The founder of the American Pierce family of which Emily A. Pierce (Mrs. Judge Landon) is a descendant in the eighth generation, was John Pierce, born in England, 1601, died in Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1666. He and his wife Elizabeth, with their son John, came to Woburn, Massachusetts, from Norwich, England, 1637. They later settled in Wethersfield, Connecticut.
(II) John (2), son of John (1) Pierce, had a son John, see forward.
(III) John (3), son of John (2) Pierce, was the father of Deacon John Pierce, see forward.
(IV) Deacon John (4), son of John (3) Pierce, was of Southbury; he built the "old plastered house," on the east side of the main street, north of the Whiteoak School, and owned a square mile of land around it. Deacon John married Ann Huthwitt, "the defrauded orphan," sister of John Huthwitt. The tradition is that they were of gentle blood, left orphans at an early age, and placed under the guardianship of an unscrupulous, avaricious uncle who sent them to New England and deprived them of the fortune left by their parents. Deacon John died in 1731. He had two children, John and Elizabeth.
(V) John (5), son of John (4) Pierce, born 1683, died 1758; was a sergeant in the colonial wars; married Comfort Jenner, of Woodbury, who bore him ten children.
(VI) Joseph, fourth son of John (5) and Comfort (Jenner) Pierce, was born 1725, died 1811. He married, 1750, Mary Johnson, of Woodbury, born 1727, died 1826, granddaughter of Moses Johnson, one of the signers of the original compact for the settlement of Woodbury, Connecticut, and who came with the first company to that place. Joseph and Mary Pierce were the parents of nine children.
(VII) Joel, third son of Joseph and Mary (Johnson) Pierce, was born 1755, died 1832; married, 1782, Avis, born 1766, died 1858, daughter of Lieutenant William and Ann (Bennet) French, of Southbury, Connecticut, where the young couple were married. Among their wedding gifts were two negro slaves, male and female, given them by their respective fathers.
(VIII) Joel (2), son of Joel (1) and Avis (French) Pierce, was born at Southbury, Connecticut, in the part now called South Britain, 1793, died 1847. He married, 1814, Anna Sherman, of Woodbury, descendant of Edmond Sherman, founder, from whom the famous General W. T. Sherman, the illustrious statesman, John Sherman, of Ohio, and Roger Sherman, the "signer," also descend. (See Sherman VI.)
(IX) Emily Augusta, daughter of Joel (2) and Anna (Sherman) Pierce, was born in Woodbury, Connecticut, November 20, 1835. She was the youngest of ten children and lost both parents before she was twelve years of age. She lived under the guardianship of her uncle, Erastus Pierce, and was educated at Dr. Flack's boarding school at Charlotteville. She became an instructor and taught at Princetown Academy, where, April 26, 1856, she married Judson Stuart Landon, at that time principal of the academy. (See Landon VI.)