((Today is the 246th Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Several of my ancestors took
part in the battles, including my 5x great grandfather Elisha Houghton. I first posted this on 21
August, 2012:))
I mentioned my ancestor Elisha Houghton the other day and
that he was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. I found this
story about him in History of the Town of Harvard, Massachusetts
1732-1893 by Henry Steadman Nourse (p323):
"Coliney of the Massachusetts Bay.
To the Honnorabel General Coart seting at Watertown the Petion
of Elisha Houghton a Solder under Comand of Captan Hastings in Conl
Whitcomb's Rigement in the year 1775 and I was in the fight on Bunkers
hill So Called in Charlston on the 17 of June in the year 1775 as above
sd and on my Return I and others Lited on one Jacob Davis who was
wounded who requested our help and in tacking Care of the sd Davis
Caused me your Petinor to take Mistick Road to convey the sd Davis to
where he thought he could be tacken Care of and in so Doing 1 came
acros by Winter hill to go to head Quater at Cambridge and in Coming
by the Gard of Connal Starks which was set on sd hill they took away
my Gun which I and others that Knew sd Gun Judged to be worth teen
Dolers. I Endevuered to Recover my Gun again but was Denied the
Same which may be made Evident to this Coart by Reading the Paper
acompining this Petition. 1 also Sertify this Coart that I have Never
Reseved my Gun since Nor any Consideration for the same. I therefore
your Poor Petitioner Humbly Pray that this Coart would be Pleased to
take my Case into your Consideration and alow me Pay for my Gun
and your Petitioner as in Duty bound Shall Ever Pray. Bolton Jan. the —
1776 Elisha Houghton
This may Certify that Elisha Houghton of Col Whitcomb's Regiment
in Capt. Hasting's Company was in the Action on Bunker's hill and
helping bringing the wounded men off to Cambridge went mistick Road over
Winter hill and the Guard that was set on winter hill took away the Guns,
and this sd Houghton's Gun was among the Rest, the next Day with [a]
number of others sd Houghton went in order to Get his Gun with an officer
with him, but could not find it and have Never heard of it since—as I know of.
Josiah Whitney, Lt. Col. of sd Rgmt.
Dorchester Camp Febury 29th. 1776"
I don't know if Elisha ever got recompensed for his lost gun, but I suspect he
was one of the earliest victims of "requisitioning" in the American military tradition.
Showing posts with label Houghton Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Houghton Family. Show all posts
Thursday, June 17, 2021
ELISHA HOUGHTON HAD A GUN....AND THEN HE DIDN'T.
Sunday, April 19, 2020
THE SHOT HEARD `ROUND THE WORLD
Today is the 245th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington & Concord which
started the American Revolution on 19Apr 1775.
These are our colonial ancestors from our Dad's family lines for whom I have
so far been able to discover records that they took part in those battles and served in the
Revolution:
Jonathan Barker Jr. My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman from Methuen Ma with rank of Sergeant.
He responded to Lexington and Concord with his sons
Served in Captain Samuel Johnson's Company in
Colonel Titcomb's Regiment for 2 months in 1777 in Rhode
Island and then with Nathaniel Gage's Company in Colonel
Jacob Gerrish's guards from Dec 1777 to l Apr 1778 guarding
the captured troops of General Burgoyne.
Jonathan Barker 3rd My 4x great grandfather
Enlisted on 19 Apr 1775 in Continental Army, Capt. John
Davis' Company, Col. James Frye's Regiment, in the
Massachusetts line for 8 months in Cambridge, Ma. At the
conclusion of the term, he reenlisted for another 3 months in
Capt John Allen's Company, Colonel John Waldron's Regiment,
General Sullivan's Brigade in the New Hampshire Brigade at
Charlestown, Ma. He then enlisted a third time in June 1778
at Methuen, Ma., joining Captain Samuel Carr's Company, Col.
James Weston's Regiment, in General Lerned's Brigade at
White Plains, N.Y. and serving for another 9 months.
John Ames My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman under Capt. Asa Parker on April 19th,
1775. He then enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain
Oliver Parker, Col. William Prescott's Regiment and
in the Brigade that was commanded in turn by Generals
Putnam, Lee, and Washington and served for 8 1/2 months.
Asa Barrows My 4x great grandfather
A member of the militia from Middleborough , Ma. (south of
Boston) in the Company of Captain Joshua Benson, in Colonel
Cotton's Regiment, and General William Heath's Brigade for
8 months during the siege of Boston. In December 1776 he
joined a militia Company commanded by Captain Joshua
Perkins and marched to Barrington, R.I. and was stationed
there for 6 weeks. In July 1780 he again enlisted, this time
in a militia company commanded by Captain Perez Churchill
that marched to Tiverton, R.I. .
Moses Coburn My 4x great grandfather
Moses Coburn got into the War late and by reason of being
"hired by a certain class of men in the then town of Dunstable
to go into the Continental Army in the summer of 1781."
When he reached Phillipsburgh in New York he was placed in
Captain Benjamin Pike's Company, in the Regiment of the
Massachusetts line commanded by Lt. Colonel Calvin Smith in
which he served for nearly two years until it was broken up.
He then transferred to the Company of Judah Alden in the
Regiment commanded by Colonel Sprouts until his discharge
in 1783.
Samuel Haskell My 5x great grandfather
Samuel served in Captain Joseph Elliott's Company in Colonel
William Turner's Regiment and then under Captain Hezekiah
Whitney in Colonel Josiah Whitney's Regiment.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
Amos responded to the Lexington Alarm as part of
Captain Richard Ayer's Company and Colonel William
Johnson's Regiment. He later served in Captain Timothy
Eaton's Company in Colonel Edward Wigglesworth's Regiment
and was at the taking of the British General Burgoyne at
Ticonderoga.
Elisha Houghton 5x great grandfather
Enlisted at Harvard Ma as a Private in May of 1777 in the
Massachusetts militia and was at the Battles of Bunker Hill
and Stillwater. He then enlisted for three years in the infantry
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in Colonel
Timothy Bigelow's 15th Regiment of the Massachusetts line.
and took part in the Battles of Monmouth and Newport and
was at Valley Forge. He twice was promoted to Sergeant and
twice was busted back down to the ranks.
Amos Upton My 5x great grandfather
Responded to the Lexington Alarm and marched there from
his home in Reading. He later joined the militia company
commanded by Captain Asa Prince as an orderly sergeant
and then enlisted for eight months in the Continental Army
under Colonel Mansfield. He was at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
He was discharged in October of 1775.
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted in 1781 as a Matross (he swabbed out the barrel of
the cannons after they fired, or so I've been told) in Captain
William Treadwell's Company in Colonel John Crane's
Artillery Regiment.
Reuben Packard My 5x great grandfather
A Sergeant in Captain Josiah Hayden's Company in Colonel
Bailey's militia. They marched to Lexington at news of the
Alarm. He also responded several more times as a Minuteman
for a total of nearly 8 months duty.
Jonathan Abbott My 5x great grandfather
Served as a Sergeant in the Militia under Captain Henry
Abbott and responded to the Lexington Alarm
Samuel Stowe My 5x great grandfather
Minuteman from Sherborn, Ma. Served in Capt. Benjamin Bullard's
Company in Col. Asa Whitcomb's 5th Massachusetts Bay
Provincial Regiment.
Besides those direct ancestors, these other relatives fought
in the Revolution:
Moses Barrows, brother to Asa Barrows.
Samuel, Jesse, and Benjamin Barker, sons of Jonathan
Barker, Jr. and brothers to Jonathan Barker 3rd.
James Swan, brother in law to Jonathan Barker.
started the American Revolution on 19Apr 1775.
These are our colonial ancestors from our Dad's family lines for whom I have
so far been able to discover records that they took part in those battles and served in the
Revolution:
Jonathan Barker Jr. My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman from Methuen Ma with rank of Sergeant.
He responded to Lexington and Concord with his sons
Served in Captain Samuel Johnson's Company in
Colonel Titcomb's Regiment for 2 months in 1777 in Rhode
Island and then with Nathaniel Gage's Company in Colonel
Jacob Gerrish's guards from Dec 1777 to l Apr 1778 guarding
the captured troops of General Burgoyne.
Jonathan Barker 3rd My 4x great grandfather
Enlisted on 19 Apr 1775 in Continental Army, Capt. John
Davis' Company, Col. James Frye's Regiment, in the
Massachusetts line for 8 months in Cambridge, Ma. At the
conclusion of the term, he reenlisted for another 3 months in
Capt John Allen's Company, Colonel John Waldron's Regiment,
General Sullivan's Brigade in the New Hampshire Brigade at
Charlestown, Ma. He then enlisted a third time in June 1778
at Methuen, Ma., joining Captain Samuel Carr's Company, Col.
James Weston's Regiment, in General Lerned's Brigade at
White Plains, N.Y. and serving for another 9 months.
John Ames My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman under Capt. Asa Parker on April 19th,
1775. He then enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain
Oliver Parker, Col. William Prescott's Regiment and
in the Brigade that was commanded in turn by Generals
Putnam, Lee, and Washington and served for 8 1/2 months.
Asa Barrows My 4x great grandfather
A member of the militia from Middleborough , Ma. (south of
Boston) in the Company of Captain Joshua Benson, in Colonel
Cotton's Regiment, and General William Heath's Brigade for
8 months during the siege of Boston. In December 1776 he
joined a militia Company commanded by Captain Joshua
Perkins and marched to Barrington, R.I. and was stationed
there for 6 weeks. In July 1780 he again enlisted, this time
in a militia company commanded by Captain Perez Churchill
that marched to Tiverton, R.I. .
Moses Coburn My 4x great grandfather
Moses Coburn got into the War late and by reason of being
"hired by a certain class of men in the then town of Dunstable
to go into the Continental Army in the summer of 1781."
When he reached Phillipsburgh in New York he was placed in
Captain Benjamin Pike's Company, in the Regiment of the
Massachusetts line commanded by Lt. Colonel Calvin Smith in
which he served for nearly two years until it was broken up.
He then transferred to the Company of Judah Alden in the
Regiment commanded by Colonel Sprouts until his discharge
in 1783.
