One would think that proving four generations of Josiah Partridge’s would be relatively simple. But this line of the Partridge family has remained difficult to track for over a century. It starts with Josiah Partridge, son of Nathaniel Partridge and Lydia Wright of Medfield, Massachusetts. Nathaniel was the eldest son of William Partridge and Sarah Colburn of Medfield, Massachusetts. Josiah was the 9th of 13 children born to his parents, and his descent is the easiest to prove of the four Josiah’s!
Listed at the bottom you will find a report of these four generations, but first, I thought I’d explain myself as to how they inner-connect, on the behest that somebody may think these are iron clad reasons (they’re not). In order that we not be too confused, for sake of explanation I will use Josiah (1), Josiah (2), Josiah (3) and Josiah (4) to explain the connections. The numbers in parentheses are mine, and were not used when their names were recorded. They did use Jr. and Sr., but since there were four generations, the Jr. and Sr. only referenced those alive at the time.
Josiah (2) Partridge is reputedly the son of an illegitimate relationship between Josiah (1) Partridge and Keziah Mason. In fact, the birth record for Josiah (1) claims the following:
Josiah, “Reputed” s. Josiah Partridge and Kezia Mason, May 29, 1731. [1]Vital records of Medfield, Massachusetts, to the year 1850
For those not following the conversation, that means that Josiah (1) and Keziah were not married at the time of the birth. In fact, they never married. They both married other people. But Josiah (2), did carry the Partridge name for the rest of his life, and unless a direct male line of descendants is willing to take a DNA test, we’ll never be able to prove that he isn’t a blood connection – or that he is for that matter. Josiah (1) went on to marry Priscilla Rice in 1742, and removed to Brookfield, Massachusetts. Kezia married Joseph Baker in 1736 at Medfield. It is likely that Josiah (2) was raised by Kezia and Joseph Baker at Sturbridge, Massachusetts, which would explain Josiah’s (2) later connection to that town.
Josiah (2) would marry twice, 1st to Sarah Martin, and then to Experience Morse. Josiah and Experience would have three children recorded in Sturbridge from 1773-1777. Soon after that they apparently removed to the Adams and Chester area of Massachusetts, as Josiah (2) can be found in the 1790 census in Adams, Massachusetts, and he is listed as coming from Chester, Massachusetts in a Cayuga County, New York deed of 1795. Josiah (2) is also recorded as having resided at Brutus, New York in 1796 and Jefferson, New York in 1803.
While residing in the Adams/Chester area of Massachusetts, Josiah and Experience would have at least one more child, this one also named Josiah (3) Partridge. There are no birth records surviving for this birth that I have found. The date I have recorded for Josiah (3) is born abt. 1779, but I show no source for that date. I know that Josiah (2) had a son Josiah (3) from the 1803 deed where Josiah (2), then of Jefferson deeded to Josiah (3) of Jefferson, part of track 72 in Mentz, New York.
Josiah (3) married Puella Higley in 1804 at Mentz. I have record of a child, Josiah (4) Partridge born to this marriage on 6 Dec 1802 in Mentz… but the date of birth occurs well before the marriage. I have no sources recorded for either record, which indicates it came from Vera Partridge Hamilton’s records. Josiah (3) and Puella would have at least one more child, Hiram Ward Partridge, born 19 Feb 1805.
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