USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oxford > History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates > Part 61
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BENJAMIN, Revolutionary soldier.
ELEANOR, sister of Edward (?), m. 17 April, 1782, Rufus Bacon of Charlton.
WILLIAM, m. Nancy -, and had SARAH E., b. 10 Sept., 1837, at Worces- ter.
ELLA B., and William H. Stevens, m. intentions 16 March, 1844.
LUCY P., and Erastus W. Whiting, m. 5 March, 1845.
ELLIOT, DANIEL, father and son of the same name, two of the 30 original settlers. Daniel, senior, had lived at Sudbury or Marlboro', and came here from Framingham. He m. 1686 Hannah Cloyes of Framingham and had seven sons. He took up the mill lot near H. 135 and in 1715, by
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the town's permission, resigned this to his sons EBENEZER and JAMES, and went a short distance up the stream and settled at the Pope farm, H. 132. Before March, 1720, he had removed to Sutton, and that year sold his home lot and half the mill to Richard Moore. Ebenezer and James remained but a short time but gave place to Jonathan Provender (who had bought a fourth part of the mill), they removing to Sutton.
DANIEL, JR., b. 17 Aug., 1687, m. Sarah, sister of Jonathan and dau. of John Provender of Framingham. His home lot was on Town's Plain, east side of the eight-rod way, H. 139, and he was an owner in the mills. He sold his whole estate in 1716 and removed to Sutton.
JOHN, third son of Daniel, senior, was employed by Bernon on his farm here before it was sold to Davis, Weld and Mayo.
EBENEZER, and Margaret Segal of Newtown, m. intentions 15 Oct., 1716. CHARLES B., and Sally Marble of Grafton, m. intentions 23 Nov., 1821.
AARON, 3D, and Maria Putnam of Sutton, m. intentions 15 Nov., 1823.
SAMUEL D., and Betsey Morse, m. intentions 27 Sept., 1824.
AARON, came to Ox. before May, 1828, lived on Sutton road, H. 13, killed by the bursting of a grindstone in a scythe shop at "Saccarappa," 27 March, 1833, aged 33.
MARIA, and William Hilliker, m. 27 March, 1839.
MRS. SUSANNA, aged 83, d. 20 April, 1845.
PATRICK (Irish), aged 46, d. 19 Nov., 1857.
CLARA M., dau. of Francis G., aged 24, d. 10 April, 1863.
PATRICK (Irish), a soldier, aged 21, d. 4 Dec., 1863.
ELLIS, LUCY A., of Douglas, and Jason G. Cummings, m. 20 May, 1847. LOUISA, m. n. Leonard, of Douglas, aged 36, d. 26 Jan., 1870.
AYRES, son of Jeremiah, West Greenwich, R. I., a. 82, d. 29 Aug., 1878. ELIAS B., son of Samuel of Berlin, Conn., aged 35, d. 26 April, 1880.
ELMER, ELIZA, w. of Joseph, aged 57, d. 4 March, 1846.
EMERSON, EBENEZER, of Thompson, Conn., and Chloe Brown of South Gore, m. intentions 6 Sept., 1802.
JOHN, 2D, and Anna Corbin, both of South Gore, m. int. 11 Dec., 1814.
SMITH, of South Gore, and Sarah Howard of Douglas, m. int. 5 Dec., 1815.
LOIS, and Elliot Fitts, both of South Gore; m. 8 July, 1822.
JOHN, and Lavinia Brown, both of South Gore, m. 21 Nov., 1826.
NATHANIEL, of South Gore, and Mary W. Pope, m. 17 June, 1827.
OLIVER C., of South Gore, and Betsey A. Smith of Douglas, m. intentions 24 April, 1831.
JONATHAN, of Haverhill, and Lucy Thomas, m. int. 26 May, 1838.
MRS. NATHANIEL, d. 12 Jan., 1841.
CAPT. NATHANIEL, and Abigail Learned, m. 6 March, 1844.
RHODA B., m. n. Sayles, of Burrillville, R. I., aged 43, d. 12 March, 1882.
