USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 39
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > East Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 39
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > South Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 39
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Bloomfield > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 39
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor Locks > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 39
USA > Connecticut > Tolland County > Ellington > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 39
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
was struck by a spent ball, so increased his speed as to leave all his com- rades behind. Many fell at their posts, and many, less fortunate, wer imprisoned within the gloomy walls of the Old Sugar House, or suffered the terrors of those floating charnels, the prison ships.'
Hezekiah Hayter HEZEKIAH HAYDEN' enlisted intu the army about the 1st of January. 1776, and served as a private soldier. July 20, Washington had issued an order to the army, portraying the perilous condition of the coun- try, and the momentous interests at stake in the impending battle. Finding in this order what best expressed his own sentiments regarding the situation, the soldier copied from it until the drum-beat called him to lay aside his pen and resume his misket :
" CAMP NEW YORK, July 4, 1776. " Honored Father and Mother:
" The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves: whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and they con signed toa state of wrefcheduess from which no human efforts will propably deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and condinet of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resist- ance, or the most abject solomission. This is all we can expect. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die. Our country's honor calls upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion, and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole worki. Let us rely upon the goodness of our cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hatuls victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions. The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and praises if. happily, we are the instruments of saving them from the tyranny meditated again-t them.
" Let us animate and encourage each other, and show to the whole world that : freeman contending for liberty on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.
"The General recommends to bis officers great coolness in time of action, and to the soldiers strict attention and obedience, with a becoming firmness of spirit.
" The drum beats, and I must turn out with fatigue men and main guard. Tis, thanks be to God, pretty healthy in the army.
" Your affectionate son, " HEZEKIAH HAYDEN."?
He was taken prisoner on the 27th August, 1776, at the battle of Long Island. and died on board the prison-ship, of starvation, after hav- ing disposed of everything in his possession, even to his sleeve-buttons, to purchase of his keeper food enough to sustain life. He was a native of Windsor, and much respected and esteemed by his neighbors.
NATHANIEL LAMBERTON' died on board the prison ship, November 9th. WILLIAM PARSONS' died November 9th, in captivity at New York.
3 See note, p. 323.
1 Ibid.
? Ibid.
323
WINDSOR'S SHARE IN THE REVOLUTION, 1776.
ELIHU DENSLOW (son of Samuel, on West street, Pine Meadow ) died September 9th, in camp, at New York, of camp distemper (dys- entery ).
Capt. EBENEZER FITCH BISSELL, Sr.,' was one of those who endured the horrible cruelties of the imprisonment in the Jersey prison ship. He was accustomed to relate with much feeling the suffering's which he wit- nessed and experienced at that time. He sent home to his family for money. Silver was extremely scarce, and by dint of hard seraping, borrowing, and pledging, they succeeded in sending him some. But it never reached him, having probably found its way to the pocket of some greedy British official. " Hhis wife ( whose maiden name was Esther Hayden ) was vigi- lant in her endeavors to send articles for his comfort and relief, and once succeeded in visiting him in his captivity." 2
Sam EWing SANGEL WING and his son MosEs were present at the retreat from New York.
JONATHAN BIDWELL ( Why.), DANIEL GILLET. JERIJAH BARBER, OBADIAH FULLER, ELISHA MOORE, WATSON LOOMIS, were drafted and served in New York and Westchester in August and September.
FREDERICK (son of Ezekiel ) CASE ( Why.), died July 26th, in camp. at New York, in his 15th year.
OLIVER CASE ( Why. ), died October 5th, near New York, aged about 30.
SAMUEL ANDRE'S ( Why.), died October 5th, on returu from camp, near New York.
' Tradition does not make it clear whether these men died in the " Old Jer-es Prison Ship " or in the old Sogar House or in a Church in New York. Mrs. Ezra Hayden told me that she was present at a meeting of the father of Hezekiah Hayden (Deacon Na- thaniel) and the mother of Nathaniel Lamberton when the news first reached them - that their fears were realized, and that their sons were dead from starvation. She also told me that Captain Bissell, who survived his imprisonment, used to go aronad among the pews every day to see his starving men. Anson Hayden (a nephew of Hezekiah Hay- den) who lived in New York 20 years ago, told a Windsor friend while passing the old "Sugar House " that his Podle Hezekiah died there. And yet it was a common saying. when I was a boy, that Unele Hezekiah was starved to death in the old Jersey Prison Ship. Perhaps some or all of them were at first put in the prison ship, and transferred to New York later on. A niece of Capt. Bis-ell said in my hearing that after the war her unele would. sometimes look wisttully at the debris his wife had cast aside for the pigs and say, " What wouldn't I have given, Esther, while I was in prison, for the privilege of going to that barrel." These meu all belonged at Hayden's. Cornet Hus- sol, who lived nearer the center of the town, also survived, but so broken by his suffer- ings that he could never speak, after he reached home, above a whisper. This treat- ment of the prisoners by the British army greatly exasperated the friends of the vie- titus here and elsewhere throughout the colonies. - J. HI. HAYDEN, 1891.
