6. James2 Rollins (John1); born 21 January 1786 in Barrington, Rockingham Co., NH; married Sarah Brooks circa 1815; he died 10 August 1822 in VT.
He was head of household on the census of 1820 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT.2
Sarah Brooks married (2) after the death of her first husband, Amaziah Woodward 7 August 1825 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT. He was named guardian to her two sons, John and James Rollins.
Known children of James2 Rollins and Sarah Brooks were as follows:
7. Benjamin2 Rollins (John1); born 13 May 1790 in Barrington, Strafford Co., NH; married (1) Sarah T. Kemp 1 November 1813 in Rockingham Co., NH; married (2) Catherine Ward 22 December 1833 in Goshen Gore, Caledonia Co., VT, after the death of his first wife Sarah in May of the same year; he died 16 February 1870 in St. Johnsbury, Caledonia Co., VT, cause of death: cholera morbus, age 79 years 9 months 3 days; buried 19 February 1870 in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT.
Benjamin Rollins enlisted on 29 September 1814, in NH, as a musician in Captain Edward Fuller's Company, New Hampshire Militia. He was discharged from military service on 20 November 1814. Benjamin received bounty land warrant no. 36578-120-55 for service in this war issued 5 December 1855. Congress did not pass an act allowing pensions for service in the War of 1812 until 1871, the year after his death, so it was left to his widow, Catherine, to apply for and receive a pension based on his service.
Benjamin Rollins appears as head of household on the census of 1820 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT,8 that of 1830 5 and that of 1840, also in Danville. 6 He appears as head of household in the census of 13 September 1850 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, with family members Catherine, John, Emily, James and Harrison Rollins. 9 In the 1860 census enumeration of 5 June 1860 in Danville, his household consists of himself, Catherine, Samuel, James, Harrison, Nancy, age 5, and Flora, age 7. 10 The two latter entries pose a problem. Benjamin and Catherine did have a daughter, Mary Frances, born in September 1854, who died 11 August 1863. She is probably the Nancy or Flora named in the 1860 census, but the identity of the other young girl is not known. No other records found to date mention these two by the names shown in this census.
Benjamin Rollins had a "small interest in a small farm of sixty acres near Walter Haviland's up to 1865. That said interest in the place of applicant [Catherine (Ward) Rollins] or her husband was never over from three to three hundred and fifty dollars" in 1865 Danville, Caledonia Co., VT. Benjamin Rollins was a member of the Baptist church and had a pew in the Old North Danville Church. His occupation is listed as a farmer.
On 15 February 1870, Benjamin Rollins wrote the following letter to his son James:
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St. Johnsbury, Feb 15 /70. Mr. James Rollins, Esq. Dear Sir. I would inform you that I arived [sic]at St. Johnsbury last monday night my health is not verry [sic] good nor is it verry [sic] bad if you want me to come home pleas [sic] to come over with a horse & sled & I will come home with you. I have got a Chest that is 2 & 9 inches longue [sic] & I fear it wont go into your slay [sic]. I dont wish you to Brake [sic] off from your work But if it wont Discomod [sic] you I should like to come home soon. Yours &c. Benjn. Rollins. St. Johnsbury Vt.Benjamin Rollins died the day after writing this letter. His funeral was held 19 February 1870 Old North Church, North Danville, Caledonia Co., VT. A copy of the funeral service was preserved in Samuel Ward Rollins' scrapbook:
Funeral Service of Bro Benj Rollins, Feb 19, 1870, preached at the North Meeting house in N Danville Vt by Rev Mr Donne of the North Village Church.
Scripture Lesson The 90th Psalm in which is the verse the 10th containing his last words. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be forescore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it soon cut off, and we fly away. Text Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me,[Hrite,] Blessed are they which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.
Hymn 1083 Methodist Collection
Benjamin Rollins was buried that day in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT. The tombstone, inscribed "Benjamin Rollins// Died// Feb. 16, 1870// Ae 79 y's. 9 m's. 3 d's.", stands on a small hillock in a row containing the stones of his parents and two wives.
Sarah T. Kemp was born 20 January 1789 calculated from age at death. She died 28 May 1833 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, ae 44 years 4 months 8 days. She was buried in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT . Her tombstone reads "Sarah F. Wife of Benjamin Rollins Died May 28, 1833 Ae 44 ys. 4 ms. 8 ds." She is probably the female age 26-45 enumerated in the household of Benjamin Rollins in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, in 1820.8 She is probably the female age 30-40 enumerated in the household of Benjamin Rollins in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, in 1830.5
Known children of Benjamin2 Rollins and Sarah T. Kemp both born Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, were as follows:
- + 10 i. Benjamin Franklin3 Rollins, born 15 December 1827; married Nancy S. Gage.
- 11 ii. Sarah Anne Rollins; born 26 September 1831;
married Philemon Holden; she died 28 May 1876 in Shirley, Middlesex Co., MA,
cause of death: congestion of the lungs. Her death notice reads "Sarah A
Rollins, wife of Philemon Holden, only sister of B F Rollins, Esq, of St
Johnsbury, 44 years and 8 months. Mrs H was sick only from 6 o'clock Saturday
evening to 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon;" buried 1 June 1876 in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT .
