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.

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.

THE SHOT HEARD `ROUND THE WORLD

Today is the 243nd 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.

THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD

Today is the 242nd 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.

THE "HOT MESS" PROBATE FILE OF NATHANIEL STOW JR PT6

The next three images in Nathaniel Stow's probate file are still pretty straight forward. Image 11 is a letter from Nathaniel's heirs to the judge in which they name the people they've chosen as the commissioners to appraise the value of the estate and then divide it up. It's dated 9Apr 1726 and I've transcribed it as written (except that I  can't reproduce how some letters in abbreviated words are slightly above the rest of line.)

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.11

To the Honorable Judge of Probates for the County of Middsx
These may Certify that wee the subscribers do make Choyce
of the men hereafter named to be Commissioners to
Apprise the Fathers Nathaniel Real Estate of our Father
Nathaniel Stow of Concord in sd County deseast: Capt John
Flint mr Samll Jones mr Samll meriam mr Daniel
Brooks Junr mr Samll Straten all of Concord afore sd
as witness our hands this 9th Day of April 1726


Mary Stow her x mark                                         Joseph Stow
                                                                            Benjamin Stow
                                                                            Nathll Stow
                                                                            Nathll Merriam
                                                                            Bartholomew Jones
                                                                            Eleazer Melvin
                                                                            Daniel  Brook

Images 12 and 13 are the front and back pages of the instruction the judge sent to the five commissioners describing their duties in evaluating the estate.  This is dated 18Apr 1726:

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.12

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.13

As I said, these images are straight forward, and easy to read as well as easy to understand.
Unfortunately, things start getting messier with the next images, as you'll see in the next post in this series.

To be continued...

THE SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD

Today is the 241st Anniversary of the Battles of Lexington & Concord which
started the American Revolution on 19Apr 1775. They were celebrated yesterday 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.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 13: MELVIN STOW

4x great grandfather Melvin Stow is one of my more aggravating ancestors in seeking information about him online. I know he was born on 6 Jul 1774 at Sherborn, Ma., that he married Ann Mayhew at Charlestown, Ma on 15 Jun 1805, and that he died in Newry, Me. on 6 Apr 1839. He had at least two daughters (one of whom is my 3x great grandmother Luce (Stow) Coburn) and probably one son. And that's all I know for sure.


I've found Melvin listed on the Maine Federal Censuses for 1810, 1820, and 1830. His brother Andrew Newell Stow appears on the same page as Melvin does on the 1820 and 1830 Census, so I believe Andrew followed him there. Both of them were among the early settlers of the Sunday River Valley area of western Maine, but Andrew seems to have been more of a prominent citizen than Melvin since it is Andrew, along with his family, who is mentioned more often in the town histories.

1810 Census for Newry, Maine.

1820 Census for Newry, Maine.

1830 Census for Newry, Maine.

And to add to the aggravation Melvin's wife Ann is another brick wall. I'm still trying to discover who her parents were.

I'll keep digging away on them both!

  

SAMUEL STOW'S PENSION FILE PT2

((First published in October, 2011)) 

I got a kick out of several things in Samuel Stow's Revolutionary War Pension
file statement.

The first is the reference to his being made Sergeant Major because he was
a veteran of the French war of 1756.  I have many ancestors who fought in
the colonial New England Indian wars and I've written posts about some of
them, but this is the first time I've found a statement by one of them  concerning
their service. In this case the "French war" was the French & Indian War.

Another thing is Samuel's name dropping and telling tales on General Washington's
low opinion of the discipline of the troops. I first learned about Washington's
dismay over the Massachusetts militia a few years back when  I read David
McCullough's 1776. There's a lot I'm still learning about the Revolutionary War.
(Although I have a degree in History I was more interested in Ancient and Medieval
History when I was younger. Boy the stories I could tell about Achaemenids, Hittites
and Plantagenets....)

Since Samuel didn't have any documentation or witnesses I checked for his War
Record or the War Roll for his Company at Fold3. I found three images but they
seem to be for another Samuel Stow from a different regiment.

I didn't find any images there either of his Company's Roll. But a Google Search did
lead me to some more information. At this site I found out that Captain Bullard's first
name was Benjamin, Lieutenant Gardner's first name was Thomas, and the Ensign
whose name Samuel couldn't recollect was Joshua Leland. Samuel was listed as
one of four sergeants and one of the men in the Company had the unique name of
Perley Death!

From a site on the Massachusetts Line I was able to figure out that Colonel
Whitcomb was Asa Whitcomb, His regiment was originally designated the 5th
Massachusetts Bay Provincial Regiment and then became the  23rd Regiment of
Foot.

Since Samuel didn't make claim to any other service after the Battle of Bunker Hill.
I'm guessing her was one of the men of the Massachusetts Militia who didn't enlist
in the Continental Army but instead went home to their farms(much to Washington's
chagrin). After all. Samuel had three young children at home all under the age of five
to feed, including my ancestor Melvin Stow!