Samuel Haskell My 5x great grandfather
Samuel served in Captain Joseph Elliott's Company in Colonel
William Turner's Regiment and then under Captain Hezekiah
Whitney in Colonel Josiah Whitney's Regiment.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
Amos responded to the Lexington Alarm as part of
Captain Richard Ayer's Company and Colonel William
Johnson's Regiment. He later served in Captain Timothy
Eaton's Company in Colonel Edward Wigglesworth's Regiment
and was at the taking of the British General Burgoyne at
Ticonderoga.
Elisha Houghton 5x great grandfather
Enlisted at Harvard Ma as a Private in May of 1777 in the
Massachusetts militia and was at the Battles of Bunker Hill
and Stillwater. He then enlisted for three years in the infantry
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in Colonel
Timothy Bigelow's 15th Regiment of the Massachusetts line.
and took part in the Battles of Monmouth and Newport and
was at Valley Forge. He twice was promoted to Sergeant and
twice was busted back down to the ranks.
Amos Upton My 5x great grandfather
Responded to the Lexington Alarm and marched there from
his home in Reading. He later joined the militia company
commanded by Captain Asa Prince as an orderly sergeant
and then enlisted for eight months in the Continental Army
under Colonel Mansfield. He was at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
He was discharged in October of 1775.
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted in 1781 as a Matross (he swabbed out the barrel of
the cannons after they fired, or so I've been told) in Captain
William Treadwell's Company in Colonel John Crane's
Artillery Regiment.
Reuben Packard My 5x great grandfather
A Sergeant in Captain Josiah Hayden's Company in Colonel
Bailey's militia. They marched to Lexington at news of the
Alarm. He also responded several more times as a Minuteman
for a total of nearly 8 months duty.
Jonathan Abbott My 5x great grandfather
Served as a Sergeant in the Militia under Captain Henry
Abbott and responded to the Lexington Alarm
Samuel Stowe My 5x great grandfather
Minuteman from Sherborn, Ma. Served in Capt. Benjamin Bullard's
Company in Col. Asa Whitcomb's 5th Massachusetts Bay
Provincial Regiment.
Besides those direct ancestors, these other relatives fought
in the Revolution:
Moses Barrows, brother to Asa Barrows.
Samuel, Jesse, and Benjamin Barker, sons of Jonathan
Barker, Jr. and brothers to Jonathan Barker 3rd.
James Swan, brother in law to Jonathan Barker.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 37:THOMAS HOUGHTON OF LANCASTER MA.
With 6x great grandmother Hannah Houghton we reach a point where some of her ancestors have already been discussed Her parents were Thomas Houghton and Meriah Moore.They were 1st cousins 1x removed through their mutual descent from Thomas Sawyer and Mary Prescott.
Ellery Bicknell Crane wrote the following about Thomas:
IV) Thomas Houghton, son of James Houghton (3). born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, about 1690-1700; married Maria or Moriah Moor and settled on the homestead in Harvard. He was a farmer. Children were: 1. Hanah, born December 16, 1728-9. 2. Thomas, born October 9, 1731. 3. Moriah (as Maria was then spelled by the family), born September 5, 1736. 4. Elijah (see forward).-p264
Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 1 Lewis Publishing Company, New York, New York 1907
Thomas Houghton died 9Mar 1764 in Harvard, Ma. By then Hannah and Eljiah were the only of his children left alive along with two grandchildren. I've found the probate file and will be transcribing it,
Ellery Bicknell Crane wrote the following about Thomas:
IV) Thomas Houghton, son of James Houghton (3). born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, about 1690-1700; married Maria or Moriah Moor and settled on the homestead in Harvard. He was a farmer. Children were: 1. Hanah, born December 16, 1728-9. 2. Thomas, born October 9, 1731. 3. Moriah (as Maria was then spelled by the family), born September 5, 1736. 4. Elijah (see forward).-p264
Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 1 Lewis Publishing Company, New York, New York 1907
Thomas Houghton died 9Mar 1764 in Harvard, Ma. By then Hannah and Eljiah were the only of his children left alive along with two grandchildren. I've found the probate file and will be transcribing it,
Saturday, July 20, 2019
TANGLED LINES
This is a screenshot from RootsMagic of the pedigree chart of my 4x great grandfather Moses Houghton. I had been struck by how entangled the Houghton and Sawyer families were in his ancestry so I marked all the descendants of Thomas and Mary Prescott (my 8x grandparents) in red
Then I used the Relationship Calculator to see to what degree Moses' parents Elisha Houghton and Meriah Peirce were related.
Instances like this were quite common in colonial America. Outside of the cities, people lived in small villages and towns established by a few families. Then these early settlers were bonded together when they were forced to share the close quarters of garrison homes during Indian attacks which was the case for the Houghtons and Sawyers. Those ties sometimes continued when family members left for other parts of the country,
I have other lines in my Dad's family like this to a lesser extent.but this is the most tangled.
Then I used the Relationship Calculator to see to what degree Moses' parents Elisha Houghton and Meriah Peirce were related.
Instances like this were quite common in colonial America. Outside of the cities, people lived in small villages and towns established by a few families. Then these early settlers were bonded together when they were forced to share the close quarters of garrison homes during Indian attacks which was the case for the Houghtons and Sawyers. Those ties sometimes continued when family members left for other parts of the country,
I have other lines in my Dad's family like this to a lesser extent.but this is the most tangled.
Friday, July 19, 2019
CYPRIAN STEVENS' LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL REVISITED
((UPDATE: It's been ten years since I posted this and since then I've discovered that
I have Moore, Whitcomb, Wilder, and Fairbanks ancestors. So only three names listed below
are not those of a direct ancestor or a cousin. First posted in February 2009))
I found a few more things during my research on Simon Willard that
touched on some of my ancestors. One of them is this transcription at
Genealogy.com by Janice Farnsworth of "Lancaster in Philip's War:
The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 - 1725 Edited by
Henry S. Nourse, A.M. Lancaster, 1884 (page 107)
"Lancaster March 11, 1675/6 - Letter to the Governor and Counsell -"A
humble Petition of the poor distressed people of Lancaster (excerpt)
"...many of us heare in this prison, have not bread to last us one month &
our other provisions spent & gon, for the genrallyty, our Town is drawn
into two garisons - sixteen soulders....we areseartaynly a bayt (bait) for
the enemy. We are sorrowful to leave the place but hoplesse to keep it
unlesse mayntayed by the Cuntrey....our women cris dus daily...which dus
not only fill our ears but our hearts full of Greefe and makes us humbly
Request yo'r Hon'rs to send a Gard of men & that if you please so comand
we may have Carts about fourteen will re-move the whool eight of which has
presed long at Sudbury but never came for want of a small gard of men, the
whooll that is, all that are in the Garison, Kept in Major Willards house
which is all from y're Hon'rs most humble servants & suplyants -
Lancast'r March 11, 1675/6 Jacob FFarrar
John Houghton Sen'r
John Moore
John Whittcomb
Job Whittcomb
Jonathan Whittcomb
John Houghton Jun'r
Cyprian Steevens
The other garrison are in like distresse & soe humbly desire yo'r like
pitty & ffatherly care, having widows & many fatherless children - the
number of carts to Carey away this garison is twenty carts. Yo'r Hon'rs
Humble pettisioners
John Prescott Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Jun'r
Jonathan Prescott
Tho Willder
John willder
Sarah Wheeler, Wid.
Widow Ffarbanks
John Rigby
Nathaniell Wilder
John Rooper
Widow Rooper
The whole is in the handwriting of Cyprian Steevens.
[Massachusetts Archives, LXVII, 156.] "
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
What struck me reading this was the names of those in the garrison. They include my
direct ancestors John Prescott, Thomas Sawyer, Senior and Thomas Sawyer, Junior
in the second garrison two of my Houghton relatives in the first. It reminded me again
of how many of my ancestors were so close to a violent death during the Indian wars
of New England. Some, as I've mentioned in earlier posts, did not escape it. One of
those things that historians sometimes ponder is "What If?" If more of my colonist
ancestors had died, I and many more of their descendants wouldn't be around to
trace our ancestry.
Thank you to Janice Farnsworth for granting me permission to use her transcription!
I have Moore, Whitcomb, Wilder, and Fairbanks ancestors. So only three names listed below
are not those of a direct ancestor or a cousin. First posted in February 2009))
I found a few more things during my research on Simon Willard that
touched on some of my ancestors. One of them is this transcription at
Genealogy.com by Janice Farnsworth of "Lancaster in Philip's War:
The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 - 1725 Edited by
Henry S. Nourse, A.M. Lancaster, 1884 (page 107)
"Lancaster March 11, 1675/6 - Letter to the Governor and Counsell -"A
humble Petition of the poor distressed people of Lancaster (excerpt)
"...many of us heare in this prison, have not bread to last us one month &
our other provisions spent & gon, for the genrallyty, our Town is drawn
into two garisons - sixteen soulders....we areseartaynly a bayt (bait) for
the enemy. We are sorrowful to leave the place but hoplesse to keep it
unlesse mayntayed by the Cuntrey....our women cris dus daily...which dus
not only fill our ears but our hearts full of Greefe and makes us humbly
Request yo'r Hon'rs to send a Gard of men & that if you please so comand
we may have Carts about fourteen will re-move the whool eight of which has
presed long at Sudbury but never came for want of a small gard of men, the
whooll that is, all that are in the Garison, Kept in Major Willards house
which is all from y're Hon'rs most humble servants & suplyants -
Lancast'r March 11, 1675/6 Jacob FFarrar
John Houghton Sen'r
John Moore
John Whittcomb
Job Whittcomb
Jonathan Whittcomb
John Houghton Jun'r
Cyprian Steevens
The other garrison are in like distresse & soe humbly desire yo'r like
pitty & ffatherly care, having widows & many fatherless children - the
number of carts to Carey away this garison is twenty carts. Yo'r Hon'rs
Humble pettisioners
John Prescott Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Sen'r
Tho. Sawyer Jun'r
Jonathan Prescott
Tho Willder
John willder
Sarah Wheeler, Wid.
Widow Ffarbanks
John Rigby
Nathaniell Wilder
John Rooper
Widow Rooper
The whole is in the handwriting of Cyprian Steevens.
[Massachusetts Archives, LXVII, 156.] "
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
What struck me reading this was the names of those in the garrison. They include my
direct ancestors John Prescott, Thomas Sawyer, Senior and Thomas Sawyer, Junior
in the second garrison two of my Houghton relatives in the first. It reminded me again
of how many of my ancestors were so close to a violent death during the Indian wars
of New England. Some, as I've mentioned in earlier posts, did not escape it. One of
those things that historians sometimes ponder is "What If?" If more of my colonist
ancestors had died, I and many more of their descendants wouldn't be around to
trace our ancestry.
