legatee in the will of Samuel Prescott on 24 June 1837 Waterbury, Washington Co., VT, in the following manner: "I give to my daughter Polly Prescott who is of weak mind, one good bed and bedding, & also direct and will that my Executor hereinafter named shall maintain and support her comfortably while she lives, he having what reasonable labor she may be able to do, and for her sd. maintainance I make one fourth part of the real estate of which I die seized, chargeable during her said life and if my said Executor shall neglect or refuse thus to support her, then the use of said fourth part is to be under the controal [sic] of said persons as shall be legally appointed to take charge of her & shall be applied for that purpose and no other."