Person Page 1,017

Draper (5): "He was a captain in militia, an honest man, and acquired a handsome estate...He purchased the east end of lot (15) in 1746. The farm now owned by the late Artemas May."

[Draper:144] William Bemis was a captain in the militia; he acquired a large estate.

Bond's "History of Watertown"(p.22) "m., 4-12-1716, Sarah Barnard. They settled first in Sudbury, and, in 1721, moved to Spencer, and he was the second settler in that town, where he d. 8-1776, and she d. 9-30-1756. For interesting history on his him and his children, see Draper's History of Spencer, 105-109.
Draper's "History of Spencer": "Bemis, Samuel, came from Watertown, 1721, and was the second settler in Spencer. He was born in 1688, was m. to Sarah Barnard of Sudbury. He was doubtless, a descendant of Joseph Bemis, who came from England to Watertown in 1640, and was probably the ancestor of all who bear that name in this part of New England. He purchased 400 acres of land of the easterly part of lots 29 and 36. He commenced felling the ancient forest, which covered his farm, before he moved his family there. At that time the Indians had not all retired from this part of the country, and some of them frequently came into his cabin and tarried with him through the night, but their presence was very offensive to him. In 1722, when his wife was about to give birth to her third son William, fearing the Indians, she made a journey to Sudbury, for safety during that critical period, and when her little son was only 2 weeks old, she rode home on horseback, a distance of nearly 50 miles in one day, and carried her infant son in her arms, although the greatest part of the distance of the road, such as it was, passed through an entire wilderness! He (Samuel) acquired a handsome estate, and built the first frame house in town, a building of 2 stories, which stood on the site of the present house of Mr. Robinson, and was taken down a few years since. His wife Sarah died 9-30-1756. His children were:

Samuel, b. 5-1716,
Edmund, 11-1-1720;
William, 11-1-1722;
Nathaniel, 1725;
Jonas, 3-25-1727;
Sarah, 12-27-1727;
Joshua, 7-14-1729;
Elizabeth, 1732.

His second wife was Sarah (Holland) Phillips Bemis, the widow of Jonathan Phillips, and the daughter of Nathaniel Holland and Sarah ____ Holland.

His third wife was Judith (Jennison) Barnard Bemis, the widow of James Barnard, and the daughter of Samuel Jenison and Judith Newcomb Jenison.

He was the son of Joseph Bemis (1619-1684) and Sarah (Capron?) Bemis (d.1712). NOTE: Sarah's maiden name of Capron is found in many genealogies, but no sources for this have been found. The earliest known Capron in New England did not appear until 1674.

Children(by first marriage): Beriah Bemis Child Pierce Whitney, Susannah Bemis Hastings, Joseph Bemis, John Bemis Jr, Mary Bemis Stearns, Samuel Bemis, Lydia Bemis Fisk, Hannah Bemis, Isaac Bemis, Jonathan Bemis, Jonathan Bemis, Abraham Bemis, Susanna Bemis Viles, and Hannah Bemis Flagg Brown.