Thank you to Janice Farnsworth for granting me permission to use her transcription!
Saturday, July 06, 2019
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 27:MOSES HOUGHTON OF NORWAY, ME.
My 4x great grandfather Moses Houghton and his twin brother Aaron were born in 1781. He married Martha Haskell in Harvard, Ma. on 18 Oct 1803. The couple had the first five of their eleven children in Acton, after which Moses moved his family to Norway, Maine. where he owned a farm. William Berry Lapham's book for the town's centennial has the following information about the family:
Moses Houghton, born in Acton, Massachusetts, March 22, 1781, came to this town from Harvard. He married Martha Haskell, who was born February 15, 1780. Children : —
I. Richard, b. Acton, June 9, 1804; m. Lucinda Barrows, of Hebron. He was a gunsmith, and resided for several years in Norway.
II. Martha, b. Acton, September 4, 1805; m. Nathaniel Knight; s. Paris.
III. Samuel, b. Acton, September 5, 1807; d. April 9, 1809.
IV. Samuel H., b. Acton, July 20, 1809; m. Betsey G. Tuell, of Paris.
V. Elijah, b. Acton, May 15, 1811; d. September 30, 1830.
VI. Maria, b. Norway, April 6, 1813; m. Gilman Tuell; s. Paris.
VII. Sally, b. Norway, March 1, 1815; m. James Dunham.
VIII. Ruth, b. Norway, February 22, 1817; m. Horatio G. Russ; s. Paris.
IX. Susan, b. Norway, February 22, 1819; m. Henry Russ; s. Paris.
X. Moses, b. Norway, October 16, 1820; m. Lucy Swift; s. Paris.
XI. Aaron, b. Norway, March 25, 1823; m. Martha Farris.
-p534
Centennial History of Norway, Oxford County, Maine, 1786-1886: Including an Account of the Early Grants and Purchases, Sketches of the Grantees, Early Settlers, and Prominent Residents, Etc., with Genealogical Registers, and an Appendix
B. Thurston & Company, 1886 - Norway (Me.)
I'm descended from Sally Houghton who married my 3x grandfather James Thomas Dunham. That was one of the marriages where one of my family lines from Plymouth County, Ma. mingled with one of my lines from Worcester County.
Moses Houghton, born in Acton, Massachusetts, March 22, 1781, came to this town from Harvard. He married Martha Haskell, who was born February 15, 1780. Children : —
I. Richard, b. Acton, June 9, 1804; m. Lucinda Barrows, of Hebron. He was a gunsmith, and resided for several years in Norway.
II. Martha, b. Acton, September 4, 1805; m. Nathaniel Knight; s. Paris.
III. Samuel, b. Acton, September 5, 1807; d. April 9, 1809.
IV. Samuel H., b. Acton, July 20, 1809; m. Betsey G. Tuell, of Paris.
V. Elijah, b. Acton, May 15, 1811; d. September 30, 1830.
VI. Maria, b. Norway, April 6, 1813; m. Gilman Tuell; s. Paris.
VII. Sally, b. Norway, March 1, 1815; m. James Dunham.
VIII. Ruth, b. Norway, February 22, 1817; m. Horatio G. Russ; s. Paris.
IX. Susan, b. Norway, February 22, 1819; m. Henry Russ; s. Paris.
X. Moses, b. Norway, October 16, 1820; m. Lucy Swift; s. Paris.
XI. Aaron, b. Norway, March 25, 1823; m. Martha Farris.
-p534
Centennial History of Norway, Oxford County, Maine, 1786-1886: Including an Account of the Early Grants and Purchases, Sketches of the Grantees, Early Settlers, and Prominent Residents, Etc., with Genealogical Registers, and an Appendix
B. Thurston & Company, 1886 - Norway (Me.)
I'm descended from Sally Houghton who married my 3x grandfather James Thomas Dunham. That was one of the marriages where one of my family lines from Plymouth County, Ma. mingled with one of my lines from Worcester County.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
ELISHA HOUGHTON'S PENSION FILE PT 6
((First posted in September 2012))
In the last entry in this series about Elisha Houghton's Revolutionary War
Pension file, I posted the transcription of Elisha's request to be transferred
from the Massachusetts Veterans Roll to that of Vermont where he had
relocated.He made the request in January of 1823 and it was granted by
September of the same year. The final image from his file in a combination
of printed and handwritten information from both 1818, the year of the
original pension filing, and 1823 when the transfer was made:
"4.189 From
Massachusetts
_______________________
to Vermont
Elisha Houghton
Capt Brown
private,
Massachusetts line 1778 3 years
in the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War
________________________________________________
Subscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts
at the rate of -8- Dollars per month to commence on
the 6th of May, 1818.
_________________________________________________
Certificate of Pension issued the 17th of Nov. 1818,
and sent to Jo. Woodbridge, Esq
Stockbridge, Ma.
_________________________________________________
Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1818 31.76
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4th Mar 1819 48.00
_______
Continued $79.76
_______
{Revolutionary claim)
Act 18th March, 1818
He died Nov 1826
Adams,
Berkshire Co"
On the right hand side of the sheet are three oval shapes that probably were
left by wax seals. There are also two handwritten items. One is written along
the left hand side of the fold the length of the paper from top to bottom and
reads:
"Notification sent September 6th 1823
Parker L. Hall, Lenox, Massachusetts "
To the right of that is another notation:
"Date of death on
other side
from AB."
The added notes are a little confusing. The "He died Nov 1826" was added
later but because of where it was placed it makes it appear Elisha died in
Adams, Berkshire County, Ma. when he actually died in Vermont. Also there
are some figures just to the left of sum of 31.76 that I couldn't decipher.
So my 5x great grandfather collected $96 dollars a year for eight years from
1818 until his death at age eighty in Vermont in 1826. Why he had moved to
Vermont, and who he was lving with. is something I need to investigate further.
In the last entry in this series about Elisha Houghton's Revolutionary War
Pension file, I posted the transcription of Elisha's request to be transferred
from the Massachusetts Veterans Roll to that of Vermont where he had
relocated.He made the request in January of 1823 and it was granted by
September of the same year. The final image from his file in a combination
of printed and handwritten information from both 1818, the year of the
original pension filing, and 1823 when the transfer was made:
"4.189 From
Massachusetts
_______________________
to Vermont
Elisha Houghton
Capt Brown
private,
Massachusetts line 1778 3 years
in the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War
________________________________________________
Subscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts
at the rate of -8- Dollars per month to commence on
the 6th of May, 1818.
_________________________________________________
Certificate of Pension issued the 17th of Nov. 1818,
and sent to Jo. Woodbridge, Esq
Stockbridge, Ma.
_________________________________________________
Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1818 31.76
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4th Mar 1819 48.00
_______
Continued $79.76
_______
{Revolutionary claim)
Act 18th March, 1818
He died Nov 1826
Adams,
Berkshire Co"
On the right hand side of the sheet are three oval shapes that probably were
left by wax seals. There are also two handwritten items. One is written along
the left hand side of the fold the length of the paper from top to bottom and
reads:
"Notification sent September 6th 1823
Parker L. Hall, Lenox, Massachusetts "
To the right of that is another notation:
"Date of death on
other side
from AB."
The added notes are a little confusing. The "He died Nov 1826" was added
later but because of where it was placed it makes it appear Elisha died in
Adams, Berkshire County, Ma. when he actually died in Vermont. Also there
are some figures just to the left of sum of 31.76 that I couldn't decipher.
So my 5x great grandfather collected $96 dollars a year for eight years from
1818 until his death at age eighty in Vermont in 1826. Why he had moved to
Vermont, and who he was lving with. is something I need to investigate further.
Saturday, June 29, 2019
ELISHA HOUGHTON'S PENSION FILE PT 5
(( First posted in September 2012))
Sometime between 1820 and 1823 my ancestor Elisha Houghton moved to
Vermont from Western Massachusetts. So far I haven't been able to find out
why he went there instead of to Oxford County Maine where his children
now lived. Perhaps there were relatives or old friends living in Vermont.
In any case when he left Massachusetts he had to apply to have his pension
payments transferred to his new place of residence. The remaining images
in Elisha's file deal with that transfer.
The first image is a folded sheet of paper. On the left hand side is a hand-
written note:
"Elisha Houghton must make a new affidavit agreeably to the within form
and transmit it to the War Department before his name can be transferred.
10 Jan 1823"
On the right is the following (I'm not sure that the date is the 10th or 15th):
"Transferred from Massachusetts to Vermont on the 10th(? ) Feby 1823
from 4th Sept. 1823.
Elisha Houghton
Mar 19"
Next is the actual transfer application. It's another preprinted form with
information filled "in the blanks" which I've designated with italicized print:
APPLICATION FOR A TRANSFER
____________________
"State of Vermont
County of Bennington ss.
On this 21st day of January 1823, before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the
Peace for the said county of Bennington, personally appeared Elisha Houghton
who, on his oath, declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged
to the company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in the regiment
commanded by Colonel Timothy Bigelow in the service of the United States;
that his name was placed on the pensions roll of the state of Massachusetts
from whence he has lately removed; that he now resides in the state
(district, or territory) of Vermont where he intends to remain, and wishes his
pension to be there payable, in the future. That at present receives eight
dollars per month.
his
Elisha X Houghton
mark
Sworn and subscribed to, before
me. the day and year aforesaid } O.C. Merrill, Justice of Peace.
NOTE. The oath to be taken before a duly qualified magistrate, whose
official character and signature must be properly authenticated."
Then on the back is a handwritten note:
"State of Vermont
I, Joel Pratt Clerk of Bennington County Court do hereby certify that Orsamus
C Merrill Esquire is a Justice of the peace acting under the Authority of this
State & that the within signature is his.
In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand & affix the seal of said county
court this 28th day of January AD1823-
Joel Pratt Clerk"
Next we'll see if Elisha's transfer was allowed and the amount of his pension.
Sometime between 1820 and 1823 my ancestor Elisha Houghton moved to
Vermont from Western Massachusetts. So far I haven't been able to find out
why he went there instead of to Oxford County Maine where his children
now lived. Perhaps there were relatives or old friends living in Vermont.