. Note that the marker listing her as Sarah A. Rollins Holden is one which lists
the entire Benjamin Rollins family. There was no separate marker found for her
as there was for many of the rest of the family. She may be buried in Shirley,
Massachusetts.
She is probably the female age 5-10 enumerated in the household of Benjamin Rollins in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, in 1840.6
Catherine3 Ward (Samuel2, Samuel1); born 4 January 1807 in Goshen Gore, Caledonia Co., VT. Her birth was also listed as occurring on 8 January 1807 in Goshen Gore, Caledonia Co., VT, calculated from age at death. She died 1 August 1888 in North Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, cause of death: diarhea (dysentery), age 81 years 6 months 24 days. She was buried in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT . Her tombstone reads "Catherine Ward Wife of Benjamin Rollins Born Jan. 4, 1807 Died Aug. 1, 1888, Ae 81ys. 6 ms. 24 ds." She accepted service of Tamson Ward, administratrix of estate of Samuel Ward; signing as Katherine Rollins on 10 March 1837 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT. William Henry Harrison Rollins witnessed the Declaration for Original Pension of Catherine Ward on 24 January 1880 Danville, Caledonia Co., VT. An unknown person witnessed the Declaration for Original Pension of Catherine Ward on 24 January 1880 Danville, Caledonia Co., VT.
Catherine spent her entire life with her family in the vicinity of Danville, Vermont. She is probably part of her father Samuel's household in the census enumerations of 1810, 1820 and 1830, shown as a female whose birthdate would have fallen between 1804 and 1810 (see Samuel Ward census table). She is married by 1840 and is probably the female age 30-40 shown in husband Benjamin Rollins' household. This household also appears to include sons Samuel and John, daughter Emily, stepdaughter Sarah, and mother-in-law Sarah (Bodge) Rollins. She is present in her husband's household in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. After the death of her husband in February of 1870, she resided with son James Madison Rollins, and appears to have continued in his household until her death in 1888. Her age as shown in all census enumerations is consistent with a birth year of 1806-1807. In the 1880 census enumeration, she gives her parents' birthplaces as father born in Vermont, known to be incorrect, and mother born in New Hampshire. Catherine Ward signed an affidavit . This affidavit gives a picture of the toll the Civil War had taken on her family. "The Government has had the service of everyone of my sons and also my son in law. And my husband was a soldier in the war of 1812-1814 and if he had been able would have joined in the war of 1861." Her obituary appeared in the St. Johnsbury Caledonian, North Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, 2 August 1888.11
Known children of Benjamin2 Rollins and Catherine Ward all born Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, were as follows:
- 12 i. Samuel Ward3 Rollins;
born 3 March 1835; his birth was also listed as occurring 4 March 1835; he died
14 January 1865 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, cause of death: diseases
contracted in Rebel Prisons of Georgia, age 29 years; buried in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT .
The tombstone reads "Samuel W. Rollins// Aged 29// Son of Benj. & Catherine
Rollins//3 years a member of Co. G 4th Vt Infantry// died at Danville, Vt// 14
Jan 1865 of diseases contracted by 6 mos confinement in the Rebel Prisons of
Ga."
He is probably the male age 5-10 enumerated in the household of Benjamin Rollins in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, in 1840.6 He appears as a farm laborer in the household of L. P. Randall in the census of 4 June 1860 in Danville, Caledonia Co., VT.12 Samuel Ward Rollins appears in the census of 5 June 1860, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, in the household of Benjamin Rollins.
Samuel Ward Rollins enlisted on 21 September 1861, in St. Johnsbury, Caledonia Co., VT, as a private in Company G, 4th Vermont Infantry, for a period of 3 years. Washington, He was promoted on 1 November 1863 to the rank of corporal. He spent 6 months in five different rebel prisons, including Andersonville between 1864 and 1865. He was taken prisoner of war. His company, part of the famous "Old Vermont Brigade," was engaged in the assault, seige, and capture of Petersburg from 16 June 1864 to 3 April 1865 Weldon R.R., Petersburg, VA, on 23 June 1864. He was paroled Charleston in November 1864. This poignant telegram has been preserved: "To Philemon Holden, Shirley, Mass: Special Messenger from Groton, Mass, Junction:
"Brother Ward just alive. Have Father come home at once."
Sig: B F Rollins, St Johnsbury on 12 January 1865 St. Johnsbury, Caledonia Co., VT. His occupation is listed as soldier. He was also known as Ward. - 13 ii. John R. Rollins; born 12 April 1836; he died
3 October 1862 in Vincennes, IA; buried in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia
Co., VT.13
Although the Danville town records give John Rollins' birth date as 12 April 1836, a date in accordance with his age as shown in the 1850 census and on his tombstone, all other records found to date show his birth as being circa 1837 to 1838. He is presumably the young boy less than five years of age shown in his father's household in the 1840 census of Danville, VT, and is shown as a school boy, age 14, living with his family in Danville in 1850. By 1860, John Rollins appears to have left Danville, and may have migrated to Iowa, but his 1860 census entry has yet to be found in Iowa records.
