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.
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