In any case when he left Massachusetts he had to apply to have his pension
payments transferred to his new place of residence. The remaining images
in Elisha's file deal with that transfer.
The first image is a folded sheet of paper. On the left hand side is a hand-
written note:
"Elisha Houghton must make a new affidavit agreeably to the within form
and transmit it to the War Department before his name can be transferred.
10 Jan 1823"
On the right is the following (I'm not sure that the date is the 10th or 15th):
"Transferred from Massachusetts to Vermont on the 10th(? ) Feby 1823
from 4th Sept. 1823.
Elisha Houghton
Mar 19"
Next is the actual transfer application. It's another preprinted form with
information filled "in the blanks" which I've designated with italicized print:
APPLICATION FOR A TRANSFER
____________________
"State of Vermont
County of Bennington ss.
On this 21st day of January 1823, before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the
Peace for the said county of Bennington, personally appeared Elisha Houghton
who, on his oath, declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged
to the company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in the regiment
commanded by Colonel Timothy Bigelow in the service of the United States;
that his name was placed on the pensions roll of the state of Massachusetts
from whence he has lately removed; that he now resides in the state
(district, or territory) of Vermont where he intends to remain, and wishes his
pension to be there payable, in the future. That at present receives eight
dollars per month.
his
Elisha X Houghton
mark
Sworn and subscribed to, before
me. the day and year aforesaid } O.C. Merrill, Justice of Peace.
NOTE. The oath to be taken before a duly qualified magistrate, whose
official character and signature must be properly authenticated."
Then on the back is a handwritten note:
"State of Vermont
I, Joel Pratt Clerk of Bennington County Court do hereby certify that Orsamus
C Merrill Esquire is a Justice of the peace acting under the Authority of this
State & that the within signature is his.
In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand & affix the seal of said county
court this 28th day of January AD1823-
Joel Pratt Clerk"
Next we'll see if Elisha's transfer was allowed and the amount of his pension.
Friday, June 28, 2019
ELISHA HOUGHTON'S PENSION FILE PT4
((First posted in September 2012))
This image from Elisha's pension file is one of my favorite family
documents for the reasons that it was the first time I'd ever
heard of the word "firkin". (cousin Chris Dunham explained it to me).
The preprinted part is in bold face, the filled in parts are italicized.
"District of Massachusetts,ss1
On this day Sixth day of July 1820:Personally appeared in open
Court before the circuit Court of Common Pleas, begun and holden
in Lenox ,within and for County of Berkshire ,in the Western Circuit,
on the 4th Monday of June 1820, the same Court, being a Court
of record for said Circuit; preceeding according to the course of the
common Law, with a jurisdiction, unlimited in point of amount,
kereping a record of its proceedings, and having the power of fine
and imprisonment,
Elisha Houghton aged 71 years, resident in Adams in the County
of Berkshire aforesaid, who being first duly sworn, according to
law,doth on his oath declare, that he served in the revolutionary
war as follows; that he enlisted in the company commanded by
Captain Brown in the regiment commanded by Colonel Bigelow
in the line of the State of Massachusetts on the Continental
establishment. That his original declaration is dated May 6th
1818 and that his pension certificate is numbered 4,189.
And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident Citizen of the
United States, on the 18th day of March, 1818, and I have not
since that time, by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my
property, or any part thereof with intent, thereby to diminish it,
as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress
entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons, engaged in
the land and naval services of the United States, in the
Revolutionary war," passed on the 18th day of March, 1818,
and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any
property or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me, nor
have I any income, other than what is contained in the schedule,
hereto annexed, and by me subscribed-schedule of property,
necessary clothing and bedding excepted-to wit:
1 Tub and firkin --------.33
1 Iron pot--------------- -.75
1 Salt mortar-------------.12
1 Tea kettle--------------.75
1 Sugar box of Plates---.19
1 Tin tumbler ------------.6
1 Old Pail------------------.13
_______
2.33
That I am by occupation a Labourer that I am not able to labor,
that the number of my family residing with me is none.
(signed) Elisha Houghton
Sworn to, and declared on the Five day of July 1820, before the
said Court
Parker L Hall (illegible) pro tem
I Parker L Hall Clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas
within and for the County of Berkshire do hereby certify, that the
foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied
from the record of said Court; and I do further certify,that it is the
opinion of the said Court, that the total amount in value of the
property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is two dollars and
thirty three cents.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed
the seal of said Court on this ninth day of August 1820.
Parker L Hall }Clerk of the Court for the County of Berkshire."
This image from Elisha's pension file is one of my favorite family
documents for the reasons that it was the first time I'd ever
heard of the word "firkin". (cousin Chris Dunham explained it to me).
The preprinted part is in bold face, the filled in parts are italicized.
"District of Massachusetts,ss1
On this day Sixth day of July 1820:Personally appeared in open
Court before the circuit Court of Common Pleas, begun and holden
in Lenox ,within and for County of Berkshire ,in the Western Circuit,
on the 4th Monday of June 1820, the same Court, being a Court
of record for said Circuit; preceeding according to the course of the
common Law, with a jurisdiction, unlimited in point of amount,
kereping a record of its proceedings, and having the power of fine
and imprisonment,
Elisha Houghton aged 71 years, resident in Adams in the County
of Berkshire aforesaid, who being first duly sworn, according to
law,doth on his oath declare, that he served in the revolutionary
war as follows; that he enlisted in the company commanded by
Captain Brown in the regiment commanded by Colonel Bigelow
in the line of the State of Massachusetts on the Continental
establishment. That his original declaration is dated May 6th
1818 and that his pension certificate is numbered 4,189.
And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident Citizen of the
United States, on the 18th day of March, 1818, and I have not
since that time, by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my
property, or any part thereof with intent, thereby to diminish it,
as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress
entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons, engaged in
the land and naval services of the United States, in the
Revolutionary war," passed on the 18th day of March, 1818,
and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any
property or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me, nor
have I any income, other than what is contained in the schedule,
hereto annexed, and by me subscribed-schedule of property,
necessary clothing and bedding excepted-to wit:
1 Tub and firkin --------.33
1 Iron pot--------------- -.75
1 Salt mortar-------------.12
1 Tea kettle--------------.75
1 Sugar box of Plates---.19
1 Tin tumbler ------------.6
1 Old Pail------------------.13
_______
2.33
That I am by occupation a Labourer that I am not able to labor,
that the number of my family residing with me is none.
(signed) Elisha Houghton
Sworn to, and declared on the Five day of July 1820, before the
said Court
Parker L Hall (illegible) pro tem
I Parker L Hall Clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas
within and for the County of Berkshire do hereby certify, that the
foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied
from the record of said Court; and I do further certify,that it is the
opinion of the said Court, that the total amount in value of the
property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is two dollars and
thirty three cents.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed
the seal of said Court on this ninth day of August 1820.
Parker L Hall }Clerk of the Court for the County of Berkshire."
ELISHA HOUGHTON'S PENSION FILE PT3
The next image is of the other side of Elisha's affidavit. It appears the piece
of paper was folded in half twice lengthways which created four panels. There
are some words I couldn't read and I note them in parentheses. Likewise,
there are two words I'm not sure I've read correctly so I've used a (?) to
show that.
The text above the first fold appears to be an earlier version of Justice
Samuel Putnam's certification of Elisha's testimony. Apparently he decided to
write it on the bottom of the first side instead. He didn't sign this version:
"I
do certify that it appears to my satisfaction
that the said Elisha Houghton did serve
in the revolutionary war as stated in
the within declaration against the common
enemy and I now transmit the procedings
and testimony taken and had before me
to the secretary for the department of war
pursuant to the directions of the (can't read it)
out of Congress-"
The second panel served as a cover to the document when it was folded
up. As such the writing is at a right angle to the rest of the page:
"Elisha Houghton
Bigelow's Mass. Regt.
Correct."
The third and fourth panels are statements by two witnesses as to the
character of Elisha Houghton and the truth of his story.
"I Asa Dean of Adams in the County of Berkshire Physician do certify
that I have known Elisha Houghton within mentioned a number
of years & that his reputation(?) for truth is good and I have no
no doubt of the truth of this notation(?) made by him within
mentioned as his story has always been the same (can't read)
his (can't read) Asa Dean
May 6th 1818
Sworn to before me
S. Putnam Just. S.J.C."
"I Nathan Putnam of Adams also do certify that I have
known Elisha Houghton a number of years & I have no
doubt but the certificate of Dr. Asa Dean above is true
Nathan Putnam
May 6. 1818
Sworn to before me
S. Putnam J.S.J.C."
of paper was folded in half twice lengthways which created four panels. There
are some words I couldn't read and I note them in parentheses. Likewise,
there are two words I'm not sure I've read correctly so I've used a (?) to
show that.
The text above the first fold appears to be an earlier version of Justice
Samuel Putnam's certification of Elisha's testimony. Apparently he decided to
write it on the bottom of the first side instead. He didn't sign this version:
"I
do certify that it appears to my satisfaction
that the said Elisha Houghton did serve
in the revolutionary war as stated in
the within declaration against the common
enemy and I now transmit the procedings
and testimony taken and had before me
to the secretary for the department of war
pursuant to the directions of the (can't read it)
out of Congress-"
The second panel served as a cover to the document when it was folded
up. As such the writing is at a right angle to the rest of the page:
"Elisha Houghton
Bigelow's Mass. Regt.
Correct."
The third and fourth panels are statements by two witnesses as to the
character of Elisha Houghton and the truth of his story.
"I Asa Dean of Adams in the County of Berkshire Physician do certify
that I have known Elisha Houghton within mentioned a number
of years & that his reputation(?) for truth is good and I have no
no doubt of the truth of this notation(?) made by him within
mentioned as his story has always been the same (can't read)
his (can't read) Asa Dean
May 6th 1818
Sworn to before me
S. Putnam Just. S.J.C."
"I Nathan Putnam of Adams also do certify that I have
known Elisha Houghton a number of years & I have no
doubt but the certificate of Dr. Asa Dean above is true
Nathan Putnam
May 6. 1818
Sworn to before me
S. Putnam J.S.J.C."
Thursday, June 27, 2019
ELISHA HOUGHTON'S PENSION FILE PT 2
((First posted in September 2012))
This next part of Elisha Houghton's pension file is an image
of a sheet of paper with handwriting on both sides. This side
is the more legible.The other side is a mess, so I'll discuss that
in the next installment.