? MIxx. of Mrs. Fanny L. Bissell, in whose possession was preserved the sword of this gallant officer.
921
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
JOSEPH MARSH died Angust 15th, at Meriden, coming from camp at New York.
. The great number, as well as the length of the drafts, had seriously interfered with the agricultural interests of the town, and the crops were wanty and insufficient for the winter's supply. Nearly all the able-bodied men of Windsor were absent in the army, and labor was so scarce that the harvests of 1776 were literally gathered by the women and children. There came, also, a time, when the stern law of necessity required from every barn in Windsor all the grain there found above a given amount for each member of the household depending upon it. And again the constituted authorities went forth in search of lead for bullets. The tra- dition which preserves this fact also mentions that not a clock in the whole town marked the flight of time. their weights having been melted down and run into ballets. This was owing to a requisition. This tra- dition is well authenticated, both in the case of this and of the sur- rounding towns. Mr. Roswell Miller once related this faet to Dea. Jabez H. Hayden. Corroborative of this fact, we have found, in looking over some Revolutimary papers of the town, several memoranda, of which this will serve as a specimen, of " lead delivered to the Towns- Men, 1776, clock weight lead."
Captain Stoughton. 18 pounds. David Ellsworth, Jr., 24 pounds
Captain Ellsworth. 8 . Daniel Hayden, 24 ..
Rev. Mr. Hinsdale, 13 " John Allyn, 14
Josiah Allyn.
There were those, however, who failed to see the corresponding good. Mr. Eliakim Mather, who lived on the street nearly a mile north of the old church, declared the taking of his clock weights to be an ille- gal and arbitrary act, and took an oath (a familiar practice with him ), that his clock should stand without weights until the authority which took them away returned them. Through all the long forty years of the old man's after life, the old clock was to him an unmoved witness to his persevering observance of his oath : and when, at the age of eighty- four, he Looked for the last time upon the face of his clock, it still gave 10 SORIO.'
Capt. ERASTUS WOLCOTT was taken prisoner, but exchanged.
SETH PHELPS of Windsor was 2d lieutenant in Col. Durkee's regi- ment, 20th Continental.
ABNER WARD of Windsor, captain in Col. Ward's regiment.
1777.
Early this year, enlistments for three years, or during the war, wer" called for, and the quota established for each town. This new levy was
1 J. H. Hayden's Add. at Centennial at Windsor, July 4, 1876.
325
WINDSOR'S SHARE IN THE REVOLUTION, 1777.
a severe test of their patriotism, but, burdened and overstrained as they were, it was cheerfully and promptly met by Windsor and the other towns of the State. Large bounties were offered to those who would eulist, and those who, from any cause, were not liable to be engaged in military duty were heavily taxed to pay the expenses thus incurred.
As recruiting for the Continental line progressed but slowly in the spring of 1777, and the Connecticut regiments were not ready to take the field, Washington urged the Governor to send a body of militia to serve for six weeks at Peekskill, where Gen. MeDougall was then posted with a slight force. Three regiments - composed of detachments from the militia regiments - were sent, under command of Brig .- Gen. Erastus Wolcott, and were distributed at White Plains, Crompond, Fishkill, Fort Montgomery, etc.
The following appears on the town books :
"At a town meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Windsor, lawfully warned and held in Windsor, the 22d of April, 1737, for the purpose of doing the following business, viz: 1st, To see what method the town will take to encourage the proportion of soldiers assigned to the town of Windsor to enlist into the Continental Army, to supply the quota assigned to this town.
"2d. To choose a committee to provide necessaries for the families of all those per- sons belonging to the town of Windsor that shall enlist into the Continental Army at the price as stated by Law, and at said meeting Doct. Alex. Wolcott chosen Moderator for said merting.
