David and Susan Tracy raised many children in Norwich, Connecticut. It is likely that David was a descendant of Thomas Tracy, one of the original proprietors of Norwich. In 1820, David was involved in the reorganization of the Universalist church of the town into the "Society of United Christian Friends in the towns of Norwich, Preston, & Groton."
Two of the older sons, David Jr. and Charles, moved to New York, where David spent a few years as a shoemaker. Charles helped him in his business until he got sick and died in April 1818. Son George went to Mobile, Alabama, where he worked for M. D. Eslava as a cotton broker. He did well enough to be in a position to offer his "brother" Henry Allen $500 in 1834, to compensate for "the depression of business generally" in the north (1834 March 10).
The Tracy's son William went to Philadelphia, where he went to school and then began to teach Sunday School. He also worked as a solderer in a Mr. Taylor's shop. In the 1820s heard a couple lectures given by Mr. Ward, "the India Missionary" (1821 March 4). What he heard must have stayed with him, for in 1836, William and his wife Emily moved to the Madura Mission in India, which had been established by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1834. They worked at the Tirupuvanum station, and by 1845, William was in charge of the small seminary. A young daughter, Susan Maria, died while they were there. In 1851, the Tracys returned for a visit to the United States, after residing in India for more than 13 years. The Board's annual report for 1851 states, "The health of both is considerably impaired, but it is hoped they will be able to return to their field of labor with renewed strength," intimating that the couple at least intended to return to India (p.104).
David and Susan's sons may have traveled far and wide, but their daughters -- Susan, Philena, Mary Ann, Sarah, and Elizabeth -- stayed put. In 1861, Susan, Elizabeth and Mary Ann were still living together in Norwich.
From the guide to the Tracy family papers, 1815-1903, 1815-1893, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)
