Woodbridge Men Who Fought in the Colonial Wars

What do we know about the armed conflicts that occurred in America before the Revolutionary War? Who were the men who fought and what of their families? Let’s see what we can find out…

One of the best documented conflicts is the one we know of today as “the French and Indian War” — but this was actually the fourth and final episode of fighting which broke out between the British and the French along with native tribes fighting on each side, from the late 1680s through the early-1760s here in colonial America. These conflicts, collectively called the French and Indian Wars, were also known as:

  • King William’s War, 1688–1697
  • Queen Anne’s War, 1702–1713
  • King George’s War, 1744–1748
  • And then the one we call the French and Indian War, 1754–1763

More detailed information is available at Wikipedia, as always.  

At this time, the people living in today’s Woodbridge were either considered to live in Milford or New Haven, as the two ‘sides’ of our town would not be united and incorporated as Woodbridge until after the Revolution. But many of the men who fought before the revolutionary times went on to live out their lives after the fighting on the farmland of our town, and are buried in our local cemeteries. What details about them can we piece together from the historical record?
To start with, several of their graves are marked — and the effort to document and further commemorate the military service of these veterans is an ongoing effort by our local Boy Scout troops along with some dedicated adult volunteers [you can get in touch with them by email if you would like to learn more].
Looking at Muster Rolls, let’s start with the fighting that took place from 1754 through 1763. A terrific resource available online is a book published in 1903 and compiled from the Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, Rolls of Connecticut Men in the French and Indian War, 1755-1762, Volume One. From this source we have the following details of men who may have hailed from the immediate vicinity of our olden town.
On page 252:

CAPT. HITCHCOCK’S COMPANY – Defense of Fort Henry 1757

Amos Hitchcock, Captain
Amos Sherman [of Amity in Milford and New Haven], Lieutenant
A Muster Role of Capt. Amos Hitchcock Company the third Company that went out of the 2d Regiment Commanded by ye Honourable Roger Newton Esq. Co. under ye Special Command of Major John Hubard of Sd Regiment in the Late Alarm for ye Defence of Fort Wm. Henry and parts adjacent Aug. 1757

  • Amos Hitchcock, Capt
  • Amos Sherman, Lieut
  • Obediah Hotchkis, Serj
  • Nath Sperry 2d
  •  JudeBlachly 3d
  • Jabez Hotchkis, Clerk
  • Elijah Hotchkis, Corp
  • Tim Peck 2d
  • Benajah Peck, Drum
  • Stephen Hotchkis
  • Christopher Ailing
  • Tim Ruggles
  • William Cuttler
  • Henry Toles
  • Josiah Alling
  • Theo Baldwin
  • Sam Beech
  • Alexr Bradly
  • Jesse Bradley
  • Seth Barns
  • Ruben Bacheler
  • Thaddius Barns
  • Benjm Curtice
  • John Cooper
  • Caleb Cooper
  • Tim Cooper
  • Stephen Cooper
  • John Cornwell
  • Jos Collings
  • John Grannis
  • Charls Hotchkis
  • Dan Heaton
  • Jay Humerston
  • Jared Hill
  • Isaac Hind
  • Jeremiah Toles
  • Steph Lounsbury
  • Wm Mansor
  • Nicholas Russel
  • Hez Rogers
  • Isaac Sperry
  • Amos Sperry
  • Reubin Sperry
  • Reubin Sacket
  • Nehemiah Toles
  • Daniel Tucker
  • Uri Tuttle
  • Oliver Tod
  • Hez Tuttle
  • Eben Walner
  • Noah Woolcut
  • Abel Ward
  • Tim Payn
  • Epharaim Andrews
  • Gidion Andrew
  • Isaac Brackett
  • Denis Scovet
  • John Horton
  • Henry Howell
  • Eben Johnson
  • Tim Leeke
  • Jos Peck
  • Wm Payn
  • Elisha Painter
  • Caleb Tuttle
  • John Thompson
  • Ambros Ward
  • Samuel Brooks
  • Wm King
  • Jos Heaton
  • Jos Warner
  • Dan Pardee
  • Stephen Bristol
  • Lemuel Humphrevile
  • John Benham
  • Aaron Day
  • Yale Bishop
  • James Thompson
  • James Sherman
  • Gershom Barns
  • Wm Bradly
  • Jesse Blakly
  • Wm Johnson
  • Abraham Thompson
  • Mathew Gilberd
  • John Gordon

[State Library, Adam Papers, In War 7.]

 

On pages 126-128:

THIRD REGIMENT – COL. NATHAN WHITING – CAMPAIGN OF 1756 

FIRST COMPANY COL. WHITING

Nathan Whiting [of New Haven], Colonel and Captain

Amos Hitchcock [of New Haven], Captain-Lieutenant

Samuel Gaylord [of Middletown], Captain-Lieutenant

Richard Darrow, Second Lieutenant

Ezekiel Lewis, Ensign

Samuel Hawkins, Ensign

A Muster Roll of Col Nathan Whiting’s Company with the Time of their Inlistment Dead Deserted Descharg d Weeks and Days in Service at what pr week Entire Wages &c 1756