" To raise a Rate or tax upon the list of the poles and rateable estate of the inhab- itants of the town of Windsor, made and computed for Angust 20, 1776, of so much money upon the Pound as Will raise Thirty pound Law ful money for each able bodied effective man that belongs to the town of Windsor that has already enlisted into the Eight Battalions, including what they have already received as private encouragement for enlisting, and are now actually in service in the Continental Army, or that shall en- list into either of the Eight Battalions ordered to be raised in the State of Connecticut for Continental Service on or before the 30th day of April instant, at 12 of the clock on the same day. Provided that not a larger number than 79 sokliers that shall enlist includ- ing the number already inlisted, the first 79 soldiers that shall enlist shall receive said sum, which said sum shall be paid to each soldier that has already enlisted or that shall enlist before said 30th day of April, inst at 12 of the clock on said day, until said number be made up."
At the next meeting, held May 2, 1777, this encouragement was re- newed to all who should enlist before the 9th of May, inst. ; also
· Voted, That the families of all such soldiers, being lawful inhabitants of the town of Windsor, who have or shall engage and go into any of the Continental Battalions to be raised in this State, shall be supplied with necessaries in their absence by a commit- tre appointed for that purpose, at the price affixed by Law on his or their lodging or remitting money to said Committee appointed for that purpose, the additional cost to be paid by said town agreeable to his honor's recommendation in the aforesaid Procla- mation."
Vote 1, that Heury Allyn, Noah Griswold, Solomon Allyn, Samuel Denslow, George Griswoldl, and Josiah Gillet be a Committee agreeable to the above vote, and to excente the same.
326
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
"At a town meeting held by adjournment on the 9th of May, Ett, and opened va of the clock afternoon, according to adjournment, the Moderator of the former merta . net bring present. Capt. Nath' Loomis was chosen Moderator," "at said meeting, Voted. that each ahk bodied effective man, that is an inhabitant of the town of Wind! sur, that shall inlist into either of the Eight Battalions of Continental Troops belonging to the State of Connecticut, or that has enlisted since the 22d day of April last, shall receive of the Selectmen of the town of Windsor an order upon the Treasurer for The town of Windsor for the sum of Thirty pounds Lawful money agreeable to the von of this town at their meeting holden on the 22d day of April last. Provided tient ... soldier so enlisted shall be able to secure the Selectmen, that in case such soldyr Shall not pass tauster that be will repay the said sum into the town treasury with Lin fal interest for the same. from the time of receiving said money out of said treasury until the same be repaid into said treasury, and the said order to be drawn upon the sail Treasurer to jay the same within two daysafter sight thereof, and if net then paid to pay the lawful interest for the same after the said two days till such time as dir Treasurer shall receive the money for the purpose of paying said order and lay the same by for that purpose."
The encouragement of £30 was again renewed at town meeting of May 27th, and it was also
"Voted; that Capt. Caleb .Phelps, Col. Roger Eno, Mr. Alex Allin, Capt. Nath'i Hayden, Capt. Isaac Pinney, Capt. Edward Barnard, Poletiah Mills, and Capt. Jonal: Gillet be a Committee to prepare a Subscription and present the same to the inhabitants of this town in order to raise money by voluntary subscription for the purpose of pay ing the encouragement voted by this town to give to those inhabitants of this town that shall enlist into the Continental Army."
In addition to this subscription, a rate of tax of eighteen pence upon the pound was self-imposed for the same purpose, by a vote of the town. June 10, 1777.
And at a town meeting in September, Capt. Caleb Phelps being Moderator, it was
Vot d ; that the Seleetmen of this town purchase or procure, as soon as may be. upon the best terms they can, the sundry articles of clothing as requested by the fios ernor and Council of Safety at their meeting at Lebanon upon the 12th day of Sept inst., for the Non-commissioned officers and soldiers raised for the Quota of solutions assigned for the town of Windsor, and that actually enlisted into the Continental Arny for the term of the War or for three years, and forward t' e same to the Commissaris requested, and bring in their accounts which shall be allowed and paid by this town, in cluding such sum or sums as sball or may be received from the Colony Treasury or other way by order of the General Assembly in October next.
In Conn. State Archives, Revol. War, xii. 304, we find an account rendered by Hez. Wyllys, against the State of Connecticut, under date of Sept. 29, 1777, for " procuring Man and Horse to ride express to Windsor on occasion of the alarm from the Enemies of the United States of America, in said month of September, expences for himself and Horse in the Night Season to Raise the Militia to join Gen. Putnam at Fishkill. £1 0x. 0.7. Bill pi. Dec. 3, '78."