"Commonwealth of Massachusetts
(“District of” crossed out) Berkshires of Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.On this sixth day of May 1818 Before me the
subscriber one of the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court
of said Commonwealth personally appears Elisha Houghton
aged sixty eight years resident in the town of Adams in said
district who being by me first duly sworn according to law
doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to
obtain the provisions made by the late act of congress entitled
`an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land
and naval services of the United States in the revolutionary war
` that the said Houghton enlisted as a private in May 1778 in
the town of Harvard in the state of Massachusetts in the
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown of the fifteenth
Regiment of commanded by Col. Timothy Bigelow.That he
continued in the service of the United States until May 1781
when he was discharged from service at West Point in the
State of Newyork. That he was in the Battles of Bunker Hill
Stillwater Monmouth and Newport and that he is in reduced
circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his
country for support and that he has no other evidence now in
his possession of his said services and relinquishes all claim
to any other Pension but what he now asks for.
Sworn to and declared before me this day and year aforesaid
Berks.ss S. Putnam Just
May 6 1818 S.J. Court of Massts
I Samuel Putnam one of the Justices of the aforesaid Court do
certify that it does appear to my satisfaction that the said Elisha
Houghton did serve in the Revolutionary war as stated in the
preceding declaration against the Common enemy and I now
transmit it the preceding and testimony taken here before me to
the Secretary of the Department of War. Given under my hand
at said Court.
S. Putnam Justice S.J. Court of Massachusetts"
This next part of Elisha Houghton's pension file is an image
of a sheet of paper with handwriting on both sides. This side
is the more legible.The other side is a mess, so I'll discuss that
in the next installment.
"Commonwealth of Massachusetts
(“District of” crossed out) Berkshires of Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.On this sixth day of May 1818 Before me the
subscriber one of the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court
of said Commonwealth personally appears Elisha Houghton
aged sixty eight years resident in the town of Adams in said
district who being by me first duly sworn according to law
doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to
obtain the provisions made by the late act of congress entitled
`an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land
and naval services of the United States in the revolutionary war
` that the said Houghton enlisted as a private in May 1778 in
the town of Harvard in the state of Massachusetts in the
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown of the fifteenth
Regiment of commanded by Col. Timothy Bigelow.That he
continued in the service of the United States until May 1781
when he was discharged from service at West Point in the
State of Newyork. That he was in the Battles of Bunker Hill
Stillwater Monmouth and Newport and that he is in reduced
circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his
country for support and that he has no other evidence now in
his possession of his said services and relinquishes all claim
to any other Pension but what he now asks for.
Sworn to and declared before me this day and year aforesaid
Berks.ss S. Putnam Just
May 6 1818 S.J. Court of Massts
I Samuel Putnam one of the Justices of the aforesaid Court do
certify that it does appear to my satisfaction that the said Elisha
Houghton did serve in the Revolutionary war as stated in the
preceding declaration against the Common enemy and I now
transmit it the preceding and testimony taken here before me to
the Secretary of the Department of War. Given under my hand
at said Court.
S. Putnam Justice S.J. Court of Massachusetts"
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
THE MILITARY SERVICE OF ELISHA HOUGHTON
((I first posted this material in 2012))
I was able to find Elisha Houghton's service records and muster rolls on
the Footnotes.com website (Now the Fold3 website). This is the information
they gave me in chronological order of his military career with the
Massachusetts 15th Regiment of the Continental Army in a company
commanded by Captain Joshua Brown. I've added three battles that
Elisha says in his pension file he was present at:
1May 1777 enlists for 3 years
19Sep 1777 Battle of Stillwater
1Nov 1777 appointed Sgt
10Dec 1777 Sick at Albany.
Jan 1778 reduced to ranks as Pvt.
21Feb 1778 On command at Albany Jan 1778
5Mar 1778 Sick in Albany Feb1778 Valley Forge
Apr 1778 Sick in camp March 1778 Valley Forge
2May 1778 On Guard Apr 1778 Valley Forge
2Jun 1778 Sgt May 1778 Valley Forge
28Jun 1778 Battle of Monmouth
29Aug 1778 Battle of Newport
25Sep 1779 reduced to ranks as Pvt.
1May 1780 discharged at "Camp near Robinson's Farm(?)"
(This doesn't include his previous service with the militia at Boston.)
Elisha seems to have had a tumultuous time in the army. He was made
a sergeant, busted down into the ranks as a private, regained his
original rank, and then was busted down again where he stayed until
he was mustered out of the army. So far I haven't been able to find
out what caused his reduction of rank twice. Was he a discipline
problem? Many of the New England natives who'd joined the
Continental Army were used to the less formal discipline of the
their own militia. Unless Elisha did something notable enough to
make the journal of one of his officers I may never find out what
he did.
In an earlier post on Elisha in 2009 I raised a question about terms.
I knew what "on guard" meant and of course "sick", but what did "on
command" mean? Not finding much information on my own I asked my
friends on Facebook if anyone knew what the term meant. I received
answers and suggestions from genealogist and non-genealogist friends
alike, and I finally decided that the best explanation was that Elisha
was either on a special detail or detached duty from his company
during those periods he was "on command". Fellow blogger Susan
Clark of Nolichucky Roots sent me a link to a Google ebook that seems
to confirm my theory:
"The term "on command," as given on the published returns of the
Revolutionary Army, is understood to be equivalent to the term
"on detached service," as used at the present day, and the number
of men so reported should be included with the number of "
present and fit for duty" to determine the effective force of the Army. . ."
((A letter from Col F.C. Ainsworth, quoted in The Scotch-Irish:
Or, The Scot in North Britain, North Ireland, and North America, Volume 1
by Charles Augustus Hanna, G.P. Putnam & Sons, 1902, p.7))
So that's an overview of Elisha Houghton's Revolutionary War service
before I start the transcription of his pension file.
I was able to find Elisha Houghton's service records and muster rolls on
the Footnotes.com website (Now the Fold3 website). This is the information
they gave me in chronological order of his military career with the
Massachusetts 15th Regiment of the Continental Army in a company
commanded by Captain Joshua Brown. I've added three battles that
Elisha says in his pension file he was present at:
1May 1777 enlists for 3 years
19Sep 1777 Battle of Stillwater
1Nov 1777 appointed Sgt
10Dec 1777 Sick at Albany.
Jan 1778 reduced to ranks as Pvt.
21Feb 1778 On command at Albany Jan 1778
5Mar 1778 Sick in Albany Feb1778 Valley Forge
Apr 1778 Sick in camp March 1778 Valley Forge
2May 1778 On Guard Apr 1778 Valley Forge
2Jun 1778 Sgt May 1778 Valley Forge
28Jun 1778 Battle of Monmouth
29Aug 1778 Battle of Newport
25Sep 1779 reduced to ranks as Pvt.
1May 1780 discharged at "Camp near Robinson's Farm(?)"
(This doesn't include his previous service with the militia at Boston.)
Elisha seems to have had a tumultuous time in the army. He was made
a sergeant, busted down into the ranks as a private, regained his
original rank, and then was busted down again where he stayed until
he was mustered out of the army. So far I haven't been able to find
out what caused his reduction of rank twice. Was he a discipline
problem? Many of the New England natives who'd joined the
Continental Army were used to the less formal discipline of the
their own militia. Unless Elisha did something notable enough to
make the journal of one of his officers I may never find out what
he did.
In an earlier post on Elisha in 2009 I raised a question about terms.
I knew what "on guard" meant and of course "sick", but what did "on
command" mean? Not finding much information on my own I asked my
friends on Facebook if anyone knew what the term meant. I received
answers and suggestions from genealogist and non-genealogist friends
alike, and I finally decided that the best explanation was that Elisha
was either on a special detail or detached duty from his company
during those periods he was "on command". Fellow blogger Susan
Clark of Nolichucky Roots sent me a link to a Google ebook that seems
to confirm my theory:
"The term "on command," as given on the published returns of the
Revolutionary Army, is understood to be equivalent to the term
"on detached service," as used at the present day, and the number
of men so reported should be included with the number of "
present and fit for duty" to determine the effective force of the Army. . ."
((A letter from Col F.C. Ainsworth, quoted in The Scotch-Irish:
Or, The Scot in North Britain, North Ireland, and North America, Volume 1
by Charles Augustus Hanna, G.P. Putnam & Sons, 1902, p.7))
So that's an overview of Elisha Houghton's Revolutionary War service
before I start the transcription of his pension file.
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 26: ELISHA HOUGHTON OF FITCHBURG MA.
My 5x great grandfather Elisha Houghton, like his father Ephraim, got only a brief mention in the Houghton Genealogy. But because one of his descendants was a prominent clergyman in Pennsylvania, he got a slightly longer entry in a book edited by John Woolf Jordan:
(IV) Elisha, son of Ephraim and Hannah (Sawyer) Houghton, was born July 20, 1746. He resided at Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Children: 1. Maria, born 1777. 2. Moses, of whom further. 3. Aaron, twin of Moses, born March 22, 1781, died November 24, 1842; married, September 13, 1804, Martha Eaton.=p149
Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania, Volume 1 Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913 New York, New York
Elisha married Meriah Peirce in Harvard, Ma. on 30 Nov 1768 where his daghter Maria was born. After the Revolutionary War his twin sons Aaron and Moses were born in Fitchburg,.The family also lived for a time in Adams, Ma. but eventually Elisha ended up moving to Vermont where he died on 18 Nov 1826 in the town of Shaftsbury.
Luckily for me there were records online of Elisha's service in the Revolutionary War as well as his Pension File. I first blogged about them back in 2012 but I'm going to repost them in the next few blog entries.
(IV) Elisha, son of Ephraim and Hannah (Sawyer) Houghton, was born July 20, 1746. He resided at Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Children: 1. Maria, born 1777. 2. Moses, of whom further. 3. Aaron, twin of Moses, born March 22, 1781, died November 24, 1842; married, September 13, 1804, Martha Eaton.=p149
Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania, Volume 1 Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913 New York, New York
Elisha married Meriah Peirce in Harvard, Ma. on 30 Nov 1768 where his daghter Maria was born. After the Revolutionary War his twin sons Aaron and Moses were born in Fitchburg,.The family also lived for a time in Adams, Ma. but eventually Elisha ended up moving to Vermont where he died on 18 Nov 1826 in the town of Shaftsbury.
