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Biography For the family of William Gallop and Hannah (--?--)
William Gallop was born sometime between 1727 and 1742. We know this because:
We do not know where he was born or who his parents were. He first shows up as serving in the French and Indian Wars in the 1758 expedition from Scituate Rhode Island. On 15 May 1759, he married Hannah in Scituate. The marriage record did not indicate her maiden name.
They apparently settled in Scituate. On 11 January 1760, William and Benajah Bundy purchased 90 acres of land in Scituate, adjoining the Connecticut state line. In 1760, William was listed on the Scituate tax list. On 30 May 1764, William Gallop and Benajah Bundy were proposed to be admitted as freeman to Scituate. On 17 April 1765, William and Benajah were admitted as freeman. They took the oath against bribery as the law directs and were admitted free. An interesting note, I have no idea who Benajah Bundy was. He was probably a relative - perhaps an uncle or brother in law?
(A note about what it meant to be a "freeman" in Rhode Island: In the earliest years of the 1630's and 1640's, being admitted as a freemen provided joint ownership of the common town lands. and then it came to mean holding the privilege to vote. A freeman was admitted only by consent of the governing body. By the 1660's, it also came to mean that a freeman was liable to election to public office and subject to fine if they refused to serve. A white man could be a freeman of his town and then separately, could also be freeman of his colony (ie Rhode Island). In 1746, the General Assembly of the colony required that all freeman take an oath, or affirmation, against bribery and corruption. In 1760, the Assembly required the freemen to hold property valued at 40 pounds or 2 pounds of rental income per year. The freemen had to fulfill the qualifications at all times, not just at the time of his admission.)
On 24 August 1773, William bought 47 additional acres of land adjoining the 1760 land purchase. In 1774, William and his family were enumerated on the Rhode Island state census in the town of Scituate. William Gallop was listed as a white male over the age of 16. Also listed were 3 males under the age of 16 (sons Nathaniel, William and Eber), a female over 16 (Hannah), and 4 females under the age of 16 (Martha, Hannah, Esther and Zilpah.). In 1777, William was listed on the Rhode Island military census as a male between the ages of 16 and 50 and able to bear arms.
On 09 April 1777, William and Hannah sold the "head lotts adjoining the Connecticut line" in Scituate. On 15 July 1777, William bought 60 acres on the Colony line in Scituate. Then from 14 June 1778 to March 16, 1779, he served as Private in Captain John Carr's Company, Colonel Archibald Crary's Regiment.
On 30 Jan 1779, William and Hannah sold the 60 acre farm that was on the Colony line. They must have moved almost immediately to Pownal, Bennington County, Vermont. By 04 July 1780, the 45 acre farm where William lived was surveyed by Pownal Vermont. And in November 1781, William again served in the American Revolution for a month.
In 1786, William was enumerated on the Vermont state census. In October 1786, William and son Nathaniel requested indemnification, or payment, for building a bridge over the Hoosick River, which was the boundary for Pownal.
On 09 January 1789, William sold his farm in the northwest part of Pownal. Since Hannah did not join William in the sale of this land, (as she must because of dower rights), then she probably died between 1784 and 1789.
We have found no record of him after this point. I have found a possible listing for him the 1790 census in Stephentown, Albany County, New York, which was just across the border into New York, which is a distance of about 12 miles. In 1790, William would have been in his mid 50's and probably by this time was living with his son Nathaniel. (Click here to see a copy of the possible census listing - source #18 for William). Perhaps a will/probate of estate can be located to shed more light on this family.
Copyright 2008
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