Dec., 1777 .- Capt. Caleb Phelps, Solomon Allyn. Sam't Denslow.
327
WINDSOR'S SHARE IN THE REVOLUTION, 1777.
and Noah Griswold were appointed a Committee to provide necessaries for sokliers' families.
Capt. ARNER PRIOR, belonging to the Fourth Connecticut Regiment, and Lieut. SETH PHELPS of Col. Durkee's regiment, spent some time in Windsor during May, 1777, as recruiting officers ; and the work of en- rollment went bravely on. Capt. Prior seems to have enlisted the largest mmuber. The original certificates of enlistments, bearing on their backs the ow ners' endorsements of $30 bounty received from the selectmen, we found preserved ( ? ) in an old barrel ( ! ) at the elerk's office. From these we have been enabled to rescue the names and fame of many of Windsor's revolutionary heroes, which otherwise would have been lost to posterity.
The attack of the British on Danbury, April the 26th, spread a general alarm throughout the State, and Windsor sent many volunteers, most of whom, however, arrived too late to participate in the action of the next day. Among those who started in hot haste for the fray, was DANIEL PHELPS, aged eighty-four, who was accompanied by DANIEL GILLET, a young neighbor. Mounted on horseback, they were far on their way toward Daibmy, when they were met with the news that the crisis had passed, and volunteers were not needed. Old Mr. Phelps was bitterly disappointed, exclaiming, as he turned his face towards home. " I am so sorry, I wanted just to have a few shots at those red-coat British." On the homeward road they came to a ferry where a number of impatient riders were waiting their turn to be ferried over, but who with one consent allowed the old man the preference, and on his urgent plea suf- fered " his boy " ( Gillett ) to go with him. On arriving at Litchfield late that evening, on their homeward route, the old gentleman was so stiff from age and unwonted fatigue, that he was obliged to be helped from his saddle. The exertion which he had made undoubtedly hastened his death, which occurred a few days after. Such was the " spirit of '76."
Capt. EDWARD GRISWOLD of Windsor (as we learn from an affida- vit from his son Solomon, May, 1787 ), (Conn. State Archirex, Rerol., viii. 85-89), commanded a company at Horseneck this year.
LUTHER CENTER, returning from captivity in New York, died at Wintonbury, Jan., 1777. ( Wby. Ch. Rec.)
REUBEN KING ( Why. ), returning home from captivity in New York, died January, 1777, aged about 18.
JOHN WILSON (Why.), died at or near New York, aged about 18.
Lient. SAMUEL WING, died at Danbury, in the service, July, 1777. ( Rev. Mr. Hinsdale's North Ch. Rec.)
In October of this year, a detachment of Ensign David Barber's company of Windsor, belonging to Lient .- Col. Willey's regiment of
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
State militia, was ordered to Peekskill. They started on the 6th, and were absent about thirty-eight days. Their names were as follows :
Ens'n DAVID BARBER,
TiMo. Cook, GIDEON CASE,
Set. MARTIN PINNEY.
Sgt. ALEX. GRISWOLD, Corp. ZEPHANIAR WEBSTER,
ABEL GRISWOLD,
ELISHA MARSHALL,
Dram. JOSEPH HOLCOMB,
OLIVER P'HELPS,
1
BENJ. MOORE.
Col. ROGER ENOS, of this town. commanded one of the regiments raised in May of this year. He was stationed on the southwestern bor- der of the State. near Long Island Sound.
1778
was a gloomy year. Enlistments went on slowly; the previous winter (1777-8) had been disastrous and severe : the small-pox was raging in several parts of the country, and men's hearts "failed them for fear." The States, however, came together on a common basis of federation. and, with the aid of the French troops, the war was prosecuted with commendable vigor. Some of the Windsor troops were this year win- tered in garrison at West Point.
ELIJAH HILL, JUDAH PINNEY, and JOSEPH HOLCOMB, belonging to Capt. Barber's company, were among the number.
The terrible massacre at Wyoming, in Pennsylvania -a town settled by and belonging to Connecticut - produced great agitation and distress throughout the State. In every county and town there were those who had dear friends and relatives there, and when they heard of the terri- ble fate which had befallen them, there was deep sorrow and indignation in every heart.
Mrs. AZUBA (Griswold) PERKINS, a daughter of Windsor, barely escaped with her two children, from the infuriated savages, who had murdered her husband. She afterwards lived and died in Poquonock.
