[p.216]
Joseph Munger (Samuel, Samuel, Nicholas). b. Hampton, Conn., July -, 1719; d. Paris, Oneida Co., N. Y., 1805; m. Jemima Lyon, at Woodstock, Worcester Co., Mass., Mar. 3, 1747, by Abel Stiles, pastor. She was doubtless b. at Woodstock and belonged to the Lyon family of that place. She d. at Ludlow, Mass., at birth of a son, Oct. -, 1754. This child was named Asa, and d. shortly after birth. This would indicate that Joseph was one of the very earliest settlers in the town of Ludlow. Later records show that without doubt he lived in the northwest part of the town at this time. It is believed that there were other children born to Joseph and Jemima, previous to the birth of Asa. In a letter written several years ago, Mrs. Dinah E. (Munger) Sprague, then of Cleveland, O., made the following statement: "There was a Lucy Munger, who married Joseph Blodgett, first Town Clerk (of So. Brimfield), and she was half-sister to my grand-father Nathan [2d child, below]. There was also an aunt Keziah and Prudence Munger." After the death of his wife Jemima in 1754, Joseph returned to Brimfield, from which town he enlisted in 1755, in an expedition to Crown Point. On his return, he m. Naomi Needham, June 2, 1756. She was dau. Capt. Anthony and Molly (Moulton) Needham, b. Brimfield, Mass., June 1, 1731; d. Paris, Oneida Co., N. Y., in 1824, ae. 93 Yrs. Molly (Moulton) Needham, [p.217] wife of Capt. Anthony Needham, was dau. of Robert Moulton, an early settler in Brimfield, who came from Windham in Conn.

CHILDREN (5th Generation).

Jemima b. Brimfield, Mass., Aug 24,1757
Nathan "     "        "     May 13,1759
Joseph "     "        "     Aug 23,1760
Naomi  "  West Parish,"     Aug 14,1763
Elijah "    "     "   "     May  4,1767
Reuben "    "     "   "     Jun 29,1769
Perley "    "     "   "     Nov 11,1775
Asa    "    "     "   "     Oct 29,1777. d.y.

Joseph Munger came to Brimfield with his parents when a small boy. He first bought land in that town 20th Nov., 1745. This land was purchased of his brother, "Elnathan Munger, house-wright," and was "Part of ye division lott surveyed and laid out in ye southerly part of ye town, and lyeth at ye southerly End of Munger's home lott on ye easterly side of ye highway; and ten acres more lying on ye south end of Sam Munger's home lott."

After his second marriage he settled in the south part of the town, the farm which he occupied becoming afterwards known as the "Julius M. Lyon Place." Here he lived until about 1783, when he again moved to Ludlow as shown by the following: "I, Joseph Munger of Ludlow, sold land in Brimfield to Elijah Coddington, lying on the westerly side of the road leading to Stafford, beginning on said road between my dwelling house and Archelaus Brown's at north east corner of land I lately sold to Solomon Hovey and Archelaus Brown." "I, Naomi Munger, wife of Joseph Munger, do hereby surrender and yield up all my rights and dower or power of thirds of and unto the aforesaid premises, with their appurtenances, unto him the said Elijah Coddington, his Heirs and Assigns forever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this day and date above mentioned."

                         Naomi Munger. *Seal.* 
(Recorded.) Hampshire S. S. Mar. 11, 1784. 

A "Parish Record," found in the office of the Town Clerk at Ludlow, Mass., states that "Joseph Munger lived at Ludlow City, where the Jewett house now stands. He had a grist mill on that stream." Also: "In town meeting Mar. --, 1789, voted: That the selectmen be authorized to agree with Mr. Munger for a road across his mill dam, if it can be done on reasonable terms." In 1794, he leased his mill privilege to one David Carver. Text of the lease follows: "Joseph Munger of Ludlow, let, lease, and devise unto David Carver of Hebron, Tolland Co., Conn., yeoman, the dam where-on the Mill which I have this day sold to the said Carver, stands, together with as much ground as is necessary for the use and benefit of said mill, being a Grist Mill, together with the privilege of mending the dam from time to time and at all times, providing however that the said Carver shall not at any time keep up any pond above said dam, from and after the first day of May, until the first day of Sept' in each year; and furthermore, this lease is to continue to him and his assigns for the term of nine hundred years from the date thereof. In witness hereof I have set my hand and seal, this 5th day Of Sept' 1794."