LEWIS T,, son of Loring, aged 49, d. 23 July, 1886; EMMA J., aged 20, d. 29 Aug., 1882; ELLA M., aged 17, d. 3 Feb., 1885; CARRIE M., aged 21, d. 25 April, 1886; all daughters of Lewis T.
MRS. MARY, aged 88, d. 2 April, 1887.
EMMONS, REV. AMZI B., b. 9 Nov., 1846, at Chester, N. J., son of Jeremiah S., early left an orphan, gained an education by his own efforts, was graduated 1870 at Amherst College and in 1873 at Union Theological 64
1
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EMMONS .- FAIRBANKS.
Seminary, New York, ordained 28 Oct., 1873, served several months as City Missionary in New York, preached one year as supply at Stratton, Vt., whence he removed to Jamaica, Vt., where he was settled three years, and in 1877 came to Ox., supplied one year and was installed 16 Oct., 1878. "From the beginning of his pastorate he gave himself unsparingly to his work and in his anxiety to fulfil his mission exceeded his strength. He preached for the last time on the closing Sabbath of 1881. The weary brain yielded, he left his work and sought rest and medical aid in his native State, but it was too late.
"He was a thorough student, an earnest preacher, a faithful and sympa- thetic pastor, and was esteemed by all classes as a devoted, self-denying man of God, and was especially beloved by the poor."
He left home for Morristown, N. J., in the early days of January, 1882, continued comfortable for about ten days when congestion of the lungs set in and he sank rapidly, and died on the 18th. At a Church meeting it was " Resolved, that we recognize and emulate his wonderful exemplication of the spirit of his Master, his faithful and untiring labors, his cheerful spirit of self-sacrifice, his unflinching devotion to principle and his loyalty to duty."
A memorial service was held on 2 February, attended by a large delegation of clergymen of the vicinage and a full congregation of the town's people. The exercises were in part the singing of several hymns of his composition. A single stanza illustrates his later experience :-
" Yes, we struggle evermore- But the struggle will be over at the last; We are striving o'er and o'er But the bitter, painful strife will soon be past ; For our victory draweth nearer And the sky is growing clearer Day by day-Watch and pray !"
He m. 28 May, 1873, Melva Sophie Topping of Chester; they had MARY F., b. 16 June, 1874; FLOY B., b. 4 Nov., 1877, d. 26 May, 1883; ESTHER C., b. 5 Sept., 1879; MOSES S., b. 19 June, 1881.
ENGLAND, MISS FLORENCE R., aged 23, d. 22 Aug., 1877.
ESTEN, NATHAN, aged 68, d. 18 April, 1867.
CHILD of Nathan, aged 12, d. 27 Nov., 1843.
RACHEL, widow of Nathan, aged 76, d. 21 May, 1879.
EUSTIS, ABIGAIL, Charlton, and Robert Manning, m. int. 22 June, 1765.
EVANS, ERASTUS, and Mrs. Naomi Learned, m. intentions 1 Aug., 1829, residence, Charlton; they had GEORGE, b. 1830 (?), went before 1860 to Cali- fornia, residence, Marysville; JOSHUA, b. 1 May, 1833, soldier in late war; she d. aged 87, 27 Aug., 1888, at Oxford.
EVERDEN, WILLIAM, aged 88, d. 15 Sept., 1803.
MRS. LUCY, and Zebedee Phetteplace, m. 20 April, 1847.
FAIRBANKS, JOEL, in Ox. 1782, m. Mary, dau. of Abijah Gale. JOTHAM, w. Beulah, and son Jotham, resided at Ox. March, 1783. MARY ANN, of Holden, and Lucius Boyden, m. intentions 31 May, 1827. ELLIS, of Douglas, and Thankful Putney of Charlton, m. 13 Jan., 1828. LINCOLN, m. Esther ---; ch .: JULIA ANN, b. 27 March, 1837; a child d. 1841.
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FAIRFIELD .- FISH.