SAMUEL STOW'S PENSION FILE PT1

((First published in Oct 2011))

As I previously  posted, I recently found the Revolutionary War 
Pension file for my 5x great grandfather Samuel Stow. It's interesting
for several reasons that I will go into in my next post, but for now, here's
the images of the statement he made about his service  and my transcription
of it:

Here's my transcription:

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress
of the 7th of June 1832.
State of New York
County of Chenango:


On this the 24th day of December 1832, personally appeared before me
John Tracy first Judge of the Courts of Chenango County Samuel Stow a
resident of Oxford in Chenango County aforesaid aged ninety years,
who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the
following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress
passed June of 1832, that he entered the serviceof the United States under
the following named Officers, and served as herein stated.

He lived in Sherburn Suffolk County State of Massachusetts near Boston,
and in the year 1775 enlisted into a company of minute men of which
Captain Bullard was Captain, the first Lieutenants name was Gardner,
the Ensign he does not recollect neither does he recollect the time,
but it was previous to the battle of Bunker hill. The Colonel of the
Regiment was Whitcomb of the Massachusetts Troops. On the Alarm that
the British were coming out of Boston, the company to which he belonged
were called out went upon Bunker hill in which Battle he was engaged.
After said Battle of Bunker hill he this deponent, in the company and
Regiment aforesaid, marched to Cambridge where he this deponent
staid in sentnal service eight months. During this term eight months he
this deponent acted as orderly sergeant major of the Regiment. Having
been a soldier of the old French war of 1756 he was appointed to this birth.
He was at Cambridge when General Washington  came and took the
command, General Ward had previously been commander in chief. He was
sent with a letter by General Washington to General Ward who came to
General Washington's Quarters and General Washington thinking the
discipline of the troops not so correct as it ought to be , this applicant
heard him say to General Ward he had been esaming(?) his orders and
found them generally good, and they must and should be obeyed.
This applicant has no documentary evidence and knows of no person, whose
testimony he can provide,  who can testify to his service.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except
the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the
agency of any State.
Saml Stowe
Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid
John Tracy first Judge
of Chenango County
State of New York
 

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 12: SAMUEL STOW OF SHERBORN, MA. & OXFORD, NY

4x great grandfather Samuel Stow is my only direct ancestor to move out of New England. He was born 17Apr 1742 in Grafton Ma. to Thomas Stow and Anne Wetherbee. He married Abigail Dana in Dedham, Ma on 26Feb 1767.

At some point Samuel and Abigail settled in Sherborn, Ma where seven children were born:

Anne 17Aug 1770
Samuel 25Jun 1772
Melvin 6Jul 1774
Sally 28Oct 1777
Andrew Newell, 13May 1780
Polly 12Dec 1784
Walter 27Oct 1788
I'm descended from their son Melvin.

As I said earlier, Samuel moved out of New England. His daughter Sally, also know as Sarah, had married Hezekiah Morse and was living in Oxford, New York. I've also found other Stows who lived in that area. After his wife Abigail's death, Samuel moved west to join his daughter's family at age 72.  I found this entry in Henry Judson Galpin's The Annals of Oxford, New York:

SAMUEL STOW, born April 17, 1742, came to Oxford in I819, to reside with his daughter, Mrs. Hezekiah Morse, and died January 21, 1835. He was a sergeantmajor during the war of the Revolution, and in 1832 was granted a pension of $40 per year.-p546

Annals of Oxford, New York: With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Early Pioneers, Self published, Oxford, N.Y. 1906



I found Samuel Stow's  Revolutionary War pension file and wrote about it here five years ago. I'll
repost those two posts next.

THE "HOT MESS" PROBATE FILE OF NATHANIEL STOW JR PT4

Having put the images of Nathaniel Stow Jr.'s probate file in chronological order, it was now time to see what I could make out of all of them. In this post I'll look at images 4,5,6,7 and 2. The first three show the estate inventory.

Nathaniel died on 12Nov 1724 and an inventory of his estate was completed by 4Dec. This included real estate consisting of 15 pieces of land with a total value of 801 pounds and ten shillings.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.4

His livestock included six oxen, one yearling steer, six cows, four heifers, four calves, seventeen sheep, six wine, and two old horses.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.5

Most interesting to me among Nathaniel's personal possessions were one sword, one musket, one carbine, a pistol, a pair of holsters, and a halberd. That would seem to be evidence that Nathaniel had served with the town militia.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.6

The total value of Nathaniel Stow Jr's estates was 1,333 pounds and one pence.

