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The AMERICAN REVOLUTION

A tribute to those who fought for freedom. Six of my ancestors that served in the American Revolution:
HENRY HOLBROOK of Bellingham, MA
AUGUSTUS JONES of Saybrook, CT
MOSES MORSE of Wrentham, MA
ARNOLD LEWIS of Gloucester, RI
ELI POND of Franklin, MA
WILLIAM HORN of New Jersey

HENRY HOLBROOK of Bellingham, MA
Henry Holbrook (1756-1833) Private, was a soldier in the Revolution in the company of Capt. Jesse Holbrook on the Lexington alarm of April 19, 1775, service-9 days; and served from May 9 until August of that year in Captain Samuel Cobb's Company, Col. James (or Joseph) Read's regiment, Massachusetts. He was also in Capt. Jesse Holbrook's company, Colonel Wheelock's regiment in 1776 on the Rhode Island Alarm; in Capt. Samuel Fiske's company, Colonel Ephraim Wheelock's regiment, in Rhode Island 1777; also in Capt. Amos Ellis' Company, Col. Benjamin Haw's regiment, Massachusetts in Rhode Island in 1777-78, and in Capt. Nathan Thayer's company, Colonel Ebenezer Thayer's regiment in the Continental Army in New York in 1780. He was in no battles according to his pension application file.
!Cutter's "N E Families" 

Pension Appl. #S29908, 23 Aug 1832, ae 76, resident in Bellingham. Soldier was born there and he also lived there at time of enlistment. !Abstracts of Revolutionary War Pension Files, Virgil D. White, 1991 

The Pension Roll of 1835 has this listing for Henry HOLBROOK, private, Massachusetts Militia. Annual allowance $51.44, received 132.60. Placed on pension roll 14 Sep 1833; pension commenced 4 Mar 1831; soldier died 1 Oct 1833; age 77. 

Henry is buried in Center Cemetery, Bellingham, MA. DETAIL.

 

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AUGUSTUS JONES of Saybrook, CT
Revolutionary War Pension file for Augustus Jones (1752-1835):

State of Connecticut, Probate District of Saybrook in said County.
On this tenth day of September, 1832, personally appeared, in open court, before the court of Probate ... at Saybrook in and for the Probate District of Saybrook in the County of Middlesex and State of Connecticut - the same being a court of record and now sitting, Augustus Jones a resident of Saybrook in the County of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, aged 80 years, who being forst 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 7, 1832. 

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers, and served as herein stated.

That he was born at Saybrook in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, where he hath ever since lived. That he is eighty years old, the 11th day of August. That there is no error of his age that he is aware of.

That in the month of July, he thinks, for it was Harvesting of 1775 at said Saybrook, he enlisted to serve in the Revolutionary Army, five months - and immediately joined the company in which he served, at said Saybrook, which company ... marched to New London in said State, remained there about two weeks, layed in stores, and then marched in company with the Regiment to which it belonged, which Regiment said company then joined, through Norwich, Providence & to Boston, Massachusetts and were quartered at Cambridge and discharged at said Cambridge in December, he thinks, after serving out the full time of his said enlistment - there was snow on the ground, and the weather was very cold. There were ... many Connecticut troops there - not much fighting - some skirmishing - some prisoners taken - he thinks Gen. Huntington and Gen'l. Wares was there. Gen'l Washington was there. The British were then in Boston. The officers of the Company in which he was as aforesaid, were Edward Shipman, Capt. and Aaron Stevens, Lieutenant, but he does not recollect the names of the other officers. The officer of the said Regiment was Col. Latimer. but he cannot recollect the name of any of the other officers. That he has a written discharge, he thinks, but it is lost.

That in December or January, 1777, at said Saybrook, he enlisted to serve in the Revolutionary War three months. That the company in which he served was commanded by Austin Buck, Captain. and Sol. Kelsey, Lieutenant or Ensign, but can not recollect the other officers. He thinks Sevell was one. That said company joined the Regiment to which it belonged, at Providence in the State of Rhode Island, which said Regiment was commanded by Col. John Ely, but does not recollect the other officers. That he served out his said time of three months at said Providence, and was there honorably discharged. That they ... in the College. No enemy very near and no fighting during the time. Does not recollect of having any written discharge.

That he again enlisted in April or May of 1780 at said Saybrook to serve in the Revolutionary Army one year, and joined the company at Fort Trumbull in said New London, immediately and there served out the whole time of his said enlistment, and was there honorably discharged, in April or May of 1781. The Officers of the Company were Capt. Shepley and Lieutenant B. Chapman, L.Stow and S. Forbes. Col. Ledyard commanded both Forts. No other troops in said Forts during said time. No fighting. Employed in keeping Guard. Two Regiments of militia came in and was on Winthrop Neck considerable part of the Fall. Had no written discharge.

That in May, of 1781, if he mistakes not the month and he thinks he does not, he enlisted to serve in the Shore Guard for six months, and served out said time of six months at said Saybrook and was there honorably discharged, but has no written discharge. The Guard was a Sargents Guard, and was commanded by Ephraim Kelsey, now deceased. The Guard was constantly kept up.

