Historical collections relating to the town of Salisbury, Litchfield county, Connecticut, Volume I, Part 8

Author: Salisbury Association (Salisbury, Conn.)
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: [Conn. : The Association]
Number of Pages: 176


USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Salisbury > Historical collections relating to the town of Salisbury, Litchfield county, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 8


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Tousley, Mr. Samuel d. Jan. 30, 1771, a. 41 y.


Tousley, Susan M., d. of Reuben and Mary, d. Nov. 9, 1819, in 2nd y.


Towsley, Jonah, son to Capt. Victory Sikes and Mrs. Dezire, d. Feb. 8, 1781, æ. 2 (sic).


Truelove, George P., b. in Sheffield, England, d. in Lakeville, Conn., Sept. 13, 1870, a. 38 y.


V


Vandeusen, Electa, wife of James, d. Nov. 2, 1837, a. 26 y.


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Vosburgh, Harry d. Nov. 8, 1853, a. 49 y. 3 m. 9 d.


Vosburgh, Sophia M., wife of Harry, d. Oct. 25, 1839, a. 31 y.


W


(a) Warner, Climena H., 2nd wife of H. D., b. Aug. 3, 1785; d. Sept. 22, 1883.


NOTE. (a)-(d) incl. on one monument.


(b) Warner, Elizabeth Clark, wife of Hervey D., b. Sept. 4, 1778; d. in Woodbury, Conn., June 2, 1821.


(c) Warner, Hervey D. b. Aug. 1, 1769; d. Mch. 30, 1859.


(d) Warner, John, s. of H. D., and E. C., d. in Louisville, Ky., May 16, 1831. (Age not stated.)


Warner, Olive J., d. of Noadia and Adeline, d. June 26, 1842, a. 4 y. 10 m.


Warner, William B., s. of William and Laura, d. Oct. 20, 1818, a. 4 y. 2 m.


West, Ann Eliza, d. of David and Harriet, d. July 22, 1846, a. 18 y.


West, Harriet, wife of David, d. Mch. 17, 1845, a. 41 y.


Wheeler, Horace d. Feb. 14, 1826, a. 26 y.


Whitmore, Betsey d. Feb. 6, 1815, a. 39 y.


Whitmore, Mary E., d. of Myron and Elizh (sic), d. Mch. 7, 1823, a. 9 m.


Whitmore, Myron d. Apr. 18, 1823, a. 29 y.


Whitmore, Samuel d. Apr. 6, 1805, a. 64 y.


Wilcox, Mr. John d. Dec. 12, 1802, in 32nd y.


Wilkin, Elizabeth, wife of William, d. Nov. 21, 1873, a. 33 y. Also an infant son. (Stone lies face downward, and sur- rounded by a wooden fence.)


Williams, Mrs. Abigail, wife of Mr. Benajah, d. Oct. 29, 1789, a. 48 y.


Williams, Mr. Benajah d. Aug. 9, 1792, in 58th y.


Williams, Mrs. Deborah, wife of Capt. Benajah, d. Dec. II, 1759, a. 61 y.


Williams, Jane, d. of Peter and Jane, d. Dec. 17, 1825, a. 9 y. 4 m.


Wolcott, Abiathar d. Sept. 18, 1851, a. 79 y.


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Wolcott, Abiathar R., s. of Abiathar and Mary, d. Sept. 15, 1816, in 16th y. (On stone with his brother (sic) Horace B.) Wolcott, Eben P., s. of William A. and Susan H., d. from disease contracted at the siege of Port Hudson, Aug. 28, 1863, a. 19 y. A member of 28th Reg't C. V.


Wolcott, Horace B., d. May 11, 1816, a. 10 m. (On stone with his brother (sic) Abiathar R.)


Wolcott, Mary, wife of Abiathar d. Nov. 30, 1846, a. 69 y.


Wolcott, Samuel W., son of William A. and Susan H., b. Oct. 12, 1842; killed at Deep Bottom, Va., Aug. 16, 1864. Wolcott, Susan H., wife of William A., b. Mch. 28, 1812. (No death date.) (On stone with Wm. A. and Samuel W.) Wolcott, William A., b. Sept. 10, 1810; d. Nov. 27, 1879. (On stone with Susan H. and Samuel W.)


Wolcott, William H., s. of Wm. A. and Susan H., d. Feb. 18, 1848, a. 6 y. (On stone with infant son of Wm. A.)