Luckily for me there were records online of Elisha's service in the Revolutionary War as well as his Pension File. I first blogged about them back in 2012 but I'm going to repost them in the next few blog entries.
Monday, June 24, 2019
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 25:EPHRAIM HOUGHTON OFLANCASTER MA.
6x great grandfather Ephraim Houghton is one of the people who I now think of as a "Between Ancestor": someone who is overshadowed by his parents and his children. There is very little about him online and what there is are mostly mentions of his second marriage to the widow of a Harvard University graduate.
Poor Ephraim even gets short shrift in the Houghton Genealogy written by John W Houghton:
(136) Ch. of EPHRAIM' HOUGHTON and Hannah Sawyer (James^, Ralph^).
170 i Ephraim*, b. 12, 1, 1727.
171 ii Joseph, b. 10, 12, 1731.
172 iii * Elisha, b. 7, 20, 1746. Res., Fitchburg, Mass.
172a iv Eunice. -p100
Houghton family genealogy F.A. Hitchcock, Pub. New York, N.Y. 1912
And that's it! Not only that, the author gives Ephraim's wife's name as Hannah while Lancaster, Ma. town records say it was Sarah Sawyer, Ephraim's 1st cousin.She died on 28May 1761. Ephraim married his second wife, the widow Lois Rogers, five months later in December.
Ephraim died on 15May 1777 and left a will, in which he named my 5x great grandfather Elisha Houghton as executor of his estate which included acting as guardian for Ephraim's oldest son, William, who was mentally handicapped.
Elisha declined the executorship in favor of his stepmother Lois. At first I was puzzled why Elisha had done this. But then I realized he wasn't able to perform the duties his father had expected of him.
Ephraim had died on 15May 1777.
But Elisha had enlisted in the Continental Army on 1May 1777 for three years. He would not be home for awhile.
Poor Ephraim even gets short shrift in the Houghton Genealogy written by John W Houghton:
(136) Ch. of EPHRAIM' HOUGHTON and Hannah Sawyer (James^, Ralph^).
170 i Ephraim*, b. 12, 1, 1727.
171 ii Joseph, b. 10, 12, 1731.
172 iii * Elisha, b. 7, 20, 1746. Res., Fitchburg, Mass.
172a iv Eunice. -p100
Houghton family genealogy F.A. Hitchcock, Pub. New York, N.Y. 1912
And that's it! Not only that, the author gives Ephraim's wife's name as Hannah while Lancaster, Ma. town records say it was Sarah Sawyer, Ephraim's 1st cousin.She died on 28May 1761. Ephraim married his second wife, the widow Lois Rogers, five months later in December.
Ephraim died on 15May 1777 and left a will, in which he named my 5x great grandfather Elisha Houghton as executor of his estate which included acting as guardian for Ephraim's oldest son, William, who was mentally handicapped.
Elisha declined the executorship in favor of his stepmother Lois. At first I was puzzled why Elisha had done this. But then I realized he wasn't able to perform the duties his father had expected of him.
Ephraim had died on 15May 1777.
But Elisha had enlisted in the Continental Army on 1May 1777 for three years. He would not be home for awhile.
Monday, June 17, 2019
ELISHA HOUGHTON HAD A GUN....AND THEN HE DIDN'T.
((Today is the 244th Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Several of my ancestors took
part in the battles, including my 5x great grandfather Elisha Houghton. I first posted this on 21
August, 2012:))
I mentioned my ancestor Elisha Houghton the other day and
that he was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. I found this
story about him in History of the Town of Harvard, Massachusetts
1732-1893 by Henry Steadman Nourse (p323):
"Coliney of the Massachusetts Bay.
To the Honnorabel General Coart seting at Watertown the Petion
of Elisha Houghton a Solder under Comand of Captan Hastings in Conl
Whitcomb's Rigement in the year 1775 and I was in the fight on Bunkers
hill So Called in Charlston on the 17 of June in the year 1775 as above
sd and on my Return I and others Lited on one Jacob Davis who was
wounded who requested our help and in tacking Care of the sd Davis
Caused me your Petinor to take Mistick Road to convey the sd Davis to
where he thought he could be tacken Care of and in so Doing 1 came
acros by Winter hill to go to head Quater at Cambridge and in Coming
by the Gard of Connal Starks which was set on sd hill they took away
my Gun which I and others that Knew sd Gun Judged to be worth teen
Dolers. I Endevuered to Recover my Gun again but was Denied the
Same which may be made Evident to this Coart by Reading the Paper
acompining this Petition. 1 also Sertify this Coart that I have Never
Reseved my Gun since Nor any Consideration for the same. I therefore
your Poor Petitioner Humbly Pray that this Coart would be Pleased to
take my Case into your Consideration and alow me Pay for my Gun
and your Petitioner as in Duty bound Shall Ever Pray. Bolton Jan. the —
1776 Elisha Houghton
This may Certify that Elisha Houghton of Col Whitcomb's Regiment
in Capt. Hasting's Company was in the Action on Bunker's hill and
helping bringing the wounded men off to Cambridge went mistick Road over
Winter hill and the Guard that was set on winter hill took away the Guns,
and this sd Houghton's Gun was among the Rest, the next Day with [a]
number of others sd Houghton went in order to Get his Gun with an officer
with him, but could not find it and have Never heard of it since—as I know of.
Josiah Whitney, Lt. Col. of sd Rgmt.
Dorchester Camp Febury 29th. 1776"
I don't know if Elisha ever got recompensed for his lost gun, but I suspect he
was one of the earliest victims of "requisitioning" in the American military tradition.
part in the battles, including my 5x great grandfather Elisha Houghton. I first posted this on 21
August, 2012:))
I mentioned my ancestor Elisha Houghton the other day and
that he was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. I found this
story about him in History of the Town of Harvard, Massachusetts
1732-1893 by Henry Steadman Nourse (p323):
"Coliney of the Massachusetts Bay.
To the Honnorabel General Coart seting at Watertown the Petion
of Elisha Houghton a Solder under Comand of Captan Hastings in Conl
Whitcomb's Rigement in the year 1775 and I was in the fight on Bunkers
hill So Called in Charlston on the 17 of June in the year 1775 as above
sd and on my Return I and others Lited on one Jacob Davis who was
wounded who requested our help and in tacking Care of the sd Davis
Caused me your Petinor to take Mistick Road to convey the sd Davis to
where he thought he could be tacken Care of and in so Doing 1 came
acros by Winter hill to go to head Quater at Cambridge and in Coming
by the Gard of Connal Starks which was set on sd hill they took away
my Gun which I and others that Knew sd Gun Judged to be worth teen
Dolers. I Endevuered to Recover my Gun again but was Denied the
Same which may be made Evident to this Coart by Reading the Paper
acompining this Petition. 1 also Sertify this Coart that I have Never
Reseved my Gun since Nor any Consideration for the same. I therefore
your Poor Petitioner Humbly Pray that this Coart would be Pleased to
take my Case into your Consideration and alow me Pay for my Gun
and your Petitioner as in Duty bound Shall Ever Pray. Bolton Jan. the —
1776 Elisha Houghton
This may Certify that Elisha Houghton of Col Whitcomb's Regiment
in Capt. Hasting's Company was in the Action on Bunker's hill and
helping bringing the wounded men off to Cambridge went mistick Road over
Winter hill and the Guard that was set on winter hill took away the Guns,
and this sd Houghton's Gun was among the Rest, the next Day with [a]
number of others sd Houghton went in order to Get his Gun with an officer
with him, but could not find it and have Never heard of it since—as I know of.
Josiah Whitney, Lt. Col. of sd Rgmt.
Dorchester Camp Febury 29th. 1776"
I don't know if Elisha ever got recompensed for his lost gun, but I suspect he
was one of the earliest victims of "requisitioning" in the American military tradition.
Monday, June 10, 2019
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 24:JAMES HOUGHTON OF HARVARD MA.
My 7x great grandfather James Houghton returned to Lancaster, Ma. after the Indian raids and settled in the part of town now known as Harvard, Ma. He built a garrison house that was still standing when Ellery Bicknell Crane wrote the following:
(lll) James Houghton, son of Ralph Houghton (2), born in Lancaster, in 1661. (This date is given in the American Ancestry.) It is stated by some writers that he was born before the family came to Lancaster. Ralph Houghton's family was among the first to come, and was doubtless living there by 1650. James Houghton settled first on the Neck but removed to Still river before the massacre in 1697. with his brother-in-law, Caleb Sawyer, and built upon lands given him by his father, Ralph Houghton. He had eight children. The second son, Ralph, was a soldier in the Acadian expedition to Canada and died in 1710, in the service. His brother James was his administrator.
James Houghton died in 1711. His will was proved September 11, 1711. His widow was the Widow Mary Houghton mentioned in the list of those in the garrison house in 1711. The garrison house of James Houghton has descended from father to son for five generations, and has been occupied the longest of any in old Lancaster, continuously in the same family. The present house is a capacious farm house, including at least three structures, all ancient. The west end is the original garrison house which sheltered the families of the neighborhoods from Indian raids. It was built from 1692 to 1704. The first chimney was of stone, and the huge foundations still fills half the cellar. It was early replaced by the present many-flued brick pile, with eight fire places, ovens, cupboards, and smoke closet, where there is room enough to cure simultaneously the hams and shoulders of a dozen swine. Many of the little windows remain, though the sash has been renewed, at nearly double the height now thought convenient. The walls are filled with brick and stone so as to be bullet proof. The huge oak beams and plates show for a third of their length below plaster and laths. These timbers are 12x14 inches. Once when it became necessary to remove some of the panels of the wainscoting, during renovavations. the wood was found to be unpainted soft pine without knot or check, of excellent workmanship, thought to be from the hand of James Houghton. himself a carpenter, and builder of his own house. The house passed to Thomas Houghton, his son, also ancestor of Stillman Houghton. It passed to his son Elijah, to his son Thomas, to his son Cephas and then to his son now or lately the owner, Edward Warren Houghton, of Harvard, Massachusetts, as that section of Lancaster is now known.
Children of James and Mary Houghton were:
1. James, born 1690; married Sarah (called James Houghton, Sr., to distinguish him from James Houghton, son of Jonas Houghton, a younger man). 2. Ralph, died in service in Canada, his brother James administered his estate. 3. John. 4. Thomas (see forward). 5. Edward (see Houghton family under Knapp family). 6. Ephraim, joined in deed, with Edward and James, to Jonas. 7. Hannah. 8. Experience. In 1723 Ephraim, Edward, Thomas and John, sons of James, lived in the vicinity of the old house in Harvard. James Houghton, who married Sarah, was not there at that time.-p264
Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 1 Lewis Publishing Company, New York, New York 1907
James' wife was Mary Sawyer is not only my 7x great grandmother but also a distant cousin because I am also descended from her grandfather John Prescott on the Barker side of my family.
