In the 1790 Census, he is listed with 2 sons and 3 daughters at home.

89Nathaniel Rudd moved to the town of Hawley, MA in 1777, or sometime before Burgoyne was taken. He was on the ground a few days after the Battle of Bennington and visited the wounded in the meeting-house. In Hawley, he was Captain of the militia. After 12 years he exchanged his farm in Hawley for one in Claremont, a few miles from the center. He disposed of this farm in a few years and lived with his son Lebbeus at the center of the town.

He was a farmer, but worked part of the time at the mason business, building stone chimneys and walls, and he was a good hand to plaster, so they said.

His eyes were blue; he was of middling size; of a robust constitution. One hundred years ago, he was thought to be well-qualified to teach, as he could read, write and cypher far enough to transact common business. He was a member of the Congreational Church and was estimated a moral and honest man by his townspeople.

Nathaniel slept in a trundle bed at the foot of his father’s bed and one night a snake crawled under the gown of the four-year-old. The father secured it with the tongs, but Nathaniel always after had a terror or snakes.