John R. Rollins enlisted on 8 March 1862, in Fort Madison, IA, as a private in Company E (Captain Curtis F. Conn), 7th Iowa Infantry. At the time of this enlistment, John was described as being age 24, born in Vermont, 5 feet 9 inches high, dark complexion, black eyes, black hair, and by occupation a teacher. On 26 July 1862 John R. Rollins was discharged from military service at the camp near Corinth, MS. C. B. Lake, Surgeon for the 7th Iowa Volunteers, signed his disability discharge papers.
I certify, that I have carefully examined the said John Rollins of Captain Conns Company, and find him incapable of performing the duties of a soldier because of general debility, with no prospect of his ever being of service to the Government from a defective constitution.
.John's death occurred 1862 in Vincennes, IA. The cause of death was not noted in the death notice found in the Rollins Family Scrapbook, but it is probably safe to assume that it was related to the debility noted on his military discharge papers. He was buried in his family's lot in Green Cemetery. His tombstone inscription, located on the reverse of brother Samuel's, reads "John Rollins// Aged 26// Son of Benj. & Catherine Rollins// A member of Co. E// 7th Iowa Infantry// died at Vencenns, Iowa, Oct. 3, 1862."
- 14 iii. Emily Augusta Rollins; born 2 August 1837; married William Henry Peck. For continuation of this line, see Descendants of Richard Barnes.
- 15 iv. James Madison Rollins; born 7 July 1842; he
died 1923 . The date is found on the large Rollins-Peck tombstone. No record of
this death was found in the Vermont Vital Records indexes, 1871-1941. This gives
support to the idea that James Madison Rollins actually died and was buried in
some other location; buried in Green
Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT . The only marker found for him is
that of the entire Benjamin Rollins family. The information there is "James M.
Rollins b. 1842 d. 1923."
James Madison Rollins appears in the census of 13 September 1850, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, in the household of Benjamin Rollins. James Madison Rollins appears in the census of 5 June 1860, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, in the household of Benjamin Rollins. He appears as head of household in the census of 6 July 1870 in North Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, with Catherine Ward.17 He appears as head of household in the census of 2 June 1880 in North Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, with Catherine Ward.18 James Madison Rollins signed an affidavit on 25 June 1883 Danville, Caledonia Co., VT, . "James M. Rollins who was born July 7th, 1842, is my next son. He is an invalid and has been for a good number of years. He was drafted and was not able to go into the service as had no property with which to pay the three hundred dollars as commutation money. And my youngest son then enlisted, got a bounty and took his bounty and paid the [government] the three hundred dollars to exempt my son James M who was not able to go as above stated." On 25 September 1891 James Madison Rollins resided in South Wheelock, Caledonia Co., VT. James Madison Rollins signed an affidavit on 25 September 1891 Wheelock, Caledonia Co., VT, . He states ". . . we know that he is disabled from chronic Catarrh and rheumatism to a degree that he is not able to earn a support by manual labor. " He was named as an heir to the estate of his brother Benjamin Franklin Rollins along with siblings Emily Augusta Rollins and William Henry Harrison Rollins.16 His occupation is listed as a capitalist 1900. James Madison Rollins is named in the obituary of Emily Augusta Rollins on 24 June 1908 as her brother. Although I have found no record of a marriage for hime, he was listed as a widower in 1910. James Madison Rollins was known to be the uncle of. His occupation is listed as a farmer.
- + 16 v. William Henry Harrison Rollins, born 20 January 1844; married Heiress Elmira Blodgett.
- 17 vi. Mary Frances Rollins; born
12 September 1854; she died 11 August 1863 in North Danville, Caledonia Co.,
VT;19 buried in Green Cemetery, Danville, Caledonia Co., VT .
Her tombstone is inscribed "Mary F., dau of Benj. & Catherine Rollins, d. Aug.
11, 1863, Ae 8 ys. 11 mo."
Mary Frances Rollins was not found in the 1860 census enumeration of her father's household. However, there is a Nancy Rollins, age 5 years, shown in the household. No mention of a Nancy Rollins, daughter of Benjamin and Catherine, has been found in any other records: the handwritten family pages at the end of the Rollins scrapbook; the family monument in the Green Cemetery; or the Civil War pension application of Catherine Ward Rollins. Possibly Nancy is the nickname by which Mary Frances was known in the family.
Mary Frances Rollins died 11 August 1863 at the age of 8 years 11 months. She was a victim of diphtheria, one of the many Caledonia County residents who died in an epidemic that year. She was buried in the family lot in Green Cemetery near the stone marking the graves of her two older brothers. Her tombstone is inscribed "Mary F., dau of Benj. & Catherine Rollins, d. Aug. 11, 1863, Ae 8 ys. 11 mo."
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