James' and Mary's son Ephraim is my 6x great grandfather.
(lll) James Houghton, son of Ralph Houghton (2), born in Lancaster, in 1661. (This date is given in the American Ancestry.) It is stated by some writers that he was born before the family came to Lancaster. Ralph Houghton's family was among the first to come, and was doubtless living there by 1650. James Houghton settled first on the Neck but removed to Still river before the massacre in 1697. with his brother-in-law, Caleb Sawyer, and built upon lands given him by his father, Ralph Houghton. He had eight children. The second son, Ralph, was a soldier in the Acadian expedition to Canada and died in 1710, in the service. His brother James was his administrator.
James Houghton died in 1711. His will was proved September 11, 1711. His widow was the Widow Mary Houghton mentioned in the list of those in the garrison house in 1711. The garrison house of James Houghton has descended from father to son for five generations, and has been occupied the longest of any in old Lancaster, continuously in the same family. The present house is a capacious farm house, including at least three structures, all ancient. The west end is the original garrison house which sheltered the families of the neighborhoods from Indian raids. It was built from 1692 to 1704. The first chimney was of stone, and the huge foundations still fills half the cellar. It was early replaced by the present many-flued brick pile, with eight fire places, ovens, cupboards, and smoke closet, where there is room enough to cure simultaneously the hams and shoulders of a dozen swine. Many of the little windows remain, though the sash has been renewed, at nearly double the height now thought convenient. The walls are filled with brick and stone so as to be bullet proof. The huge oak beams and plates show for a third of their length below plaster and laths. These timbers are 12x14 inches. Once when it became necessary to remove some of the panels of the wainscoting, during renovavations. the wood was found to be unpainted soft pine without knot or check, of excellent workmanship, thought to be from the hand of James Houghton. himself a carpenter, and builder of his own house. The house passed to Thomas Houghton, his son, also ancestor of Stillman Houghton. It passed to his son Elijah, to his son Thomas, to his son Cephas and then to his son now or lately the owner, Edward Warren Houghton, of Harvard, Massachusetts, as that section of Lancaster is now known.
Children of James and Mary Houghton were:
1. James, born 1690; married Sarah (called James Houghton, Sr., to distinguish him from James Houghton, son of Jonas Houghton, a younger man). 2. Ralph, died in service in Canada, his brother James administered his estate. 3. John. 4. Thomas (see forward). 5. Edward (see Houghton family under Knapp family). 6. Ephraim, joined in deed, with Edward and James, to Jonas. 7. Hannah. 8. Experience. In 1723 Ephraim, Edward, Thomas and John, sons of James, lived in the vicinity of the old house in Harvard. James Houghton, who married Sarah, was not there at that time.-p264
Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 1 Lewis Publishing Company, New York, New York 1907
James' wife was Mary Sawyer is not only my 7x great grandmother but also a distant cousin because I am also descended from her grandfather John Prescott on the Barker side of my family.
James' and Mary's son Ephraim is my 6x great grandfather.
Saturday, June 08, 2019
WHOSIWHATSIS LIVED NEAR THE HOOSIC-WHISICK POND
((First posted in Nov.2011 ))
My ancestor Ralph Houghton was one the original settlers of Lancaster Ma.
But the town was abandoned after the destruction of the town in 1675/6 in
the colonial Indian Wars.Ralph and the other townsfolk retreated back to
the coast by Boston until it was once more safe to go back to Lancaster.
But while he and some of his children did return, Ralph himself eventually
ended his days on a farm in the safer location of Milton Ma.
Ralph's land sits near the Blue Hills and among it's features was a spring
fed pond that the local Indian's called the Hoosic-Whisck. While the
Indian name was still occasionally used as late as the early 1900's, over
time the pond became known simply as Houghton's Pond.. Today the
pond and the land Ralph Houghton once farmed are part of the Blue
Hills Reservation where among other things copperhead and timber
rattlesnakes roam in sight of the skyscrapers of Boston.
Milton is right next to the Dorchester and Mattapan sections of Boston
and when we were kids our parents occasionally took us to Houghton's
Pond for a swim during the summer(although not as often as we went to
Houghs Neck in Quincy). It amazed me when I started researching the
family tree to find out we had went swimming in a place named after
someone we were related to and we never had a clue!
My ancestor Ralph Houghton was one the original settlers of Lancaster Ma.
But the town was abandoned after the destruction of the town in 1675/6 in
the colonial Indian Wars.Ralph and the other townsfolk retreated back to
the coast by Boston until it was once more safe to go back to Lancaster.
But while he and some of his children did return, Ralph himself eventually
ended his days on a farm in the safer location of Milton Ma.
Ralph's land sits near the Blue Hills and among it's features was a spring
fed pond that the local Indian's called the Hoosic-Whisck. While the
Indian name was still occasionally used as late as the early 1900's, over
time the pond became known simply as Houghton's Pond.. Today the
pond and the land Ralph Houghton once farmed are part of the Blue
Hills Reservation where among other things copperhead and timber
rattlesnakes roam in sight of the skyscrapers of Boston.
Milton is right next to the Dorchester and Mattapan sections of Boston
and when we were kids our parents occasionally took us to Houghton's
Pond for a swim during the summer(although not as often as we went to
Houghs Neck in Quincy). It amazed me when I started researching the
family tree to find out we had went swimming in a place named after
someone we were related to and we never had a clue!
Thursday, June 06, 2019
52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 23: RALPH HOUGHTON OF LANCASTER & MILTON, MA.
My 8x great grandfather Ratcliffe Ralph Houghton was an immigrant from England who was one of five founders of the town of Lancaster, Ma. Ellery Bicknell Crane wrote this about my ancestor:
II) Ralph Houghton, son of Sir Richard Houghton (t), born in England, in 1633; died April 15, 1705, in Lancaster. He is believed to have emigratedo New England in 1635. He was in Lancaster in 1647, and was one of the founders of that town with five others: Edward Breck, Nathaniel Hadlock, William Kerley, Thomas Sawyer. John Prescott. He was the first town clerk, and the writing of the early records in his hand show that he was not only a good penman but well educated. His home was on the Neck. He was town clerk for many years: was admitted a freeman in 1668, and was deputy to the general court in 1673-89. He was one of the leaders, and was identified with the organization of the town and its government until his death. He had to abandon his home with the others at the time of King Philip's war in 1675. In 1682 he settled in Milton. He returned to his Lancaster home in 1685, but was again in Milton in 1690, and built a homestead there in which seven generations of descendants have been born. He married Jane __ who was born 1626, in England, and died January 10, 1700-1. Their children were: 1. Mary, born January 4, 1654. 2. John, born April 28, 1655. 3. Joseph, born July 6, 1657: settled in Milton. 4. Experience, born October 1, 1659; married May 22, 1784, Ezra Clapp. of Dorchester. 5. James (see forward). 6. Sarah, born February 17, 1664. Ralph Houghton, of Dorchester (Milton later), was lost at Port Royal June 7, 1782, aged twenty-eight, in the earthquake.-pp263-264
Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 1 Lewis Publishing Company, New York, New York 1907
Two of the other five founders of Lancaster mentioned in that excerpt are also my ancestors John Prescott is my 9x great grandfather, Thomas Sawyer is my 8x grandfather. I am descended from Ralph Houghton's son James.
II) Ralph Houghton, son of Sir Richard Houghton (t), born in England, in 1633; died April 15, 1705, in Lancaster. He is believed to have emigratedo New England in 1635. He was in Lancaster in 1647, and was one of the founders of that town with five others: Edward Breck, Nathaniel Hadlock, William Kerley, Thomas Sawyer. John Prescott. He was the first town clerk, and the writing of the early records in his hand show that he was not only a good penman but well educated. His home was on the Neck. He was town clerk for many years: was admitted a freeman in 1668, and was deputy to the general court in 1673-89. He was one of the leaders, and was identified with the organization of the town and its government until his death. He had to abandon his home with the others at the time of King Philip's war in 1675. In 1682 he settled in Milton. He returned to his Lancaster home in 1685, but was again in Milton in 1690, and built a homestead there in which seven generations of descendants have been born. He married Jane __ who was born 1626, in England, and died January 10, 1700-1. Their children were: 1. Mary, born January 4, 1654. 2. John, born April 28, 1655. 3. Joseph, born July 6, 1657: settled in Milton. 4. Experience, born October 1, 1659; married May 22, 1784, Ezra Clapp. of Dorchester. 5. James (see forward). 6. Sarah, born February 17, 1664. Ralph Houghton, of Dorchester (Milton later), was lost at Port Royal June 7, 1782, aged twenty-eight, in the earthquake.-pp263-264
Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts: With a History of Worcester Society of Antiquity, Volume 1 Lewis Publishing Company, New York, New York 1907
Two of the other five founders of Lancaster mentioned in that excerpt are also my ancestors John Prescott is my 9x great grandfather, Thomas Sawyer is my 8x grandfather. I am descended from Ralph Houghton's son James.
THE HOUGHTON AND HASKELL LINES
Next in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks I'll be moving on to the marernal ancestors of my 2xgreat grandmother Florilla(Dunham) Ellingwood. Her mother was Sally Houghton, daughter of Moses Houghton and Martha Haskell.
The Houghton line goes back to immigrant ancestor "Ratcliffe" Ralph Houghton and includes marriages with the Peirce and Sawyer families.Those marriages connect with many other early colonial families, primarily in Essex County, Ma.
The Haskells are connected by marriage to the Safford, Willards, Yorks and Browns, and go back to immigrant ancestor William Haskell Sr.
I've done some blogposts on members of these families some years ago and I'll be reposting some of the more interesting ones along with new posts as I go along.
The Houghton line goes back to immigrant ancestor "Ratcliffe" Ralph Houghton and includes marriages with the Peirce and Sawyer families.Those marriages connect with many other early colonial families, primarily in Essex County, Ma.
I've done some blogposts on members of these families some years ago and I'll be reposting some of the more interesting ones along with new posts as I go along.
