Individual Details

Azariah Comstock

(Abt 1714 - 1791)



Azariah and Zerviah were married by Thomas Sayles, Justice

Smithfield RI, DB 1, p.388 21 Dec 1735 Daniel Comstock to his well beloved son Azariah, four acres part of his homestead in Smithfield. Recorded 4 Apr 1738.
p.389-390 8 Aug 1735 Daniel to Azariah 50 acres, part of homestead farm. Bounds land of Ezekiel Goldthwayt and the highway. Also recorded 4 Apr 1738.
p.390-391 8 Apr 1738 Daniel Comstock to well beloved son Daniel, 30 acres off the north end of land laid out to Daniel Comstock by Thomas Fenner, Surveyor. Recorded ______ 1738 [probably same day as the previous deeds to Azariah]
p.406-407 13 Nov 1738 Daniel Comstock to Daniel Comstock Junr, 20 acres on the north side of other land of the Grantor; mentions other lands of the Grantee laid out by Thomas Fenner. Recorded 2 Dec 1738.
p.472-473 27 Jan 1738/39 Daniel Comstock to Azariah Comstock, 30 acres. Near dwelling house of Azariah Comstock, adjacent land recently laid out to Daniel Comstock, Junr, other lands of Azariah Comstock.

A case before the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Seth Arnold on the 5th of January in 1741 at Clocester did pass in payment to Anthony Arnold of New Milford [his brother] fifteen false and counterfeit bills of the denomination of twenty shillings, knowing them to be false and counterfeit. On Friday, the 28th of May next, between the hours of three and five in the afternoon to stand in the Pillory in Newport ...and be confined and have your ears cropped or pay a fine to the General Treasury of 300£. Before the 28th of May give bond in the sum of 500£ and make good double damages to the persons injured thereby and pay all charges of prosecution and all lawful fees and to remain secured in His Majesty's Gaol in Newport until the sentence is performed.
A similar charge and sentence was placed on Azariah Comstock of Smithfield, who collaborated in forging, counterfeiting, imprinting and signing the counterfeit bills.
On the 2nd Monday of February 1743, Seth Arnold and Daniel Comstock, Jr., paid their fines and petitioned the General Assembly for return of their freemen's privileges. Their petition was supported by signatures of 51 of their Smithfield neighbors who stated that had been honest men until they fell into the affair of counterfeiting bill.


1749 Azariah Comstock of Smithfield, on a list of freemen.

Smithfield, RI, DB 2, p.468-469 14 Mar 1746 Azaraiah Comstock sold to Experance Staples, 11 acres, part of the homestead farm of Thomas Staples, deceased. Signed by Azariah Comstock. Witnessed by David Comstock and Deborah Comstock. [Azariah's 1st cousin & wife]

Smithfield, RI, DB 2, p.511-413 20 May 1745 Experance Staples sold two parcels to Azariah Comstock. She was Executrix of her husband's will dated 1 Jul 1740. One tract was 21 acres bounded by the Massachusetts Colony line and the north Branch River, the other of 10 acres, south part of the homestead from of her husband Thomas Staples, dec'd. A burying place was reserved to the Thomas Staples family to bury their Dead forever.

John A. Comstock shows another deed dated 29 Mar 1747 when Azariah of Smithfield sold land to Adam Harkness of Mendon. Other deeds show that Azariah and Harkness were neighbors.

Azariah was admitted to vote in Smithfield RI on May 2, 1749. Children were born in Smithfield.

Smithfield, RI, DB 3, p.419-411 3 Jun 1754 Ruth Staples and William Staples of Smithfield, and Sarah Staples of Gloucester, received 30£'s from Azariah Comstock for their Quit Claim for land their mother Exerance sold to Azariah. Rec. 3 Jun 1754.

Smithfield RI, DB 5, p.247-249 22 Jul 1761 Azariah Comstock of Smithfield, blacksmith to Israel Phillips. 25 acres in Smithfield, on the Colony Line, adjacent a tract called Browns land, the land of Adam Harkness, the north branch of the Pawtucket River and up the stream to the Colony line, land of said Harkness. Zeruiah Comstock, wife, relinquished dower right. Recorded 12 Apr 1762.

In 1762, Gideon Comstock, one of the Committee on War of Rhode Island, made payment to Moses, Abner & Aaron Comstock. This Gideon was likely the son of Hazadiah Comstock, a first cousin of their father.

Azariah was probably getting ready to move at the time of the above deed. Voter at the first town meeting of Richmond, 27 Mar 1765. His sons Moses, Aaron, Abner & Azariah Jr. were also voters at this meeting.