Dr. ELISHA N. SILL was also a survivor of the Wyoming massaere. SAMUEL COY and JOEL DENSLOW both died in camp, June, 1778.
Lieut. REUBEN ELLSWORTH was sent, by order of the Assembly, Sept .. 1778, to Headquarters at Frederickburgh, with pay-roll of Troop of Light Horse, in service at New York, 1776. His bill of nine days' time. from Windsor to F., expenses and horse hire for ninety miles amounts to £26-14 was paid. Conn. State Arch., Revol. War, xvi. 290.
1779.
The war being principally carried on in the South, the Connertient troops were not in very active service. Two alarms for the defense of Horse Neck, in February and May, and the great scarcity of clothing and
329
WIND-OR'S SHAKE IN THE REVOLUTION, 1779-80.
provisions in the army were the most noticeable events in the northern division.
At a town meeting held in July, it was voted, that Mr. Elisha strong should be an agent to procure the quota of clothing assigned for the town of Windsor to clothe the Connectieut line in the Continental Army.
Again at a town meeting in the same month, it was voted,
" That Mr. Elisha Strong. agent for this town for the clothing of the Connecticut fi .. in the Continental an my assigned for this town to purchase by Resolve of the Gun- und Assembly h. May last, be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to borrow on the credit of this town and give his obligation therefor, a sum not exceeding Three thousand pounds Lawful Money, payable in a reasonable time on interest, for the pur- pose aforesaid, and that he be accountable to this town therefor, and that he use all pos- sible care and prudence that the Loaners be repaid by monies received from this or the United States."
This year, Joab Griswold, "being a ready penman," was appointed Collector of Military Taxes for Windsor." - Conn. Arch., Reed., xxi. 205.
1780
was a peculiarly trying year to the American cause. Destitution, fam- ine, and want of elothing had assailed and tortured the northern army in their winter-quarters. Defeat and toryism were the fearful odds against which the southern army was contending. Added to this, the `heavy drain of men and means, for the past four years, had impover- ished the country, and the sudden depreciation of Continental currency, with which the soldiers had been paid off, served to increase the general distress and wretchedness. Just at this juncture, also, as if to complete the gloominess of public affairs, the treachery of Arnold came to light, filling every heart with the direst apprehension of trouble and disaster. Men's hearts stood still with doubt and fear, and it was with the utmost difficulty that Washington and the leaders of the Revolution succeeded by the most untiring exertions and the most earnest and impassioned appeals, in reviving the drooping faith and energies of th . people.
The records of Windsor show that the most extraordinary means were put forth, by the authorities, to secure the necessary number of troops which were required. Large bounties were offered for enlistment, and heavy taxes imposed to meet them. And there is sufficient evidence that the calls, both for enlistment and contributions, were responded to with a cheerfulness ahnost remarkable, when we consider the number of "Avessive drafts which had been made on the town, and its consequent weakness.
"At a town meeting 10th July, 1780. Voted; that each able bodied effective man that shall enlist muster and be accounted one of the Quota assigned to this town by vir- tur of an act of the Governor and Council of Safety at a meeting held at Hartford on VOL. I .- 42
330
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
the 20th day of June 1780 for raising one thousand men in this State to serve in t !. Continental army till the last day of December next, shall receive in addition to the bounty given by this State the sum of 40 shillings lawful money; and that each por. .. so enlisting that shall lodge with the treasurer of this town the whole or part of it bounty, and his wages now given, he shall receive for the same during the term ator. said, the interest at 6 per et. within a reasonable time. All of which shall be pait to Whent at four shillings per bushel, or an equivalent thereto in Indian corn, Rye, or Beefe as those articles were usually sold in the year 1774, or in money equivalent in : reasonable time, provided that all monies lodged with the Treasurer of this town he lodged within Ten days next after they shall receive the same."
The militia of the town, who should be detached for three months service, were offered a bounty of twenty shillings, to be paid ont of the town treasury in the same manner and on the same conditions as above stated.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS, belonging to Eighth Co., or Train-hand, in the 1st Reg. of Militia, Windsor, 29 May, 1779 - (Conn. State Arch., Rerol. War, xxi. 187, 188) :
Daniel Clark James Willson
Samuel Rowse
Philander Moore
C'alvin Willson
Simeon Moor
Sam" Barnard
John Giles (drum & tife)
John Phelps 3
.Joseph Barnard, Jr.
Abel Wright
Job Phelps
Eli Phelps
Oliver Phelps
John Palmer
Joel Wilson, Jun.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.