Wolcott [ ], infant s. of William A. and Susan H., d. June 21, 1846, a. 2 m.


Woodworth, Abigail, wife of Cyrenius, d. Dec. 22, 1813, a. 73 y. Woodworth, Mr. Cyrenius, s. of Caleb and Jane, d. June 15, 1815, a. 78 y.


Woodworth, Josiah d. Apr. 21, 1847, a. 78 y.


Woodworth, Mercy, wife of Josiah, d. Feb., 23, 1866, a. 90 y. ("Late wife of N. Stone.")


Woodworth, Sarah C., d. of Henry and Sally Ann, d. Mch. 2, 1845, a. 10 m. 17 d.


FIVE ISOLATED CEMETERIES


The following forty-five inscriptions were collected from five isolated cemeteries and are arranged alphabetically for the sake of convenient reference.


KEY.


All inscriptions preceded by (1) were taken, in 1912, from stones standing near the residence of the late Edward Ward. They occupy, in common with what appear to be a considerable number of unmarked graves, a sort of wooded island in the midst of cultivated land, which is situated about midway between the Housatonic River and the highway leading from the Ward place to Amesville.


All inscriptions preceded by (2) were taken, in 1898, from stones standing near the present residence of Horace Landon (formerly that of the Walton family) on Town Hill, on the south side of the road leading from The Hotchkiss School to Lime Rock.


The two inscriptions preceded by (3) were taken, in 1898, from stones standing in an apple orchard a few rods southeast of the present residence of Horace Landon, and on the north side of the road to Lime Rock.


All inscriptions preceded by (4) were taken, in 1898, from stones standing in a secluded spot not over one-half mile west of the present residence of J. William Greenwood. This yard is in Massachusetts a short distance north of the Massachusetts- Connecticut state line.


All inscriptions preceded by (5) were taken, in 1898, from stones standing in a small yard a few rods east of the Under Mountain Road, about a quarter of a mile north of Sage's Ravine highway bridge. This yard is also in Massachusetts, and almost directly across the valley from No. 4, next above.


In Nos. 1, 4 and 5 above, there are a number of unmarked graves.


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(4) Arnold, Jonathan d. May 14, 1837, a. 45 y.


(4) Barlow, Smith H. d. May 7, 1847, a. 44 y.


(I) Bellowes, Mrs. Elizabeth, relict of Capt. Samuel, d. Aug. 24, 1786, a. 83 y.


(5) Benton, Mr. David d. Aug. 6, 1797, in 63rd y.


(4) Bryant, Calvin d. Jan. 5, 1830, a. 55 y.


(4) Bryant, Mr. Ezekiel d. Jan. 9, 1830, a. 57 y.


(4) Bryant, Lucy d. Dec. 10, 1816, a. 32 y.


(4) Bryant, Mary, wife of Calvin, d. July 18, 1812, a. 32 y.


(4) Bryant, Mrs. Rebecca, wife of Mr. Calvin, d. Dec. 18, 1801, a. 27 y. 9 m.


(4) Bryant, Socrates d. Jan. 7 (possibly 17th), 1864, a. 65 y.


(5) Cande, Hannah, wife of Zaccheus, d. May 7, 1820, in 42nd y.


(5) Cande, Isaac d. Aug. 22, 1812, in 33rd y.


(5) Cande, Zaccheus d. Aug. 14, 1838, in 76th y.


(5) Chapin, Mr. David d. May 22, 1812, a. 31 y.


(3) Chapman, Mr. Reuben d. Jan. 20, 1799, in 66th y.


(3) Chapman, Reuben, s. of John and Polly, d. Nov. 22, 1792, in 4th y. "The first bury'd here."


(4) Curtiss, Mrs. Esther, grandmother of Mr. John Ward, d. Dec. 28, 1827, in 97th y.


(1) Evarts, Charity, wife of Daniel, d. Feb. II, 1769, a. 21 y.


(4) Fellows, Mrs. Jerusha, relict of Capt. John, d. Nov. 26, 1786, in 80th y.


(4) Fellows, Capt. John d. Sept. 10, 1757, in 56th y. (This is on a stone of later period. The original stone, defaced and broken, reads :- d. Sept. 9, 1757, in 55th y.)


(4) Foley, Mary, wife of Patrick, d. July 25, 1844, a. 24 y. Also an infant a. 3 w.


(5) Hauver, Jacob d. July 1, 1865, a. 70 y.


