Table of Contents
Ebenezer Punderson Family Papers, 1751-1889
A Guide to the collection at the Connecticut Historical Society
Collection Overview |
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| Repository: | Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut |
| Creator : | Punderson Family |
| Title : | Ebenezer Punderson Family Papers |
| Dates : | 1751-1889 |
| Extent : | 0.5 linear feet (1 box) |
| Location: | Ms pundersone |
| Language: | English |
Biographical Sketch
Ebenezer Punderson (1735-1809) was the son of Rev. Ebenezer Punderson (1702-1764) of Ledyard, Connecticut. The younger Ebenezer graduated from Yale in 1755 and was admitted to King’s College in New York City in 1757. In the years prior to the Revolution, he taught school in Preston, Connecticut. His property was confiscated due to his “political opinions.” He lived in England until the war was nearly over, and then waited in New York City until he could reclaim his property in Preston and establish himself as a merchant. In 1756, he married Prudence Geer (1735-1822) of Norwich, Connecticut. She was the daughter of Ebenezer Geer (1709-1763) and Prudence Wheeler (1712-1797).
Ebenezer and Prudence Geer Punderson had eight children. Prudence (1758-1784), who married Dr. Timothy Wells Rossiter, Hannah (1760-1802) who married William Stanton, Ebenezer (1762-1847), Clarina (1764-1846) who married James Tyler, Martha (b. 1766) who married John Ayres, Sylvia (1768-1826), Cyrus (b. 1770) and Ephraim (1772-1775). Prudence and Timothy Rossiter had a daughter, Sophia Rossiter, who married Nathan Geer in 1816. Their children were Prudence Sophia Geer (1830-1863), Punderson (1817-1906) and Denison (1818-1896).
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Scope and Content
The collection is a combination of purchase and gift, both conducted in 1963/64. The materials are organized alphabetically by last and then first name, except for the Pundersons, whose names come first. The Ebenezers are arranged chronologically.
Ebenezer (1702-1764) is represented by two letters he wrote to the Governor of Connecticut requesting his salary, which should have been raised from tax collections, 1751. His son, Ebenezer (1735-1809) was served two writs, one demanding he answer to his sister Helen, and one ordering the confiscation of goods from brothers Ebenezer and Cyrus, 1775, 1776. Ebenezer wrote an acrostic to his wife Prudence, 1779, from Huntington, NY and wrote to his daughters and sisters. One letter in particular provides a description of Moravian society, which he describes for one of his sisters, 1783. There are also copies of documents relating to the confiscation and return of his property during the Revolution, 1775-1809. The originals of these documents are in the Connecticut State Library.
Ebenezer, Jr. (1762-1847), wrote to his father in 1802 about the falling price of grains and flour and to his mother in 1812 with family news. An undated letter is an admonishment to his cousin concerning is use of “corrupt language”.
Prudence Punderson kept a chapbook or journal, ca, 1770, filled with poems, quotes, and nature sketches. The drawings relate to needlework in the museum collection.
James Geer represented Sophia Rossiter Geer in a legal case concerning her father’s estate. His correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, 1846-1849, primarily relate to that case.
Punderson Geer, son of Sophia and Nathan Geer, received many invitations and quite a number of letters from friends, 1863-1889. His Uncle Isaac Geer wrote a multi-page poem praising his nephew Punderson and bound the sheets into a booklet for presentation in 1884.
Sophia Rossiter Geer is represented by correspondence, 1836-1862, which cover years before and after her marriage. One of her most constant correspondents was her father, Timothy Rossiter of Georgia. His letters to Sophia date from 1799-1845.
These papers are supplemented by several handwritten notes and published obituaries of Punderson/Geer family members. A significant number of letters remain unidentified as to either correspondent, dating from 1775-1882. Further research may discover family relationships.
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Restrictions
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions on access to the collection.
Use Restrictions
Use of the material requires compliance with the Connecticut Historical Society's Research Center regulations.
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Subject Headings
Personal Names
Family Names
Subjects
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Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Item, Collection Title, Collection number (Box #, Folder #). Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut.
Processing Details
Collection was processed by Barbara Austen.
EAD Finding Aid created July 2011.
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Contents:
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Return to the Table of Contents Papers |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Ebenezer Punderson (1702-1764). Letters to the Governor requesting his salary from tax collections, 1751 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Photocopy of article from about Rev. Ebenezer Punderson’s contribution to Christ Church, November 3, 1963 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Ebenezer Punderson (1735-1809). Writs, letters, an acrostic and a poem, 1775-1783, undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Ebenezer Punderson (1735-1809). Photocopies of documents related to the confiscation of his property and to his estate at his death, 1779-1809 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Ebenezer Punderson (1762-1847). Letters to his parents and a cousin, 1802, 1812, undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Prudence Geer (Punderson). Letter to her daughters, 1779 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Prudence Punderson (Rossiter). Chapbook/journal, with drawings, ca. 1770 | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Prudence Punderson (Rossiter). Collected poems, undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Denison Geer. Correspondence, 1857, 1878, 1857, 1878,undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | H[annah] P. Geer. Letter to brother and sister, 1860 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | James Geer. Incoming correspondence, 1846-1847 | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | James Geer. Outgoing correspondence, 1846-1849 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Nathan Geer. Marriage certificate, correspondence, 1816-1847 | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Prudence Sophia Geer. Letter to her mother, 1851 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Punderson Geer. Correspondence and invitations and booklet written by Isaac Geer in praise of his nephew, 1863-1889, 1884 | |||||||||
| 1 | 16-18 | Sophia Rossiter (Geer). Incoming correspondence, ca. 1845-1862, undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 19-20 | Sophia Rossiter (Geer). Outgoing correspondence, 1836-1845 | |||||||||
| 1 | 21-22 | Timothy Rossiter. Letters to daughter Sophia, 1799-1845 | |||||||||
| 1 | 23 | Family history notes and brief genealogy, undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Photographs, undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 25 | Unidentified correspondents, 1775-1883 | |||||||||
| 1 | 26 | Ephemera, undated | |||||||||