Charles Sr. Paine

first name
Charles Sr.
last name
Paine
gender
male
birth, death year
1755 , 1839
first, last year in records
1777, 1839
confidence level
confirmed identity
freed status (year freed)
enslaved, then free (1777)
enslaver(s)
Daniels, Seth; Harper, Joshua;
location(s)
Deerfield, MA  
place of origin

Bio

According to his own account, Charles Paine was 15 years old when he was sold in 1770 in Providence, Rhode Island, by Joshua Harper to Seth Daniels of Franklin, Massachusetts. Charles purchased his freedom from Daniels in 1777, and enlisted in the Massachusetts Line of the Continental Army for a three year term. He then served two tours with the Franklin militia. Before he purchased his freedom, Paine married Rachel Hayden "alias Newberry, a Mulatto" also of Franklin. He was struck by lightning while serving at West Point, New York, which apparently disabled him for the remainder of his life. In 1782, he moved his family to Shutesbury, Massachusetts, and then to nearby Deerfield in 1786. Paine and his wife had several children: Melita (1786-1868), Lucinda (1789), Benjamn (1792-1792), Mahala (1793-1833), Timothy (1796), Levi (1800), and possibly Susannah (1803), Charles, and Juda. If birth and death dates are correct, Charles, Sr. died at the age of 105.


Primary Source Entries for Charles Sr. Paine

Entry Source Vol Name Date entry id
  Charles Paine 2nd term 6 mos. 1781 Court Records Booklet Single 1781 836
Vist Directd ? for Charles Paine " 2 4 Town of Deerfield-Law Enforcement 1801 Apr 26 2142
list continued of services to be paid for Charles Paine and family Town of Deerfield, Overseers of the Poor Box 9 1801 2115
to paying the several persons hereafter named for services.....by the directions of hte Overseers of hte Poor.....for Charles Paine (a negro man) and his family...... Town of Deerfield, Overseers of the Poor Box 9 1801 2114
We the Subscribers hereby certify that Charles Paine, before named, (a black man) came into this Commonwealth from Providence in Rhode Island in the year 1770....excepting when he was in the Continental Army..... Town of Deerfield, Overseers of the Poor Box 9 1802 May 20 2116
-- the one for the support of Charles Paine is rejected..... Town of Deerfield, Overseers of the Poor Box 9 1802 Jun 2 2112
Charles Paine, Deerfield, Rejected the deposition of the within named Charles Paine fully-proving that he gained a habitancy by being held as a servant in this commonwealth Town of Deerfield, Overseers of the Poor Box 9 1802 2117
  List of those warned out of Deerfield Town of Deerfield, Warnings out of town Box 4 1789 1344
Charles Paine, a Colored man, in 18[2]8 of Deerfield, aged -- Entered the service in 1777 for 3 years as a Soldier in Co of Capt Goodale or Goodall and regt Col Rufus Putnam, Staff line - dischg at Westpoint - Elijah Arms and Eliphalet Arms testify that Town of Deerfield - Wars - Revolution Box 6 1777 1330
Payne (see Pain, Paine), Charles, Dec. 9, 1839, a. perhaps 105 y. CR2 Deerfield Vital Records to 1850 Deaths 1839 Dec 9 834
Boston, Nancy of Hadley and Charles Pain, int. Oct. 5, 1820 Deerfield Vital Records to 1850 Marriages 1820 Oct 5 1489
Among the first documented free black families in Deerfield, the Paines moved here in 1786 and stayed until at least 1830. Leavitt, Sarah A., The African American Presence in 19th Century Deerfield Single 1786 2063
Wrentham. List of men raised for Continental service, as returned by Maj. Metcalf, of Col. Wheelock's regt.; residence, Wrentham; engaged for town of Wrentham; also, list of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, J Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution Single 1777 1523
Wrentham. Return of men raised to serve in the Continental Army from Capt. Asa Fairbank's co., known as the South co. in the WestParish of Wrentham, Col. Benjamin Hawes's (4th Suffolk Co.) regt., dated Feb. 16, 1778; residence, Wrentham; engaged for town Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution Single 1778 1525
Franklin. Pay roll for 6 months men belonging to the town of Franklin raised for service in the Continental Army during 1780; marched July 8, 1780; discharged Dec. 6, 1780; service, 5 mos. 15 days, including travel (200 miles) home. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution Single 1780 1526
Franklin. List of men raised for the 6 months service and returned by Brig. Gen. Paterson as having passed muster in a return datedCamp Totoway, Oct. 25, 1780. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution Single 1780 1527
Wrentham. Private, Capt. Nathan Goodale's co., Col. Rufus Putnam's (4th) regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to May 1, 1780; term, 3 years. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution Single 1780 1528

top of page