(4) Knickerbacker, Albert G., s. of Solomon and Claricy, d. Feb. I, 1838, a. 2 y.


(I) Landon, Mrs. Catharine, wife of Mr. John, d. July 24, 1781, a. 59 y.


(5) Munn, Jonathan Dunham, s. of Julius and Mercy, d. June 13, 1776, in 2nd y.


(1) Pew, Lieut. William, "who was killed by a leap of a horse from a bridge," Oct. 24, 1785, a. 53 y.


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(5) Sage, Mary, wife of Simeon, d. May 14, 1819, a. 45 y.


(5) Sage, Simeon d. Dec. 12, 1840, a. 81 y. (S. A. R. marker).


(1) Smith, Mr. Jacob d. Mch. 12, 1795, a. 48 y. (Another stone to the same, says in 48th y.)


(4) Tripp, William Henry, s. of Daniel and Damaris, d. June 23, 1842, a. 3 y. 3 m.


(I) Vandeusen, Mr. Henderick d. Apl. 27, 1781, in 74th y.


(3) Walton, Mrs. Elizabeth, wife of Doct. William, d. Mch. 8, 1783, in 46th y.


(2) Walton, Mrs. Mary, wife of Doct. William, d. Apr. 22, 1824, a. 62 y.


(3) Walton, Miss Polly, d. of Doctor William, d. Jan. 23, 1784, in [ ]4th y. (Possibly 4th y. is correct; inscription indistinct.)


(2) Walton, Doctor William d. Apr. 14, 1787, in 52nd y.


(3) Walton, Doct. William d. May 14, 1819, a. 59 y.


(4) Ward, see Mrs. Esther Curtiss.


(4) Ward, Edward, s. of John and Lucretia, d. Mch. 20, 1843, a. 17 y.


(4) Ward, Esther d. at Brooklyn, N. Y., Mch. 4, 1854, a. 40 y.


(4) Ward, John, b. at Stratford, Ct., Jan. 21, 1778; d. Sept. 9, 1852, a. 75 y.


(4) Ward, Lucretia Rogers, wife of John, b. in Cornwall, Ct., Mch. 17, 1785; d. Jan. 6, 1876, a. 91 y.


(4) Ward, Martha, d. of John and Lucretia, d. Mch. 28, 1841, a. 20 y.


(4) Ward, Mary, d. of John and Lucretia, d. Dec. 5, 1842, a. 22 y.


(I) White, Ruth, wife of William, d. Mch. 23, 1809, a. 70 y.


(1) White, William d. Apl. 26, 1810, in 8Ist y.


(1) Whiting, Mary, wife of Joseph, d. Jan. 21, 1785, a. 21 y. (Sixteen line epitaph.)


PART II


A BRIEF MILITARY HISTORY OF SALISBURY, CONNECTICUT


AN ADDRESS, DELIVERED BY MALCOLM D. RUDD, AT THE TOWN HALL, SALISBURY, MAY 30, 191I


NOTE.


A roll of Salisbury men in service in the French and Indian War, Revolutionary. War, War of 1812, and Mexican War, giving all particulars of service, so far as obtainable, is in course of preparation, and will appear in some later issue of "Collections," possibly in the 1914 volume.


Mr. Chairman, Veterans and Fellow Citizens :--


Seldom, if ever before, have you been addressed on May 30th by one who was not personally familiar with the events which this anniversary recalls. Still, as you listened last year to the inspiring story of Salisbury's part in the Civil War, as told by a participant in that great conflict, and as the door to reminis- cence in those matters is closed to me, I am sure you will permit me to revert to earlier periods of our history and review them briefly in their relation to military affairs. This we may prop- erly do because Memorial Day, though primarily connected with the War between the States, is in a larger sense commemorative of the personal bravery, sacrifices and achievements of the men who defended this country in the old days against its enemies and finally established and maintained its independence.


Citizen-soldiering in New England in the days when Salis- bury was settled was a serious and constantly recurring occupa- tion. It did not consist in uniformity of dress and equipment, precise knowledge of tactics, stated terms of enlistment and remote possibilities of active service, but called rather for con- tinual vigilance, self-reliance, resourcefulness and skill in what we now term guerilla warfare, in meeting issues that were chiefly local.