                             JOSEPH MUNGER. *Seal.*
 Witnesses.
   ELIJAH MUNGER.
   JOHN JENNINGS.

 Dec. 22, 1794.                       JOSEPH MUNGER. *Seal.*

"One of the earliest reminiscences of funeral sermonizing was the discourse on the occasion of Grandmother (Naomi) Munger's death on Munger hill. Elder --, who was tediously prosy - more of an exhorter than preacher - always felt it encumbent upon him to address at length, even to the children. He used upon occasion a tremolo voice, which was particularly lugubrious. 'Children,' he said, turning a most solemn visage upon the little row of grand-children, 'a little while ago your grandfather died, and now your granny's dead, and if you live-long-enough-you'll all die!' It was a comforting assurance, for in the midst of their weeping, the little folks smiled.

"Gardner states that Joseph and all his children went to Vermont. This is an error. His son Nathan settled in what is now Lewis Co., at "Munger's Mills' " now Copenhagen, N. Y. Joseph went from Ludlow, Mass., to Paris, Oneida Co., N. Y. Elijah also moved to Paris after his graduation from Yale college, subsequently, however, settling at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y. Reuben went to Paris, as shown above, living there until 1826, when he moved to Chautauqua Co. Perley, an M.D., practiced his profession in Ludlow, Mass., until the death of his wife, Susanna, in 1805, when he also moved to Paris, probably being accompanied by his only son, Ely Fuller.

"I append the following deed as further and positive evidence of the error of Gardner's statement. This deed was probably one of the last legal acts of Joseph and Naomi.

"'Joseph Munger, of Paris, County of Oneida, state of New York, for £100 N. E. currency, sold to David Cook of Partridgefield, county of Berkshire, and state of Mass. a certain tract of land lying in Ludlow in the county of Hampshire, and state of Massachusetts, be the same more or less, bounded as follows (viz) beginning at Granby line thence running about four rods to the Bank of the Brook on the west side of the road leading from Pliny Chapin's to Joseph Munger's horse shed, thence from the West side of the horse shed to the southwest end of the Goldsmith's Shop, thence running about two rods from thence Westerly to the Fast end of the Mill darn, from thence on the East side of the pond at high water mark to the [p.220] first mentioned bounds, with the buildings thereon which tract of land of the above mentioned boundaries is all that is meant to be comprised in this deed.

                                   JOSEPH MUNGER. ******
 23d Dec. 1799.                    NAOMI MUNGER.  *Seal.*
 Witnesses. 
   ALVERSON WADE.
   PERLEY MUNGER."' 

Also served as "Serg't in Cap't Anthony Needham's company of 'Minute Men,' which marched from Brimfield to Cambridge, on the alarm of Apr. 19,1775."

After careful investigation of the matter, it is believed that this Joseph did further service in the Revolution, "In Cap't Daniel Winchester's company, Col. Ruggles Woodbridge's reg't, enlisted Aug. 17, 1777 - discharged Nov. 29, 1777, service 3 months, 21 days in Northern department, including 8 days (152 Miles) travel home." Some have claimed this service for Joseph (b. 1760), son of the subject of this sketch, but record of his marriage to Miss Hannah Fiske disproves this, as his marriage took place Sept. 3, 1777. Neither could this service have been done by Joseph, son of Samuel and Abigail Munger (b. 1758), as he was serving his country in Capt. Reuben Munn's (Monson) company, at the same time and in the same department, under General Gates.