Oak-Oaks-Oakes Family Register (1906), p. 15: entry 11, Seth of Athens, Vt. (born Westborough 8 April 1733; wife Elizabeth Shevally of Stow). Seth, carpenter and farmer, Athens, Vt.; born Westborough 8 April 1733; married Bolton 25 May 1757; died Townshend, Vt., about 1814 (or probably 24 April 1810); wife Elizabeth Shevally of Stow; seven children. Service: Col. Oliver Wilder's regiment of horse 1755; sergeant at the Lexington alarm 1775; quartermaster sergeant at Winter Hill; to Athens in 1779.

Word-for-word transcription (spellings kept; uncertain letters in brackets).

FAMILY REGISTER 15

as we learn from Hyde's Hist. Winchendon. By reason of failing health and financial troubles he sold 1767-72 to Kinsmen and others all his land except the home lot, which also the family had to give up after his death, as the estate proved insolvent. Among his literary treasures as shown by the inventory was "Mr. Miller's Sermon on the Totel Reduction of Canada"—recalling his experience in the French war. His descendants number about 500. Name "Oaks" and "Oakes."

11. Seth. Athens, Vt., carpenter and farmer; born Westboro, Mass., April 8, 1733; married Bolton, May 25, 1757 (inten. September 13, 1756); died Townshend, Vt., about 1814 (or probably April 24, 1810. Wife, Elizabeth Shevally of Stow, Mass.; seven children (54-60).

Capt. Seth Oak—so known for his military service as was the custom of the time, though never a commissioned officer—was of Col. Oliver Wilder's regiment of horse from Bolton, mustered September 27, 1755. In 1759-60 he also served in the army, his family meanwhile living in Harvard, perhaps with his uncle Jonathan. On his return he lived for a while in Templeton; and with his brother William settled in Winchendon 1763-4, buying a part of his brother's land 1767-70. His house, later occupied by Eben Arnold, "was west of the bridge and long causey." At the Lexington alarm of 1775 he served 14 days as sergeant in Capt. Hale's company, Col. Sparrowhawk; in May, 1775, he was of Capt. Wilder's company, Col. Doolittle, and in October-December was quartermaster sergeant at Winter Hill. As early as 1763, Lunenburg, Vt., was chartered to a company of which Seth Oak was a member. Traditionally he became disgusted with his grant before reaching it, and sold out for a glass of grog! In the fall of 1779, however, he left Winchendon for the Vermont wilderness, and with Jonathan Perham and Ephraim Holden built a log cabin in Athens, to which they brought their families in the spring of 1780. Seth and two of his sons were original grantees of the town; his daughter Polly was the first child born in Athens; and some of his descendants still live near the site of the first cabin. The farm was that occupied in 1900 by Daniel Wilcox, just south of the brick church. In 1784 Seth's military zeal was again utilized in a militia force called out by the Sheriff. He spent his last years in Townshend with his daughter, Mrs. Wis[—continues on next page, not captured in this crop]