When we think, by way of contrast, of the way in which our own lives and possessions are protected against acts of personal violence, we must be filled with gratitude toward those pioneers who broke down the barriers of nature and the obstacles set up by men, and sturdily defended the homes they had won for them- selves and for us.


The settlers of Salisbury instinctively kept a watchful eye on the Indians, but had no actual conflict with them. The natives, though numerous, had through long intercourse with the settle- ments on the Connecticut on one side and the Hudson on the other, become for the most part peaceable and friendly if not even servile.


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You will recall that King Philip's War made an end to the racial power of Connecticut Indians, and that thereafter they ceased to be an active menace to the white settlers.


Probably the earliest historical event connected with this immediate locality occurred near the close of that war, when a considerable body of Indians were pursued from Westfield and overtaken on the banks of the Housatonic, near Sheffield line, by Maj. John Talcott and his Connecticut troops .* How well these colonists had learned to fight the sons of the forest is shown by their success in ambushing them, and killing or cap- turing about fifty warriors. This was in the summer of 1676, forty-three years before the first white settler brought his house- hold goods to the vale of Weatogue.


We learn nothing of controversies with the resident Indians until shortly after the incorporation of the town in 1741, of which more anon.


In our day we Americans are so sufficient unto ourselves that we need give little thought to European affairs as directly affect- ing our lives or actions, but one hundred and seventy-five years ago, the governmental difficulties of our ancestors were generally due to the decisions of Kings and Ministers in distant France and England. In this connection our own peculiar geographical location must be taken into account. This northwest corner of what is now Litchfield County comprised the waste lands of the Colony for nearly a hundred years after the River Settlements were well established. Along the Sound and up the rivers the parent towns speedily colonized the adjacent country, but knowl- edge of the northwestern lands was vague-mountains and lakes abounded, and it was not supposed that there was enough tillable area to support a settlement. But land speculation was a mania even then, as it afforded one of the few kinds of investments open to those who had amassed wealth in inland trade or commerce on the seas. The original grantees of Salisbury under the Colony were nearly all speculators, pure and simple, in that business at least. Their investment was made on the strength of the further reports of the Colony's surveyors, that these parts were not such


* Trumbull's Hist. of Conn., Vol. I, p. 292 (Edition of 1898). Church's Hist. Address, 1841, p. 68.


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"a bad lot" after all. It would seem that fully one-half of these original purchasers or proprietors had not the remotest idea of personal removal to this wild region, a conjecture which is sup- ported by the sale of their rights at a good advance to the real settlers who were hardy enough to leave the lowlands and attempt the hills.


This town then, in 1740, was a frontier settlement, and directly to the north of it, hugging the western boundary of Massachu- setts, were other frontier towns, which together with the fringe of settlements on the Hudson River represented the advance of civilization, gradually pushing its way from the New England seaboard to the Great Lakes.


Directly to the west of us the Hudson and the Catskills pre- sented a barrier to hostile invasion, but to the north lay the paths along Lakes George and Champlain to the French settle- ments in Canada, which were a constant menace to the peace of our forefathers, and when England was at war with France, which was the case almost continually from 1744 to 1763, there was no security on the frontiers. "What next may we expect from the French and their Indians?" must have been the question oftenest asked by Salisbury men in those troublous times. To go back a bit,-from the Peace of Utrecht in 1713 to the war of the Austrian Succession, beginning in 1740, England and France were nominally at peace, but incidental to England's espousal of Austria, King George's War occurred in the Colonies.


At this time then, 1744, almost coincident with the organization of the town, our military history really begins. With the opening of hostilities, the general alarm was greatly increased in this locality by persistent rumors that the Moravian Missionaries were inciting the Indians to insurrection all through the present Dutchess Valley. This was a far cry and a false one. The Moravians at Shekomeko near Pine Plains, and Gnadensee (Indian Pond), had already christianized many natives, and secured some following among the whites as well, and their activity was most annoying to the orthodox churches. In con- sequence of this, ulterior motives were unquestionably imputed to the Moravians and legislation was invoked to drive them from their undertakings. The charges which were brought against them appear groundless in the light of later investigation, but


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they served to put the missionaries in bad odor, and at the same time to cause additional alarm to the settlers who were in an apprehensive state of mind. The following letters addressed to Gov. Law clearly show the popular impression then prevalent :-