Nathan Whiting Col

Amos Hitchcock Cap

Richard Darrow 2d Lt

Samuel Gaylord Cap

Ezekiel Lewis Ens

Samuel Hawkins Ens

Jos Sperry Serj Maj

Thomas Pain Serj

Daniel Tuttle

Jonathan Palmer

John Mitchel

Samuel Hawkins, Clerk

Tim Talmage, Drum Maj

Joel Potter Drum

Ebenezer Beech, Corp

Jabez Hotskiss

Jesse Johnson

Jesse Johnson Serj1 Isaac Johnson Corp1 Abraham Cooper priv1 Amasa Hitchcock Amos Turtle Bilious Hill Caleb Gilbert Cornelius Johnson David Wheadal Dan Mansfield Dan Carrington Daniel Fox David Thompson David Ludiugton Eli jah Hoskins Eliphalet Thompson Ebenezer Walder Enos Sperry Frederick Chappie George Miller Hezekiah Tuttle Jacob Curtis Joseph Warner John Hill James Tuttle James Thomas Jonathan Wade Isaac Pain John Rollins John Tucker James Plant James Powers Joseph Chaucus James Adkin Bralton James Ludington John Russuck John Seebury Isaac Todd Joseph Ball Joseph Tilison Matthias Smith Nathaniel Harris Noah Merrill Nath1 Andrus Philemon Potter Phelix Powel Phenias Tyler Richard Lucas Roger Bissell Samuel Hugens Stephen Thomas Stephen Cooper Silvanus Bachus Thomas Trie key Thomas Dikes Timothy Bristol Timothy Turner

William Lewis William Mansor William Denslow William Bassett William Jacobs William Duplex Zepheniah Webster

Noah Merrls Billious Hill Gorge Miller Roger Bisel Ezekiel Lewis Sarg Matthias Smith Nathan Whiting Esq Lieu Co Amos Hitchcock 1 Lieu Richard Darrow 2 Corp Enos Sperry James Powers Stephen Thomas Thomas Dike


Amos Hitchcock

This is likely to be the Amos Hitchcock [1724-1791] mentioned on page 61 of the book Historic Woodbridge.

Nathaniel Sperry

The Nathaniel Sperry here is probably Ensign Nathaniel Sperry, Jr’s son. It is highly likely that this Nathaniel II [1727-1776] is buried at Eastside Cemetery nearby his father Ensign Nathaniel who died at age 56 on September 8, 1751 [Boy Scout marker #320], but there is no gravestone there now in the spot between Nathaniel II’s first wife Deborah/Dorothy and their newborn son Medad [Boy Scout marker #319] who died perhaps days apart, also in September 1751 and are buried together, and Nathaniel II’s sister Lois Sperry who seems to have also died later in September 1751. The next marked grave over from Lois is her and Nathaniel’s brother Simeon Sperry [marker #317]. At the time of the WPA inscription project in the 1930s, the next grave in the row after Simeon seems to be that of Nathaniel Sperry III, a son of this Nathaniel and his second wife, Mary Dickerman. In the WPA records this gravestone is described as:

Sperry Nathaniel — Apr.– broken fragments missing.

But in an addendum to the cemetery records known as “Sperry Gravestones” which was compiled before the WPA project in 1893, the stone was evidently readable as the entry for this grave is noted as: d. April 27, 1801 age 40

The next grave beyond this Nathaniel III’s is listed in the WPA document as: Sperry, Lydia died Sept. 30, 1822 age 59 years and this is Nathaniel III’s wife, the former Lydia Bradley — daughter of Captain Timothy Bradley and Mercy Baldwin, who are also buried not far from this row.

 

On page 30:

SEVENTH COMPANY CAPT. PECK – CAMPAIGN OF 1755

[There is no descriptive text for this company, however the previous listing for the Sixth Company states: “A Mustor Role of Cap. Benjm. Hinman’s Company In Colo. Elez. Goodrich’s Regiment November уe ЗOth AD 1755″ so it stands to reason that Jame’s Peck’s Seventh Company was with this same regiment.] 

 

On page 232:

Militia Companies – CAPT. PECK’S COMPANY – Defense of Fort Henry 1757

James Peck of New Haven Captain

Abraham Thompson of New Haven, Lieutenant

A Muster Role of Capt. James Peck’s Company the First Company that went out of the Second Regement in this Colony Commanded by the Honourable Roger Newton Esqr Cor1 under the Command of John Hubbard Esq Major of Said Regement in y Late Alarmn for y Defence of Fort Wm Henry and Parts Adjacent Aug 1757 Days in Days in Service Service James Peck Capt 7 to 24 18 Abraham Thompson Lieut 17 8 to 24 Samuel Gilberd Serj 8 to 24 Tim Mix Jr Dan Carrington Adonijah Sherman Clerk 18 8 to 25 Joel Basset Corp 8 to 24 17 Jeremiah Atwater Corp 8 to 24 Sylvanus Bishop Drum 8 to 24 John Austin Jonah Bradly Eleazer Brown Isaac Bishop Stephen Basset Lemuel Bradly David Basset Amos Bishop Azariah Bradly Jacob Bradly John Cornish Eben Chidsey Charles Bishop Samuel Davenport W Densly John Denison William Everton Mathew Forde Joel Gilberd Jn Gordon Jr Eben Humerston James Hille 8 to 24 Asa Ludington Robert McCleve Joseph Mansfield John Нoлу Amos Potter Stephen Potter Tim Potter Joel Potter Israel Potter Icabod Russel Abel Russel Isaac Stiles Israel Sperry Stephen Sheapard Eben Tuttle Gershom Tod Isaac Tod Aimer Tod James Turner James Thompson Samuel Thompson Samuel Tuttle Moses Tharp Eliphalet Thompson Gaskin Woodward Joseph Hotchkis Eben Lines John Spencer Peter Caveler Ithermer Tod Abel Beecher Horse drivers Samuel Chatterton Isaac Holt 8 to 24 17 8 to 27 20 10 State Library War 7 36 MILITIA COMPANIES 231