FAIRFIELD, DANIEL, m. 27 Nov., 1746, Mary, dau. of Collins Moore; taxed in 1771; ch. : REUBEN, b. 7 Nov., 1747.
SARAH, and Israel Rich of Sutton, m. intentions July, 1744.
JEREMIAH, of Brookfield, and Adaline Clark of Boston, m. 9 Nov., 1829.
FARLEY, ESTHER, of Charlton, and Eleazer Gleason, m. intentions 5 Nov., 1774.
FAULKNER, MRS. SARAH, aged 74, d. 21 Oct., 1849.
FREDERICK, of Hampton, Conn., aged 83, d. 20 May, 1853.
MARTHA, aged 60, d. 3 March, 1872.
FAY, JENNIE B., aged 21, dau. of Dr. Charles M., of Charlton, d. 8 Sept., 1877.
FELLOWS, JACOB, of Sutton, weaver, 1743, then sold land on Prospect Hill, Ox., to Joseph Gleason; wife Sarah and Hannah Frail signed deed. In 1764 sold another lot there to the same who mortgaged to Ox. selectmen for the support of Fellows, mortgage discharged 13 June, 1777; in 1764, Dr. Alex. Campbell was made his guardian as non compos. Soldier in Revolu- tionary war. In 1777, Isaac Putnam contracted with the town to support him. In 1761, Daniel Dike of Sutton had from Fellows deed of 70 acres and buildings in Sutton, and mortgaged the same to selectmen of Ox. for support of Fellows and wife.
FELSHAW, REBECCA, of Killingly, Conn., and Thomas Campbell, m. intentions 20 Sept., 1783.
FENNO, ELMIRA, of S. Leicester, and Joseph Carter, Jr., m. 1 Dec., 1829.
FESSENDEN, JOHN, of Cambridge, removed to Dudley, where he d .; order of appraisal 26 Aug., 1754; widow Mercy and a son named in the settle- ment. In 1749, he deeded land to Alexander Thompson of Cambridge, the husband of his daughter Martha, and also to Daniel Smith, who married his daughter Grace. John of Oxford was undoubtedly his son. On 6 June, 1762, Mary [Mercy] Fessenden, widow, of Dudley, and John Fessenden of Oxford, sold the Dudley homestead. He was of Ox., May, 1763, and a Revolutionary soldier 1775. He m. Rebekah -; they had JOHN, b. 6 April, 1769; RE- BEKAH, m. 2 Nov., 1797, Isaac Lamb of Charlton; SARAH, m. 6 June, 1790, Nathaniel Woodward of Leicester; SAMUEL, b. 17 March, 1774; SOPHIA (?), m. 9 Nov., 1794, David Kidder. John, the father, died before 23 Aug., 1778, at which date Rebekah, his widow, was received to the Church; she m. (2) 3 May, 1796, Lieut. James Lamb of Charlton.
2. JOHN, son of John (1), m. 21 Feb., 1790, Lucy Mellen of Charlton, set- tled at North Oxford, at H. 119, house removed, stood in the fields west of the residence of Nathaniel E. Taft. . . Children : PATTY, b. 20 Jan., 1793; JOHN, b. 7 July, 1796.
FIELD, RODNEY A., son of Aaron, Bernardston, aged 74, d. 20 Sept., 1879. THEDA P., aged 82, d. 21 July, 1887.
FIELDING, THOMAS (English), aged 66, d. 10 March, 1868.
FISH, EBENEZER, son of Ebenezer, who was b. 1693 at Reading, son of Stephen (?), came to Oxford from Woburn 1754, resided west of Town's Pond,
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FISH.