Joseph Minor to Jonathan Law .*


Woodbury June 20th 1744


Honable Sr


I have here Inclosed, what Just now I Recd from our Neighbours at Kent, Respecting their want of Ammunition, & where they Can have a supply I must Confess I am at a Loss: If your Hon'& the Council with you, will Direct this Messenger where to get a supply either fromn some of the stores at the seaside, or from the Gen11 store it will be well As for the Moravians that were ordered out of this Govermt they are moved just over the line into New York Govermt and seem to Keep our Indians in a Continual Stirr, If New York Authority would take orders to Remove them out of their Govermt It is thought that the uper Towns would be Considerably Quieted,


I am Your Honrs


Humble Servt Joseph Minor


William Pitkin to Jonathan Lawet


Plese your Honour


Hartford June the: 19. 1744


by the order and at the Desire of the Committee of Warr in Hartford, I would acquaint your Honour, that I Came yesterday from the fronteer Towns in this Collony. I find them But to poorly provided for with arms and Powder though Some and Some Towns are Midleing well, they are Now in feer. and Jest in there Haying and Neer Harvest, and I dont See How they Can do Without Some Help at Present, Without Which indeed they will be utterly Discouraged, Sharron and Selsbury, are in Great feer of the Indions on the west in New york Goverment, where is they Say Gathered above a 100 of them, with the Moravions and they think they Have Lately Ben Suplyed With Powder &c in a private Manner so that they ware Jest on the Wings with advice-While I was at Litchfield, I sent to Waterbury and Woodbury for Twenty men to be Sent to each of the Towns viz Sharon and Salsbury, to abide there Till Some further Povition be made for them, . . . . . Have allready Ordred fortifications in Divers of the New Towns and the Comittee are About


* Conn. Hist. Soc. Collections, Vol. XI, p. 197.


+ Conn. Hist. Soc. Collections, Vol. XI, p. 189-91.


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to Send Twenty Men to each Town Lying exsposed in this County, I Shall Not ad But that I am your Honours Obediant Humble


Sertt


Wm Pitkin


It will be seen from this that Salisbury, just come into exist- ence, was in no position to offer assistance to the common cause, but was rather in need of it herself. But settlers were coming in rapidly and a year and a half later she joined Canaan and Sharon in presenting the following noteworthy petition :


Western Connecticut Petition to the Committee of War .*


To the Honble Commttee of war.


The Sence we have not only of the Disadvantage of frequent Alarms, but also of the Danger, we with the rest of the frontiers are continually in from the Enemy at Crown Point, who can Soon come down and that undiscovered, obliges us with Submission to Propose to your Honours an Expedition to Crown Point we find the People in these Towns spiritted for it, believe Many men May be had as voluntiers from amongst us. The winter we perceive must be the time for Reducing Crown point, for this Reason viz: because of the Bog Meadow of about thirty Miles which we understand cant be passed with Cannon and Stores in the Summer time Captn Williams of Stockbridge with Mr John Lyddius are tomorrow Setting out to Boston upon the Business of an Expedition if Possible it can be accomplished, and without the Reduction of that place we cant flatter ourselves with hopes Either of Quiet or Safety. And if your Honours Think fit to take it into your wise Consideration, & order any Service to be done in order to promote the Same, we Stand Ready to use our Interest and Endeavours as far as Possible we can for the Safety and Peace of ourselves and the good of our Country; which we are always ready to advance by all that Lies in the Power of your Honours Dutiful Servts


David Whitney John Williams Thos Chipman John Sprague Samuel Beebe


Salsbury Dec" Ioth 1745


To the existence of such patriotic sentiments as these in the minds of that little band of frontiersmen, and their transmission


* Conn. Hist. Soc. Collections, Vol. XIII, p. 139-40.


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to subsequent generations, we owe primarily the large measure of devotion displayed by our citizens in later conflicts, and latent in us to this day.


Under date Dec. 14, 1745, Wolcott writes to Gov. Law :-*


I enclose a Letter to us Containing a Contrivance of some Gentlemen on the frontiers to make an Attempt upon Crown Point their fearfull Aprehensions of Danger from those quarters has Engaged them Earnestly in it and Indeed that fort like Pandoras box is full of all Mischeif to us and it is of the Greatest Importance to reduce it if possible but such an Enterprize must be the undertaking of severall Governmts in which the Govrs must Lead the Councill here have therefore Directed me to send it to your Honr who will proceed in it as in your Wisdom you think best.


The suggested expedition to Crown Point was not undertaken then because of lack of cooperation among the Colonies, but the suggestion was a good one, and was of necessity acted on ten years later.


