David Gaines and Prudence Risley b. 1732

/ Kirstin Miller

David Gaines and Prudence Risley 6th great parents on RoostMagic tree

David Gaines was born on June 25, 1732 in Glastonbury, Connecticut. Prudence Risley was born September 26, 1735 in the same place. The Gaines family had been in America since 1637, the Risley family since 1633, both families arrived from England.

David  married Prudence in 1754 in Glastonbury, CT. They had 5 sons and 2 daughters, the family moved north from Glastonbury, Connecticut to Northfield, Massachusetts to Guilford, Vermont.  Guilford is on the Vermont and Massachusetts border, southern Vermont in between … Sweet Pond and Satan’s Kingdom … One source states the Gaines farm was “near the state line”.  Guilford was the biggest town in Vermont from 1791-1820, today it’s population is about 2000.

David’s dad Nathaniel died in 1755 David and his brothers inherited land, David signed the will. The Gaines family was on the 1790 US Federal Census, the first federal census. The 2020 US Census was the 24th, run every 10 years.  On this first census one name, the head of house is recorded. Others in the house were recorded by age and gender. In the snapshot column 1 is males 16 and older,  column 2 males younger than 16, column 3 is all females.  David Gaines is 2nd in the snapshot, Joseph Gaines is at the bottom. 

Sons David and Joseph each married a Tubbs sister. David married Elizabeth, Joseph married Abigail Tubbs. Joseph and Abigail’s son Obed Gaines went west to Iowa where his granddaughter Mary Ella Gaines married James Miller, they’re the grandparents of Faber Miller, my grandpa.

David died July 31, 1813 and Prudence died April 15 1816. They are buried in Maplehurst Cemetery in Guilford- with matching headstones. Gaines family burials are 32 of the 235 burials in this small country cemetery.

Sources

  • 1790 United States census at FamilySearch.org
  • Find a grave memorials 21747459 and 21747457
  • The New England historical and genealogical register 1931 Volume 85
  • Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954 at FamilySearch.org
  • Guilford , Vermont map at Google