FROM "THE BANGS FAMILY IN AMERICA" by Dean Dudley, dtd 1896
99. LEMUEL (5) BANGS {Joseph (4), Capt Samuel (3), Capt Jonathan (2),Edward (1)}
Born at Harwich, Mass., Dec.. 31, 1739, according to the townrecord, but according to the family record, Jan. 1, 1740. He m. 1st, a Miss Hall. The family left Harwich and lived at Stratford, Ct., till about 1782, then in Fairfield (Poquanock Parish), Ct., till 1791; in Stamford, N.Y., till 1809, then moved to Grand River, Upper Canada, where the second wife of Lemuel died Feb. 24, 1812. He died May 9, 1824, at the house of his daughter, Mrs. Sarah (Bangs) Smith, with whom he lived since Jan. 1818, on the Genesee river, about two miles above Portage Falls, in the town of Portage, and probably in the present town of Genesee Falls, N,Y. He was a commissary in the French war, and an adjutant in the Revolutionary war. He belonged to the Episcopal church, in which he had his children baptized. They were confirmed in St. John's church at Bridgeport, Ct., Sept. 22, 1785. His second wife was Rebecca Keeler, born at Ridgefield, Ct., April 29, 1751, according to the town record, but the family record says, April 23, 1751. She was a daughter of Elijah and Sarah Keeler, (See Whitney Family of Ct. Genealogy.)
Orcutt's History of Stratford, Ct., page 647-8) says: "LemmuelBangs was by trade a blacksmith. His residence was in Truck St., a little way south of the first Baptist meeting house. His children were born there. Mr. Bangs was a poor man, but a zealous Whig in the Revolution. Two of his sons, the Rev. Nathan Bangs, D.D., of New York, and Elder Heman Bangs, were schoolmates with Capt. Daniel Sterling, at the district school. The family left this part of the country about the year 1790. The two sons were very large men, and were in the ministry of the M.E. church many years.
Lemuel Bangs met, in time of the Revolution, with other Whigs atNichol's tavern, parson Ross, also a strong Whig, being of the number. During discussions, Lemuel Bangs said he would be willing to die and suffer eternal punishment if he could be the means of making America free. Mr. Ross replied: "It is a good thing to be zealous, but not to be too zealous. Where is my hat? I must be going.
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