Raven, Peter & Rachel Groom

Tim’s 5th-great-grandfather, Peter Raven, was baptized on 7 August 1748 in Maldon, England, and died c. 1835 in Antwerp, New York. He married (as his second wife) c. 1784, Rachel Groom, who was born c. 1752 in Clifton Park, New York, and died c. 1830 in Antwerp, daughter of Peter & Mary (Cubberly) Groom.

PETER RAVEN was baptized on 7 Aug 1748 in All Saints Parish, Maldon, Essex, England. He married a first wife (name unknown) in England. While working at the King’s Shipyards, Peter RAVEN was taken by press gang to fight in Burgoyne’s Army (the 62nd Regiment of Foot) in 1777. He participated in the Battle of Saratoga (7 Oct 1777), where he was wounded and left for dead, then was nursed back to health by the Groom family of Clifton Park, Saratoga, New York.

He reenlisted in the British Army (probably as a means of being pardoned for his “desertion” at Saratoga) in Jun 1781 at Lake Champlain, Quebec, Canada, joining the 44th Regiment of Foot. In Oct 1781, Peter RAVEN received a letter from his brother in England stating that Peter’s wife had died shortly after his departure and the the brother was caring for his two young sons. Peter reportedly replied instructing his brother to keep all his property and his sons; that he would never return to England.

He deserted the 44th Regiment of Foot and made his way back to the GROOM family in New York in Nov 1782. (Some say Peter RAVEN served in the American forces at some point and received bounty land in Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York, but neither the National nor New York Archives could confirm this.)

Upon his return to New York, he married Rachel GROOM. They appeared on the census of 1790 in Halfmoon, Saratoga, New York, and on the census of 1800 in Stamford, Delaware, New York. In 1806, they were one of the first five families to settle in Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York, where they lived on the old Gouverneur road. He signed a mortgage to General Lewis R. Morris (original purchaser of the tract that included the entire town of Antwerp) on 11 Sep 1806 in Antwerp.

In Jun 1810, Peter RAVEN moved from Antwerp, Jefferson, New York to Johnstown, Grenville County, Ontario, Canada (directly across the river from New York, not far from Gouverneur). He and Rachel reappeared on the census of 1830 in Antwerp, Jefferson, New York. He died between 1830 and 1835 in Antwerp.
~ Find a Grave website

Peter & Rachel were original settlers of Antwerp, New York, settled in 1803. They lie buried there in Old Town Cemetery.

Peter & Rachel were the parents of at least one son:

1. Peter George Raven (Tim’s 4th-great-grandfather), born 4 April 1786 in Clifton Park, died 11 April 1877 in Macomb, New York. He married 4 July 1810, Sabrina Cummins, who was born 25 September 1794 in Merrickville, Ontario, and died 21 August 1861 in Macomb, daughter of Daniel Cummins.

Last Revised: 6 November 2024