Biography
Capt. Nathaniel Wilder, Jr. was born 1688 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States to Nathaniel Wilder (1655-1704) and Mary Sawyer (1652-1740) and died 9 June 1775 Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States of unspecified causes. He married Damaris Whitcomb (1686-1772) 26 December 1707 in Marlborough, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
NATHANIEL WILDER Source - Book of The Wilders by Rev. Moses H. Wilder, pg. 77: Nathanael Wilder, son of Nathanael, a farmer, lived in what is now Sterling, married soon after the Indian War, and had twelve children. In the early settlement of Petersham, when he was about 60 years of age, he made a purchase of 700 acres of land, and removed to the new town. His name was first on the list of members of the Congregational Church at its organization in 1745.
He was a man of great force and character, never failing in an enterprise because of its difficulty, and did much to give strength and character to the new town. It is said of him as a kind of tradition in the family, that when over seventy-two years of age , he took a horseback journey, and put up for the night in a tavern where he was accustomed to stop. On retiring for the night, the landlord told him he must not go to the barn in the morning, as he was in the habit of doing, until he was with him, for there was a furious bull in the yard, and his life would be in danger. He had always cared for his horse, and he was not baffled. He took his whip and, booted and spurred, he went into the yard, when, true to his nature, the bull came after him. He stepped aside, and as he passed, he sprang upon the back of the enraged animal, and with spur and whip, he rode him around the yard until he was unable to go any further. Two of his sons went with him to Petersham, others settled in other towns, and have left a very large list of descendants".
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Jonathan Wilder (1708-1708) | |||
| Nathaniel Wilder (1708-1758) | |||
| Damaris Wilder (1709-1749) | |||
| Charles Wilder (1710-1777) | |||
| Joshua Wilder (1712-1761) | |||
| Bazaleel Wilder (1714-) | |||
| Aholiab Wilder (1717-1759) | |||
| Jarahmiel Wilder (1721-1797) | |||
| Prudence Wilder (1722-1798) | 24 June 1722 Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States | 8 November 1798 Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts | John Wilder (1713-1793) |
| Aaron Wilder (1723-1817) | |||
| Samuel Wilder (1724-1725) | |||
| Elias Wilder (1726-1775) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Ebenezer Wilder (1675-1679) | |||
| Ephraim Wilder (1677-1769) | |||
| Mary Wilder (1679-1729) | |||
| Elizabeth Wilder (1681-) | |||
| Jonathan Wilder (1682-1707) | |||
| Martha Wilder (1685-1707) | |||
| Dorothy Wilder (1686-1738) | |||
| Nathaniel Wilder (1688-1775) | 1688 Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States | 9 June 1775 Petersham, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States | Damaris Whitcomb (1686-1772) |
| Eunice Wilder (1690-1778) | |||
| Oliver Wilder (1693-1765) | |||
Residences
Vital Records
Petersham Gravestone
- Location : Petersham Center Cemetery, Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Nathaniel Wilder at Find A Grave
See Also
- Nathaniel Wilder
- Wilder in Worcester County, Massachusetts
- Wilder in Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- Nathaniel Wilder II - Geni.com