Image 2 is the Letter of Administration which was issued by Francis Foxcroft Wright. My 6x great grandfather was appointed administrator. It's from this document I learned Thomas was a housewright.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.2

Finally, image 7 looks like the back of one of the inventory pages, but unfortunately, I can't decipher most of the writing. I've encountered this judge's handwriting before and it's frustrating at times trying to read it.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.7

 Next post we'll look at four images from February 1725.

To be continued.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 11:THOMAS STOW OF SUTTON & STOW, MA.

My 6x great grandfather Thomas Stow was born in Concord Ma. on 25Feb 1699 to Nathaniel Stow Jr and Ruth Merriam. On 17Jan 1725 he and Ann Wetherbee were married in Stow, Ma. I knew he died in Grafton, Ma. on 6Sep 1746, and that I am descended from his son Samuel. Other than those facts I knew little more about Thomas Stow, except that he was a housewright.

I did a Google search  and found this petition:

ORDER IMPOWERING MOSES HAVEN AND WIFE TO SELL PART OF AN
  ESTATE AND MAKING PROVISION IN REGARD TO THE PROCEEDS.

A Petition of Moses Haven and Anne his Wife, John Stow, Joseph Stow, David Stow, Samuel Stow, and Ephraim Sherman Guardian to Timothy Stow; the said John, Joseph, David, Samuel and Timothy being Children of Thomas Stow, late of Grafton deceased, Setting forth, That the said Thomas Stow died seized of certain Lands and Buildings situate partly in Sutton and partly
in Grafton one third part whereof was set off to the said Anne, formerly Wife to the said Thomas Stow; That she being again married, and living remote, can improve it only by leasing of it out,
which she finds attended with sundry inconveniences, besides which the Buildings and fences are going to decay And Praying that they or some of them may be impowered to sell the said Thirds set off as aforesaid, the said Anne to have the Income of the produce of such Sale during her natural Life, and the heirs of the said Thomas Stow, to receive the principal at her Death,
             [Read and]
Ordered That the Prayer of the within Petition be granted, and that moses Haven and his Wife be, and are hereby fully Authorized and impowered to make Sale of her Thirds of the Estate within mentioned for the most it will fetch, and to execute a good deed or deeds of the same, they observing the directions in the Law for the Sale of Real Estates and giving sufficient caution to the Judge of Probate for the County of Worcester, that the Principal Sum arising by said Sale shall at her decease be well and truly paid to the Children of Thomas Stow deceased, her former husband or their legal Representatives according to their respective Interest. [Passed October 27 1764.] -p562
Legislative Records of the Council xxv., 294
House Journal  p116,  Province Laws 11., 151, chap.10 

The Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay: To which are Prefixed the Charters of the Province. With Historical and Explanatory Notes, and an Appendix. Published Under Chapter 87 of the Resolves of the General Court of the Commonwealth for the Year 1867, John Henry Clifford Wright & Potter, printers to the state, Boston, Ma. 1910

The connection with the town of Sutton was new to me. This caused me to search the Early Vital Records of Massachusetts website. I found baptism years for three children of Thomas and Anne Stow in Sutton:
Lidia 1732
John 1732
Joseph 1734

There were births of four more sons in Stow:
David 10May 1736
Nathaniel 28Sep 1739
Samuel 17Apr 1742
Timothy  21Oct 1745


I'm hoping that FamilySearch releases more of the Worcester County, Ma. probate files. They haven't gotten to the files for names beginning with "S" yet, and when they do, I'll be looking for
the one for Thomas Stow.

THE "HOT MESS" PROBATE FILE OF NATHANIEL STOW JR PT3

The judge had questioned three other sons of Nathaniel Stow Jr about whether or not their
late father had intended for their brother Samuel to receive a share of his estate. All three
brothers said that was not the case, and cited conversations with Nathaniel as proof. Now it
was time for the judge to question Samuel. 

He was asked three questions, as shown by the bottom part of image 35.

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.35

 

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.35

The handwriting is rather ornate, so some words are hard to decipher:

Questions to Saml-
Whether Father said any thing abt {?} in Consideration of Learning?------answeres------Denyd.

Ditto----- whether he ever rec'd any money of Father. Answer-Yes. -- did you ever give a Rec. in
Consideration of Learning  ----denyd--answer-denyd.

Ditto--did you ever give a Rec. of  an {?}-- ans: refused.

Well, this didn't look good for Samuel. Given that Harvard University was the only place at that time in colonial Massachusetts he was probably a student there and would need to somehow pay
to finish his education. But his brothers had testified that there was no further money coming to
him from the estate and when questioned himself his answers weren't cooperative.

The other side of the paper is in image 36 and it's another messy collection of writing at different
angles and parts of the page. Among some figuring of the money value of the estate is this line:

"Samuel's 35 L allowed by the judge"

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.36

Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.)Case21772 p.36

So Samuel did receive some money from the estate. What he did with it I do not know.

I next turned back to the other pages in the file.

To be continued.