Friday, April 19, 2019
THE SHOT HEARD `ROUND THE WORLD
Today is the 244th Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington & Concord which
started the American Revolution on 19Apr 1775. They were celebrated Monday in
Massachusetts on Patriots Day, the third Monday in April, when the Boston Marathon is run.
These are our colonial ancestors from our Dad's family lines for whom I have
so far been able to discover records that they took part in those battles and served in the
Revolution:
Jonathan Barker Jr. My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman from Methuen Ma with rank of Sergeant.
He responded to Lexington and Concord with his sons
Served in Captain Samuel Johnson's Company in
Colonel Titcomb's Regiment for 2 months in 1777 in Rhode
Island and then with Nathaniel Gage's Company in Colonel
Jacob Gerrish's guards from Dec 1777 to l Apr 1778 guarding
the captured troops of General Burgoyne.
Jonathan Barker 3rd My 4x great grandfather
Enlisted on 19 Apr 1775 in Continental Army, Capt. John
Davis' Company, Col. James Frye's Regiment, in the
Massachusetts line for 8 months in Cambridge, Ma. At the
conclusion of the term, he reenlisted for another 3 months in
Capt John Allen's Company, Colonel John Waldron's Regiment,
General Sullivan's Brigade in the New Hampshire Brigade at
Charlestown, Ma. He then enlisted a third time in June 1778
at Methuen, Ma., joining Captain Samuel Carr's Company, Col.
James Weston's Regiment, in General Lerned's Brigade at
White Plains, N.Y. and serving for another 9 months.
John Ames My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman under Capt. Asa Parker on April 19th,
1775. He then enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain
Oliver Parker, Col. William Prescott's Regiment and
in the Brigade that was commanded in turn by Generals
Putnam, Lee, and Washington and served for 8 1/2 months.
Asa Barrows My 4x great grandfather
A member of the militia from Middleborough , Ma. (south of
Boston) in the Company of Captain Joshua Benson, in Colonel
Cotton's Regiment, and General William Heath's Brigade for
8 months during the siege of Boston. In December 1776 he
joined a militia Company commanded by Captain Joshua
Perkins and marched to Barrington, R.I. and was stationed
there for 6 weeks. In July 1780 he again enlisted, this time
in a militia company commanded by Captain Perez Churchill
that marched to Tiverton, R.I. .
Moses Coburn My 4x great grandfather
Moses Coburn got into the War late and by reason of being
"hired by a certain class of men in the then town of Dunstable
to go into the Continental Army in the summer of 1781."
When he reached Phillipsburgh in New York he was placed in
Captain Benjamin Pike's Company, in the Regiment of the
Massachusetts line commanded by Lt. Colonel Calvin Smith in
which he served for nearly two years until it was broken up.
He then transferred to the Company of Judah Alden in the
Regiment commanded by Colonel Sprouts until his discharge
in 1783.
Samuel Haskell My 5x great grandfather
Samuel served in Captain Joseph Elliott's Company in Colonel
William Turner's Regiment and then under Captain Hezekiah
Whitney in Colonel Josiah Whitney's Regiment.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
Amos responded to the Lexington Alarm as part of
Captain Richard Ayer's Company and Colonel William
Johnson's Regiment. He later served in Captain Timothy
Eaton's Company in Colonel Edward Wigglesworth's Regiment
and was at the taking of the British General Burgoyne at
Ticonderoga.
Elisha Houghton 5x great grandfather
Enlisted at Harvard Ma as a Private in May of 1777 in the
Massachusetts militia and was at the Battles of Bunker Hill
and Stillwater. He then enlisted for three years in the infantry
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in Colonel
Timothy Bigelow's 15th Regiment of the Massachusetts line.
and took part in the Battles of Monmouth and Newport and
was at Valley Forge. He twice was promoted to Sergeant and
twice was busted back down to the ranks.
Amos Upton My 5x great grandfather
Responded to the Lexington Alarm and marched there from
his home in Reading. He later joined the militia company
commanded by Captain Asa Prince as an orderly sergeant
and then enlisted for eight months in the Continental Army
under Colonel Mansfield. He was at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
He was discharged in October of 1775.
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted in 1781 as a Matross (he swabbed out the barrel of
the cannons after they fired, or so I've been told) in Captain
William Treadwell's Company in Colonel John Crane's
Artillery Regiment.
Reuben Packard My 5x great grandfather
A Sergeant in Captain Josiah Hayden's Company in Colonel
Bailey's militia. They marched to Lexington at news of the
Alarm. He also responded several more times as a Minuteman
for a total of nearly 8 months duty.
Jonathan Abbott My 5x great grandfather
Served as a Sergeant in the Militia under Captain Henry
Abbott and responded to the Lexington Alarm
Samuel Stowe My 5x great grandfather
Minuteman from Sherborn, Ma. Served in Capt. Benjamin Bullard's
Company in Col. Asa Whitcomb's 5th Massachusetts Bay
Provincial Regiment.
Besides those direct ancestors, these other relatives fought
in the Revolution:
Moses Barrows, brother to Asa Barrows.
Samuel, Jesse, and Benjamin Barker, sons of Jonathan
Barker, Jr. and brothers to Jonathan Barker 3rd.
James Swan, brother in law to Jonathan Barker.
started the American Revolution on 19Apr 1775. They were celebrated Monday in
Massachusetts on Patriots Day, the third Monday in April, when the Boston Marathon is run.
These are our colonial ancestors from our Dad's family lines for whom I have
so far been able to discover records that they took part in those battles and served in the
Revolution:
Jonathan Barker Jr. My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman from Methuen Ma with rank of Sergeant.
He responded to Lexington and Concord with his sons
Served in Captain Samuel Johnson's Company in
Colonel Titcomb's Regiment for 2 months in 1777 in Rhode
Island and then with Nathaniel Gage's Company in Colonel
Jacob Gerrish's guards from Dec 1777 to l Apr 1778 guarding
the captured troops of General Burgoyne.
Jonathan Barker 3rd My 4x great grandfather
Enlisted on 19 Apr 1775 in Continental Army, Capt. John
Davis' Company, Col. James Frye's Regiment, in the
Massachusetts line for 8 months in Cambridge, Ma. At the
conclusion of the term, he reenlisted for another 3 months in
Capt John Allen's Company, Colonel John Waldron's Regiment,
General Sullivan's Brigade in the New Hampshire Brigade at
Charlestown, Ma. He then enlisted a third time in June 1778
at Methuen, Ma., joining Captain Samuel Carr's Company, Col.
James Weston's Regiment, in General Lerned's Brigade at
White Plains, N.Y. and serving for another 9 months.
John Ames My 5x great grandfather
Was a Minuteman under Capt. Asa Parker on April 19th,
1775. He then enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain
Oliver Parker, Col. William Prescott's Regiment and
in the Brigade that was commanded in turn by Generals
Putnam, Lee, and Washington and served for 8 1/2 months.
Asa Barrows My 4x great grandfather
A member of the militia from Middleborough , Ma. (south of
Boston) in the Company of Captain Joshua Benson, in Colonel
Cotton's Regiment, and General William Heath's Brigade for
8 months during the siege of Boston. In December 1776 he
joined a militia Company commanded by Captain Joshua
Perkins and marched to Barrington, R.I. and was stationed
there for 6 weeks. In July 1780 he again enlisted, this time
in a militia company commanded by Captain Perez Churchill
that marched to Tiverton, R.I. .
Moses Coburn My 4x great grandfather
Moses Coburn got into the War late and by reason of being
"hired by a certain class of men in the then town of Dunstable
to go into the Continental Army in the summer of 1781."
When he reached Phillipsburgh in New York he was placed in
Captain Benjamin Pike's Company, in the Regiment of the
Massachusetts line commanded by Lt. Colonel Calvin Smith in
which he served for nearly two years until it was broken up.
He then transferred to the Company of Judah Alden in the
Regiment commanded by Colonel Sprouts until his discharge
in 1783.
Samuel Haskell My 5x great grandfather
Samuel served in Captain Joseph Elliott's Company in Colonel
William Turner's Regiment and then under Captain Hezekiah
Whitney in Colonel Josiah Whitney's Regiment.
Amos Hastings My 5x great grandfather
Amos responded to the Lexington Alarm as part of
Captain Richard Ayer's Company and Colonel William
Johnson's Regiment. He later served in Captain Timothy
Eaton's Company in Colonel Edward Wigglesworth's Regiment
and was at the taking of the British General Burgoyne at
Ticonderoga.
Elisha Houghton 5x great grandfather
Enlisted at Harvard Ma as a Private in May of 1777 in the
Massachusetts militia and was at the Battles of Bunker Hill
and Stillwater. He then enlisted for three years in the infantry
company commanded by Captain Joshua Brown in Colonel
Timothy Bigelow's 15th Regiment of the Massachusetts line.
and took part in the Battles of Monmouth and Newport and
was at Valley Forge. He twice was promoted to Sergeant and
twice was busted back down to the ranks.
Amos Upton My 5x great grandfather
Responded to the Lexington Alarm and marched there from
his home in Reading. He later joined the militia company
commanded by Captain Asa Prince as an orderly sergeant
and then enlisted for eight months in the Continental Army
under Colonel Mansfield. He was at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
He was discharged in October of 1775.
John Griffith My 5x great grandfather
Enlisted in 1781 as a Matross (he swabbed out the barrel of
the cannons after they fired, or so I've been told) in Captain
William Treadwell's Company in Colonel John Crane's
Artillery Regiment.
Reuben Packard My 5x great grandfather
A Sergeant in Captain Josiah Hayden's Company in Colonel
Bailey's militia. They marched to Lexington at news of the
Alarm. He also responded several more times as a Minuteman
for a total of nearly 8 months duty.
Jonathan Abbott My 5x great grandfather
Served as a Sergeant in the Militia under Captain Henry
Abbott and responded to the Lexington Alarm
Samuel Stowe My 5x great grandfather
Minuteman from Sherborn, Ma. Served in Capt. Benjamin Bullard's
Company in Col. Asa Whitcomb's 5th Massachusetts Bay
Provincial Regiment.
Besides those direct ancestors, these other relatives fought
in the Revolution:
Moses Barrows, brother to Asa Barrows.
Samuel, Jesse, and Benjamin Barker, sons of Jonathan
Barker, Jr. and brothers to Jonathan Barker 3rd.
James Swan, brother in law to Jonathan Barker.
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