With the capture of Louisburg the war in the Colonies was practically ended, although peace was not declared till 1748. The ensuing period of quiet was of short duration, however, as the "American edition" of the Seven Years War, which convulsed Europe, came out here in 1755. It was precipitated by the con- tinued encroachments of the French in the Ohio Valley, and was known, on this side of the water, as the French and Indian War.


Our ancient chronicler, Crossman,; says that about 1740 there were only sixteen families settled in Salisbury-probably not above one hundred persons, but so rapidly did the population increase that it was estimated at eleven hundred in 1756. This meant that the town was well established and able to do its full part in the impending conflict. Connecticut military records for this period are incomplete, but from such as exist it appears that the willingness of our citizens to serve their country was unabated.


In the campaign of 1755 against Crown Point, Connecticut levied several regiments. In the second of these, Capt. Samuel


* Conn. Hist. Soc. Collections, Vol. XIII, p. 149.


+ New Year Sermon, 1803 (the first printed contribution to Salisbury History), by Rev. Joseph Warren Crossman, second settled pastor of Salisbury Congregational Church.


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Bellows of Salisbury commanded the 8th Company; enlistment in it was not confined to this town, but a number of Salisbury names stand on its roll.


In the Company of Lieut .- Col. Whiting, in the same regiment, served Corporals Isaac Bird and Jonathan Chipman and privates Nathaniel Buell, Timothy Chittenden and Lot Norton. This trio of privates were of the same age, twenty-two years, and died within several years of each other, nearly sixty years later, after most honorable and useful careers. In this same Company were also Simeon Strong, John Hanmer, four Woodworths and three Tuttles. In the second year of the war, 1756, four regiments were raised by the Assembly, in the first of which Rev. Jonathan Lee of Salisbury was Chaplain. The Company of Capt. Jeffry of Cornwall, in the 3rd regiment, contained some twenty Salis- bury men.


In 1757, fully seventy-five Salisbury men marched to the relief of Fort William Henry on Lake George. They were distributed as follows,-a half dozen in Capt. Marsh's Litchfield Company, a dozen or so in Lieut .- Col. Whiting's Canaan Company, twenty- five who rode their own horses, in Capt. Moses Lyman's Goshen Company and thirty-five in the Company commanded by Capt. Stevens of Canaan, whose Lieutenants were Jonathan More and Joseph Lee of Salisbury. These figures indicate that nearly one- third of the adult male population of Salisbury was in active military service in 1757.


In 1758 the number was not as large but the quota was filled. Nathaniel Evarts was Captain of a Company in the 4th Regt., in which served Nathaniel Buell, now a Sergeant, and a number of Salisbury rank and file.


In 1759, Lieut. Isaac Peck, Nathaniel Buell, now an Ensign, Sergeant Andrew Barton, Corporal Samuel Skinner and a half dozen privates appear in the 3rd Regiment Company of Capt. Elmore of Sharon, and in the Company of Capt. Tarball Whitney of Canaan were enrolled Corporal John Nichols and another half dozen privates.


In 1760-'62, the town's quota served for the most part in Capt. Elmore's Company, above mentioned.


Unfortunately no one will ever know just how many of these men died in service or incurred disabilities for life. This because


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the military records are defective, and no pension system existed. Contemporary town records occasionally supply a name and date as in the case of John Hutchinson who "died, a soldier, at ye Jarmon Flats in his return from Oswego, Oct. 19, 1760, in his 19th year." Another soldier, Weston Gifford, is recorded by Capt. Bellows, as dying in 1756, at his (Bellows') house in the north part of the town, on the return of the Crown Point Expedition.


Captains Bellows and Evarts, and Lieutenants Peck and Buell were the only commissioned officers from Salisbury in the Col- ony's volunteer service in the old French war, but the militia was not inactive, and Captains James Landon and Samuel Moore as Commanders of the two train-bands or militia companies of the town deserve a share of the credit for the town's good showing.


The capture of Fort William Henry by Montcalm in July, 1757, caused general alarm. What was left of the garrison at the Fort, after Montcalm's Indians had violated his pledge of safe- conduct, and had their way with the prisoners, took refuge fifteen miles away at Fort Edward on the upper reaches of the Hudson. But contrary to expectation Montcalm did not follow up his victory by attacking Fort Edward, and our townsmen, although evidently prepared to march, did not receive the order to do so.




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