The said Augustus Jones never made application for a pension before now.

Augustus X Jones

before: Samuel Ingham, Judge of Probate
witnesses: Sylvester Selden and John Stannard

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MOSES MORSE of Wrentham, MA
He was a farmer. Moses Morse (1739-1790) served as private in 1777, Capt. Asa Fairbanks company, Col. Benjamin Hawes regiment; service from 30 Sep 1777 to 31 Oct 1777, one month, two days at Rhode Island; roll dated Wrentham, MA. 

Franklin, Mass: After the British took control of Boston, young General George Washington was put in charge of the Continental Army. Two companies of men from Franklin, under the leadership of Captain Asa Fairbanks and Captain Elijah Pond joined General Washington in his effort to get the British out of Boston. On March 17th, 1776, the British evacuated Boston, never to return. March 17th is celebrated locally as “Evacuation Day”

As the war went on, many of the men from Franklin joined the Continental Army and fought bravely for our independence. In all more then 160 men from “Wrentham” took part in the wart effort.

ARNOLD LEWIS of Gloucester, RI
In 1769, Ensign Arnold Lewis (1737-1824) is listed among the leaders of the 3rd brigade of the Militia company from Gloucester, RI. His superiors were Captain Thomas Wood and Lieutenant Thomas Bussey.

In 1770, Lieutenant Arnold Lewis was listed in the 3rd brigade in the Militia Company from Gloucester, RI. His superior was Capt. Thomas Bussey. Also listed was one Ensign Eseck Arnold, probably a relative of his mother and no doubt the namesake of Arnold's son Eseck Lewis.

In 1772, a Capt. Aaron (Arnold?) Lewis is in charge of the same brigade from Gloucester, RI.

According to Childs Gazetteer for Jefferson County, New York, Arnold Lewis located in Champion, New York about 1800 and took up a tract of land of 700 acres. He served in the French and Indian war seven years, and in the Revolutionary war the same length of time, and held a colonel's commission. He was a surgeon during the war, and after its close became a preacher in the Baptist Church.

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ELI POND of Franklin, MA
Eli Pond (1743-1802) was a drummer in Captain John Boyd's company of minutemen, Col. Greaton's regiment, which assembled and marched on the alarm of 19 April 1775 at Lexington; service 8 days. Also Sergeant, Capt. Samuel Cobb's company, Col. Joseph Read's regiment; muster roll dated August 1, 1775; enlisted 27 April 1775; also order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Roxbury, 27 December, 1775; also Sergeant, Capt. Josiah Fuller's company, Col. Wheelock's regiment; service 23 days; company marched from Medway to Warwick, RI, on the alarm of 8 December, 1776; also 2nd Lieutenant, Capt. Moses Adam's (6th) company, Col. Benjamin Hawes's regiment of the Massachusetts militia; list of officers chosen by the several companies in said regiment, dated Wrentham, 26 September, 1777; Pond elected 23 September, 1777; ordered in council 27 September, 1777; also Lieutenant, serving in Captain Amos Ellis' company, Col. Benjamin Hawes's regiment; engaged 25 September, 1777; service to 31 October, 1777, 1 month 7 days at Little Compton, RI; roll dated Bellingham; also list of men returned by committee of the town of Medway 13 April, 1778, as having rendered service at various times subsequent to 19 April, 1775; also Lieutenant, Lt. Hezekiah Ware's company, Col. Nathaniel Wade's regiment; entered service 20 June, 1778; discharged 14 July, 1778; service, 25 days; company detached from 4th Suffolk co. regiment to serve at Rhode Island for 21 days from arrival at headquarters. 
!Massachusetts Soldiers & Sailors of the Revolutionary War, 12:529 

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WILLIAM HORN of New Jersey
William Horn (1746-1799) served as gunner on the Armed Boat, "Dragon," commanded by Capt. Benjamin Thompson from April 17 to October, 1777.

On July 9, 1777 - State (NJ) Navy Board minutes:
"Delivered Captain Benjamin Thompson six blankets, for the use of his men on board the Guard Boat Dragon."

In October 1777, William Horn was promoted lieutenant, serving on the new frigate, "Effingham Galley" for a short time before it was scuttled on 2 November.

The Effingham, a Continental frigate, was built at Philadelphia in 1776 and 1777, and Captain John Barry was ordered to command her. When the British took possession of Philadelphia in September 1777, Barry was ordered to take the uncompleted ship up the Delaware River to a place of safety. On 25 October General George Washington asked for the crew of Effingham for use in the fleet, and 2 days later the ship was ordered sunk or burned. Effingham was sunk 2 November just below Bordentown, N.J., to deny her use to the British. She was burned to the water's edge by the British on their way north from Philadelphia on 9 May 1778.

21 Aug 1782, William Horn received cash disbursements by Aaron Forman, Morristown, NJ in the amount of 2.19.3 for expenses, etc. He also received state money in the amounts of 4.17.6 and 5.14.9. And in specie 1.12.6 and 2.5.9

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