Smithfield RI, DB 6, Pt. 2, p.31 26 Dec 1768 Azariah Comstock of Richmond in the province of New Hampshire, Blacksmith, sold to Israel Comstock, Daniel Comstock, and Jacob Comstock [his nephews, sons of brother Daniel], a tract of 100 acres, one half of all the land "my Honrd Father Daniel Comstock late of Smithfield died Seized of in quantity and quality". Zerviah Comstock also signed the deed. Rec. 10 Jan 1769.
p.41 11 Jan 1769 Azariah Comstock, of New Hampshire, to Israel, Daniel & Jacob Comstock. 45 acres in Smithfield, one-fourth part of land that his father Daniel Comstock, late of Smithfield, deceased, had purchased. Rec. 8 Feb 1769.
p.197 8 Jan 1769 Azariah Comstock, sold 200 acres in Smithfield to Daniel Comstock. It was on the southern side of the highway near John Read, bounding partly on land of John Read and land of Oliver Man, Joseph Comstocks land, Hazadiah Comstocks land, Jonathan Comstock's land, Adam Harkness' land. All the land that Daniel Comstock, late of Smithfield, deceased, died Seized of, all the homestead farm whereon he last dwelt. Zerviah Comstock, wife, surrendered all her Right of Dower. Rec. Jan 1769.


DAR Lineage #112862: Azariah signed the Association Test on 30 Aug 1776 from Richmond, NH where he lived. NH State Papers Vol XXX pp122-123; "History of Richmond, NH" p.378, by Bassett.
The manscript papers of John A. Comstock in preparation for The Comstock Family in America have attributed this statement of loyalty to Azariah Jr. - the DAR recorrds attribute it to the older man.

In John A. Comstock's manuscript file on the back of his worksheet on the family of Azariah are pasted three notes on the family. These are in the handwriting of Samuel Willett Comstock who contributed a great deal of information to his relative John for the Comstock book.
The first note concerned Aaron & Azariah Jr. "I have dates of their deaths & I have names of two wives, but don't know to which that they belong to - Aaron certainly had a wife Mary, shown by Grantor Deed"
and "Abner m. 1793 in Masstts. & settled in Williamtown, VT & Wm settled in Otsego Co NY so both sons Abner & Wm would be 20 yrs old or over. It looks as if Eunice was wid. of Azariah Jun. & the son under 16 yrs of age was about 13 yrs old. Mrs. Uriah Cook died aged 75 [after 1830] as Mary dau of Azariah Senior [m.] Mch 22 1770 Rufus Whipple. She born Sept 22, 1751. [Note: this is just very wrong. Mary Comstock, dau of Azariah Comstock SR, married Rufus Whipple in 1770 and had children with him until well into the 1790's and she was buried with him in 1831 - she was never married to anyone else. Unfortunately this supposed second marriage has crept into all the Comstock books in print. Uriah Cook did indeed marry a Mary Comstock in 1786, in New Hampshire but as far as I know she has not been identified. Perhaps Aaron's widow Mary was the one who married Uriah Cook..]
Aaron - his wife was Mary [she may be wife of Uriah Cook No, see below.]
Aaron died in Quebec 1775 or 1776, I forget which, he was one of Ethan Allens Green Mountain Boys.
Apr 15 1786 Amy Comstock & Mary Comstock witness to a Richmond NH Deed. Maybe then two were wives of Aaron & Azariah Jr [Abner not then married). U. Cook was married Mch 6th 1786, so not this Mary."
and the third note "Moses Comstock (son of Azariah) was a resident of Richmond, N.H. 31 Jan 1786 but not there 1790 he had gone to Penn.
His brother Aaron had a wife named Mary in 1768."

Events

BirthAbt 1714Rhode Island
Marriage20 Apr 1735Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island - Zerviah Sprague
Military1776Signed the Association Test, Richmond, NH, Revolutionary War
Death1791Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire
OccupationBlacksmith

Families

SpouseZerviah Sprague (1716 - )
ChildJemima Comstock (1735 - 1757)
ChildMoses Comstock (1737 - )
ChildLydia Comstock (1741 - )
ChildAaron Comstock (1745 - 1776)
ChildAbner Comstock (1747 - 1770)
ChildAmie Comstock (1749 - )
ChildMary Comstock (1751 - 1831)
ChildAzariah Comstock (1755 - 1777)
FatherDANIEL COMSTOCK (1686 - 1768)
Mother[COMSTOCK] (1690 - )
SiblingDANIEL COMSTOCK (1717 - 1753)

Endnotes