Sarah Pierce was born in Litchfield, Connecticut on June 26, 1767, the youngest of the 7 children of Mary (Paterson) and John Pierce. Her mother died when she was 3 years old and her father remarried. At the death of her father, when she was fourteen, Sarah and her sister Nancy went to New York City for a formal education. In 1792 she started teaching girls in her home and by 1798 the school became so successful that an Academy building was built. Her nephew John Pierce Brace became the director in 1827, but she continued to teach, focusing on her favorite subject - history. Sarah Pierce died in Litchfield on Jan. 19, 1852 and was buried in the West Burying Ground. Mary Pierce was born in Litchfield, Connecticut in August 1780 to John Pierce and his second wife Mary (Goodwin).  She was a half-sister of Sarah Pierce and managed the students that boarded at the Pierce house and kept the financial records for the Litchfield Female Acadmey.  She never married and died June 22, 1863. James Pierce was born in Litchfield, Connecticut December 3, 1779 to John Pierce and his second wife Mary (Goodwin).  He attended the Litchfield Law School in 1798 and was admitted to the Bar in 1799.  Sarah Pierce was his half-sister.  he died May 10, 1846 and is burried in Litchfield. Timothy Pierce was born in Litchfield, Connecticut in 1774 to John Pierce and his second wife Mary (Goodwin).  He was trained as a doctore and lived in South Carolina were he died in 1801. Ruth Pierce was born in Litchfield, Connecticut February 22, 1765 to John Pierce and his first wife Mary (Paterson).  She was Sarah Pierce's older sister. She married Dr. Thomas O'Hara Croswell in 1791 and moved with him to Catskill, New York the following year.  They had one adopted daughter.  She died January 7, 1862. Dr. Thomas O'Hara Croswell was born in 1767.  He came to Litchfield, Connecticut when he was young a lived as a "half servant" in the home of Tapping Reeve.  He attended local schools and at the age of 19 he went to live with dr. Reuben Smith, who lived across the street from the Pierce family, to study apothecary.  He later studied with Dr. Daniel Sheldon.  He moved to Catskill, NY then returned in 1790 to be Dr. Smith's partner.  On July 18, 1791 he married Ruth Pierce, older sister of Sarah Pierce, and the following year they moved to Catskill, NY.  They had one adopted daughter.  He died January 16, 1844. Abel Brace was born in Litchfield, Connecticut on October 7, 1794 to James Brace and Sarah (Pierce).  He was the second of five children and the second son.  His older brother was John Pierce Brace and one of his sisters was Anna Brace Loring. He moved to Catskill, NY when he was young to study medicine with his uncle, Dr. Thomas O'Hara Croswell, and operated a drugstore together as well.  On April 18, 1817 he married Elizabeth "Betsy" Doane.  His daughter Susan, married John Hopkins, son of Caleb and Keturah Hopkins. He died October 23, 1863. Caleb Hopkins was born in Truro, Massachusetts on January 2, 1780.  He later moved to Catskill, New York where he married Keturah (Hill).  They had 9 children. He died October 23, 1852. Keturah Hill Hopkins was born to Hyland Hill and Keturah (Waterhouse) in 1789 in Catskill, New York.  She married Caleb Hopkins and they had 9 children.  She died January 19, 1878. Charles Greely Loring was born in Boston, Massachusetts on may 2, 1794 to Caleb and Anne (Greely). He attended the Litchfield Law School in 1813 and was admitted to the bar in 1815. He was married three times, first to Anna Brace (daughter of James and Sarah (Pierce) Brace) who died December 24, 1836, second to Mary Ann Putnam who died June 4, 1840 and finally to Cornelia Goddard who died May 3, 1875.  Loring died October 8, 1867.

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