H. 142, house long removed; shoemaker, many years sealer of leather, highway surveyor, Sunday warden. He removed, 1764, to a house north of the pond, now removed, became dependent, d. 8 Sept., 1805, aged 88, his wife d. 5 Feb., 1801. He m. 16 March, 1742, Katharine Baker of Woburn, sister of Mrs. Col. Ebenezer Learned. Soldier in French and Revolutionary wars. . . . Children, first three b. at Woburn : THOMAS, b. 17 July, 1743, m. 25 June, 1767, Naomi Mixer of Sutton, and had Ruth, b. 5 Dec., 1768, only ch. ; OLIVE, b. 1 Feb., 1747, m. 10 March, 1774, Charles Hart of Worcester; CATHERINE, b. 3 Jan., 1750, m. Simon Gleason; SUSANNA, b. 23 Nov., 1754, m. Amasa Allen; ESTHER, b. 1758, d. 1759; ESTHER, b. 10 Feb., 1761, d. unm.
Thomas Fish was a man with a history. He came, when 11 years of age, from Woburn to Oxford with his father, and like him was by trade a shoe- maker. He had small opportunity for education yet came up to fill important and responsible positions. He had good sense and enterprise, and after en- during the hardships of a soldier's lot for several years and also the priva- tions of frontier life in the woods of Maine, met a tragic fate there before he had completed his two-score years. The first record we find of him in Ox- ford is in 1765, when, at 22 years of age, he purchased a building lot from the tavern property on the Plain. Here, as is supposed, he erected buildings and followed his vocation for about three years and then sold. Later he was owner of several lots of land in the northerly part of the town, and in Jan., 1773, sold one-half of 16 acres lying west of the north cemetery near the river, embracing a brickyard and clay pits. On 11 Jan., 1771, a grant of land lying eastward of the Saco River, then in Massachusetts, at what is now Liv- ermore, Me. , was made by the General Court to certain soldiers, for services in the French and Indian war. Among these grantees was Capt. Ebenezer Learned, whose wife was Fish's aunt. A leading man in the enterprise was Lieut. Elijah Livermore of Waltham, for whom the town was named. Fish became interested in this project, and in the summer of 1772 went thither as assistant to Ebenezer Waters of Sutton on a surveying expedition. In No- vember of that year he received a proprietary right in the village and in 1773 was chosen with Learned and Livermore on a committee to lay out and clear roads into the town. He was also appointed to prosecute trespassers. He entered this service with energy, and as we learn from his journal, spent nearly the whole of the summer of that year in the discharge of his duties, and in the spring of 1774 renewed his labors. This journal is an entertaining document, and is printed in the history of Livermore, embracing 14 pages. We copy its most important portions :-
Thos. Fish, his Book, price 7s. 6d., of Oxford in the County of Worcester, New England.
Jornal from Oxford to Androscoggen River, April 26, 1773. Left Oxford Dinner at - Loged at Framinham.
27 to Boston. Spoak for a passage a Board of Capt. John Martin's Sloop. Name the Salley. Belonging to Falmouth [Portland].
28. Got our Stores aboard waiting for a fare wind . .
30. Sailed . . .
[They arrived Sunday, May 2d, at Falmouth. ]
3d. Traveld Eleven miles and cared our packs very heavey Loged at North Casco.
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4th. Traveld 4 miles & throw the woods before Breakfast Killed one piggon and Eat for Breakfast at Knight at Mr. Stinchfield . .. met Mr. Livermore's Team a going after thee Rest of the Stoars Left Behind.
5th. traviled to Little Amascoggen 9 mile . . . waided the River Willm Foster fell in to the River all over with 3 axes and a grait coat on his Shoulders Killed 4 Pigons one patrage campt by great Wilson pond . . . In wading I wet my watch in the works .
6. Day began to clear our Road Set the woods af fire and burnt our gun stick Lay very coald for our Blankets is behind with our Stores.
7th Day. Lieut. Livermore and his hands come to us at Ten of the cloack with stores . . . very much wet ...
8. Still at work on our Road Kild 2 patriges catch Fish-Encampt by a pleasant pond . . .
9. Sunday morning our pilot Left us he was In our Emplouy 3 Days besides Sunday to goe home in . . .
10. Clearing our Road vary much Tormented with the flys- . . . Cleard the Road within one mile of 20 mile River bad Logs by the mile to gather to cut out of the Road we have Not Eat but 2 meals of Solt provistion Since we have been In the woods Fish and patridges plenty Saw whare the thunder Struck a tree not far from our camp Last Knight.
