Is that what induced Nathaniel to migrate?
It seems that the stories of the two families are intertwined. Both the Ferry family and the Dumbleton family had a long history in the Springfield, Massachusetts area dating to the mid 17th century.
Nathaniel's family history reveals them as early settlers in Springfield, Massachusetts with a Nathaniel Dumbleton listed in the records in 1667. There are several generations of Nathaniel Dumbletons' that follow one another. In an account of a sneak attack by Indians, the Westfield, Massachusetts history includes the following: "in 1676, a young man named Dumbleton from Springfield was killed just after leaving the mill at Westfield". (1)
Also, West Springfield Revolutionary War records show that Samuel Dumbleton, brother of Nathaniel and Aaron Ferry (probably Nathaniel's wife Ann's brother) both enlisted as Minute Men in April 20, 1775 under Major Andrew Colton in West Springfield and served about 3 months. (2)
Nathaniel Dumbleton
Nathaniel, son of Samuel Dumbleton, was born 1740 in West Springfield, Massachusetts.On August 31, 1769, he married Ann Ferry, (b. 1748), daughter of Aaron Ferry and Ann Chapin of West Springfield, Massachusetts. The marriage took place in West Springfield. (3)
The couple set about raising a family. Their children included: Gad, born 1770; Asher, born 1771; Benjamin, born 1773, and a daughter, Anna, born in 1775. All were born in West Springfield. No other records of these children were found. (4)
At the age of 37, Nathaniel is listed as participating in the battle of Saratoga (September 19 - October 7, 1777) as a member of Captain Joseph Morgan's unit under Colonel John Mosley's Third Hampshire County Regiment of Massachusetts Infantry. Records show he enlisted as a private on September 21, 1777 and was discharged October 17, 1777, serving 1 month 3 days (travel included), on an expedition to the Northern Department. There are no pension records for this service. (5)
Some time following the Revolution, Nathaniel and his family moved to Vermont. In 1784, he and his wife became parents once again. At the age of 44, Nathaniel had a son Samuel. In 1787, another son, Alpheus was born, probably in Massachusetts. Perhaps his wife returned home for this birth. Another son, Aaron F., was born in 1791, place unknown.
The 1790 census lists Nathaniel, age 50, as being a resident of Thomlinson, Windham County, Vermont. (see note at end concerning name of Grafton, Vermont). The household consisted of a total of ten individuals, but the breakdown is not available.
Aaron Ferry, Nathaniel's father-in-law, died in 1793. In 1796, the Dumbletons' moved to what would later become Grafton, New York. It is likely that they moved to his father-in law's lands. Aaron had died three years earlier. So maybe we know why Nathaniel came to Grafton.
The 1800 census of Petersburg which included lands of Grafton shows a person named Dumsteten, Nathanl as head of household. Since this person is listed as living adjacent to other Grafton families in the area per Van Rensselaer survey map, it is likely that this is Nathaniel Dumbleton. In his household, there were: 1 male between 10-16 year of age, 1 male between 16-26, one between 26-45 and 1 over 45. In addition, there were 1 female between 16-26, 1 between 26-45 and 1 over 45 years of age for a total of seven people.
Dumbleton and Ferry Families
It is difficult to understand where Nathaniel lived without understanding the lands of the Ferry family.
Aaron Ferry ( b. Jan. 31, 1724 West Springfield, Massachusetts; m. Dec. 4, 1751 Ann Chapin; d. 1793 Grafton, New York) received a lease on 184 acres of land in the town in 1793. The Van Rensselaer Survey shows 2 parcels of land with Aaron's name on them. They are not contiguous but near each other. One is on the northeastern side of Foster Corner's Road and Old Road. The other parcel is a bit north of the first.
Elijah Ferry, son of Aaron Ferry and brother- in -law of Nathaniel Dumbleton, had taken a lease of 46 acres on June 25, 1791. Some accounts list Elijah as having established a public house in West Grafton before 1800. His lands are not identified on the Van Rensselaer survey map. Perhaps Elijah turned over his land to Aaron. Records indicate Elijah probably moved to the western regions of New York State. Genealogical records of the Ferrys' indicate that Captain Charles Ferry, brother of Ann Ferry Dumbleton, married Eunice Chapin, in 1790 in West Springfield. Captain Charles Ferry later migrated to Grafton, and maps show him leasing lands near the present Martin Dunham Reservoir. At some point, he returned to the Springfield area and is listed as having died there of a fever April 19, 1814 at age 53.
No Rensselaerwyck land records have been found which show Nathaniel as a landowner. But there are references to the house he lived in which may indicate that he lived on his father-in-law's lands. 
The 1792 Van Rensselaer survey shows two parcels of land leased to Aaron Ferry. On the northern parcel, which according to Anderson's Landmarks of Rensselaer County, is the house of D.L. Simmons that was known as the Captain Charles Ferry house. (It is later identified as the Amos Sweet house and is pictured on page 79 in Images of Grafton, Petersburgh and Berlin - photos of James E. West. Currently Art and Cathy Surprise live in this house.) About one mile west of the Charles Ferry house is Nathaniel Dumbleton's house. Landmarks of Rensselaer County states that Oscar Dumbleton, Nathaniel's grandson, lives in the house, and the 1876 maps identifies it as O. Dumbleton. Ray Darling, current owner states that the house was built in the late 1790's. (See map).
Last Years
Nathaniel's life after his service as supervisor to 1809 is obscure.
While there is no Nathaniel Dumbleton listed in 1810 census, his son Alpheus is listed as head of household in Grafton. Nathaniel would have been 70 by then and perhaps he had moved in with his son. Or perhaps he had died. There is no record of his death or where he is buried. Although his father-in-law, Aaron, is listed as possibly buried in the Littlefield Cemetery, there are no burial records for the rest of the family. There are several unmarked field stones in this cemetery. Perhaps Nathaniel lies there. By 1830, it is clear he has died. His widow, Ann Ferry, is listed as living in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Although the contributions of Nathaniel are not recorded, his legacy lives. Both his sons, Alpheus and Aaron, became quite well known and respected in the community. They are referred to as esquires. Other family members migrated westward. The West Grafton (Red Schoolhouse) Cemetery lists thirteen Dumbletons buried there. An unknown number of the family lives on through the female lines. Just to the east of the entrance to the Grafton Lakes State Park is Dumbleton Road - a reminder of Grafton's first town supervisor.
The Town of Grafton, Vermont did not acquire its name until 1791 when the citizens of the Town of Thomlinson, dissatisfied with its name, held an auction to rename the town. One Joseph Axtell won the auction through a bid of 5 pounds and a jug of rum. He renamed the Town of Thomlinson after his hometown of Grafton, Massachusetts.
Sources:
1. History of Hamden Co. Massachusetts.
2. Rev. War Service of Massachusetts Vol. 5, p 633
3. Family History Library Salt Lake City, film # 046944, items 4-5
4. Mack'sShack
5. Massachusetts Commonwealth; Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution
Other sources include:
Cemetery Records of Grafton, NY; History of Rensselaer County, Sylvester, ed. 1880; Landmarks of Rensselaer County, ed. Anderson; Rensselaerwyck Manor land records
Genealogy information from Randy Mack ( Mack'sShackwebsite)
For additional information on the Dumbleton family see:
http://www.smithselfgen.com/Self/DumbletonMenu.Htm
Submitted by: Anne Kiely
Cemetery Seminar was a huge success in spite of the showers.
The Grafton Historical Society and the Grafton Community Library would like to announce that David Lentivech was the recipient of the Ethel Simmons Memorial Award this year.