Ebenezer Devotion (abt. 1684 - 1741)

Biography

He was born in Muddy River, Suffolk County, Massachusetts (now Brookline, Massachusetts) and christened on 19 Oct 1684 at Roxury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. ^[1] His parents were Hannah (Pond, 1660-1698) and John Devotion (1659-1733).

He graduated from Harvard College in 1707.

On 28 June 1710 he was ordained over the church at Suffield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. He was preceded in the ministry at this place by Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, the brother of John C. Ruggles (husband of Hannah Devotion). These two, Benjamin and John, were both descended from Barbara and John Ruggles. Martha's husband was descended from Mary (Curtis) and Thomas Ruggles.

Ebenezer Devotion first married on 04 Oct 1710 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts to Hannah Breck (1686-1718).

He moved from Suffolk County to Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Ebenezer Devotion married secondly in 1720 in Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts to Naomi Taylor (1695-1739).

Ebenezer Devotion married thirdly on 27 Oct 1740 in Suffield, Hampden County, Massachusetts to Sarah Hobart.

He died on 11 Apr 1741 in Hampden County, Massachusetts. ^[2]

Inscription

"Here lies the body of the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer Devotion, late minister of the Gospel in this Town, who died April the 11th, 1741, in the 31st year of his ministry @57. He was a man of sound judgement, great Stability of Mind & singular Modesty & Humility, a True Friend and Faithful Minister, steady in his attendance upon the Altar, close and pungent in his preaching and very exemplary in his life, a Pattern of Industry and Resignation and of all Christian Graces. As while living he was greatly beloved, so his death was very much lamented."

Children

1. Ebenezer Devotion, Jr. (1714-1771)
2. Hannah (Devotion) King (1716-1805)
3. Jemima (Devotion) Bidwell (1727-1771)
4. Keziah (Devotion) Smith (1733-1761).

Research Notes

A source is needed to confirm his second marriage date ...

• m2: 12 May 1720 ? OR
• m2: 04 June 1720 ?

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings 1639-1915" on FamilySearch database citing System Origin: Massachusetts-ODM; GS#0928294 item#3; batch#C50616-1; for Ebenezer Devotion, christened: 19 Oct 1684 Roxury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts (father: John Devotion)
2. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #116946019 for Rev. Ebenezer Devotion, b: 1684 Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA; d: 11 Apr 1741 Suffield, Hampden County, Massachusetts; as burial unknown with inscription

• Dexter, Franklin Bowditch. Biographical Sketches of the Graduates of Yale College (Holt, 1885) Vol. 1, Page 451.
• Pierce, John. "Historical Sketch of Brookline", Collections of The Massachusetts Historical Society (Massachusetts Historical Society, series#2 in 1814) Vol. 2, Page 156.
• Shipton, Clifford Kenyon. Biographical Sketches of Graduates of Harvard University (Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, 1937) Vol. 5, Page 329.
• Breck, Samuel. Genealogy of The Breck Family (Rees, Omaha, 1889) Page 15.