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Note: HISTORY: The Descendants of William and Elizabeth Tuttle, Who Came From Old to New England in 1633, and Settled In New Haven in 1639, With Numerous Biographical Notes and Sketches; Also, Some account of the Descendants of John Tuttle of Dover, N.H.; Richard Tuttle of Boston; John Tuttle of Ipswich; and Henry Tuthill of Hingham, Mass; To Which Are Appended Genealogical Notes of Several Alliled Families, By GEORGE FREDERICK TUTTLE, Printed and Published by Tuttle & Co., Official State Printers, Rutland, VT, 1883: p.217 "Hannah Doolittle, b. May 12, 1744; m. Jan. 11, 1767, Zophar Tuttle and had Ezra, Abiatha and John. She m. (2) Jonah Blakeslee s. of Aaron Blackeslee and had three sons, (perhaps other children) from whom a large number of the name of Blakeslee in Western PA are descended. The parents removed from Wallingford, CT to VT, thence to PA. Children: Benjamin, Lyman, Zophar Zophar Blakeslee m. and had James, Sarah M. Sarah M. Blakeslee m. Asa Packer, b. Mystie, CT; when about 16 (Asa) journeyed on foot with all his earthly possessions in a knapsack on his back to Susquehanna Co, PA and apprenticed himself to his uncle, a carpenter, and in two or three years went to NY to work at it, but not liking the city returned to Susquehanna Co, PA where he married at the age of 23 the pretty daughter of a farmer living in the neighborhood (Sarah M. Blakeslee). For four years the pair earned only a scanty subsistence, yhoung Packer working a small farm and doing odd jobs at his trade. At the time of the opening of the Lehigh Canal in the spring of 1833 he became a canal boat driver. With his earnings he gradually was enabled to buy interests of his own in a number of boats, and, retaining these, he gave up driving, and opened a store and a boat yard. Afterward he contracted for the building of locks in the upper Lehigh, and soon his fame as a contractor became great throughout the region. In 1838 he built boats at Pottsville for the transportation of coal to New York direct. In 1840 leaving his boat building business to his brother, Mr. Packer removed to Mauch Chunk, and for many years engaged in the shipment of coal. In 1852 he alone began the building of the Lehigh Valley Railroad. In 1855, when it was completed, he was all but ruined, but, aided by Commodore Stockton, he survived his temporary embarrassments, and his road rewarded him to that extent that for many years he has been accounted the richest man in Pennsylvania. Mr. Packer was twice elected to Congress, and served under the administration of Mr. Pierce. He built for himself a beautiful residence at Mauch Chunk, which was his home."
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