11. Clearing Road-this Knight Phipses Cannaday [Jay] Committees campt with us, bound up to theire Towship to Loting out.
12. . this Knight Rany.
13. crost the Twenty mile River . . . caryd our Bagage over . Rany Knight.
14. Rany . .. Encampt on the East side of 20 mile River Fish plenty Trouts vary large and plenty . . .
15. Lieut. Livermoor and I Sett out in order to view the Land for the Rod In To our Township about 15 miles the way we went and it Raind Some when we Set out and was as rainy a Day as a most Ever I New and Lieut. Liver- moor went to goe Round a Swamp to se if the Land would not beter acoma- date for the Road and got Lost from [us] and I fir'd three guns and continued hollering for 2 hours and half by Times before he came to me and then we sett out towerds and arived at our ground camp at Dusk-but Like to have Layd in the wood all Knight without fire but to our grait Jouy Mr. How of pond Town was thare a Sleep in my old Saw bunk I had thare the Last year and had a good fire and I puld of my Shirt and Rung it as Dry as I could and warmed it and put on again . . . and Lay Down in my wet cloaths and Rested as comfortable as I could-we wet our plan and it come into 9 peces.
16. Sunday Returned to . .. 20 mile River-by the misfortune we had Satturday we was oblige to Return for want of provistion and I Snapt my gun at a Large buck moose well Loaded with a ball but the powder being wet . . . to my grait Sorow Did not goe off and Retur'd to our peopell and all was well with them and found them Eating Som hot patrige Broath whitch Did not com a mis to us also for we had not Eat any hot victtuls Since we left them. 1
17. munday went with Lieut. Livermoore to help him Drive his cattle Into Town ... got within about one mile of camp at Dusk and haveing a grait mind to git in to our camp [we] on yoak our oxen and I set my compas and it being so Dark that I could not Se the Needle but Tuck East to be West and
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Sheard of about one mile and Struck the grait meadow and was oblige to Ly on an Island in the madow and after Long Trial we got fire but had Noe ax with us Nor provition-Sum Rany but we Campt Down as well as we cold and Starved it out haveing eat Noe hot victtuls Since morning but wished for Day Light before it com-arived at our grand camp Eight o'clock morning.
18. Tusday a Loocking over the Town to find whare will best acomodate for the Road-patridges or pigons almost Every Day the Dog came a croast a pocapine and filled his nose with Quills.
19. Wensday Returned to Silvester to our people
20. Thursday about the oald Task claring Road ... Drawing a plan of our Town by the oald peacess that was wet and made out So as that it will answer our Town at this time.
21. Set out to goe for Stores . . . to Mr. Lanes arived thare Jest before Knight . . .
22 Day. Satturday Set out heavey Load upon our Back But we had one cag we cald the Bull which helpt us cary the Rest at Every Spring we Bluded the Bull we come Twelve mile and Night com on.
23. Sunday arived at our camp this morning . . .
24 Day. monday moved forard on our Road about 1 mile and haf.
25. Tusday pleasant and cold .
26. Wensday or Election and vary Rany and noe Bread nor meal Some croas and crocked . . . arived at the Grand Camp about two o'clock ... Phipses cannaday men come to Se us . . . To spend a few Soshable hours with us and thay told us that thay Kild a fat calf the day before to Keep Election with . . . So after a little past time In Eating Some fresh Veal and Drinking Som W Enda Toddy we parted with our Neabours we went to grind- ing our axes for the Next Days Servis.
27. thusday the hands at work on the Road . .. I went up to the meating house Lot and Layd out the Road
28. the ould Task and thar come a Scout of Gnats Down upon us . . . the muscatoes are Vary Numer's a grait many of them will weigh half-pound- not a peace tho'
29. Satturday at Worck at the Road ... Gleason and I went out to our camp In Silvester . got to our camp Jest as the Sun Sot . . .
30. Sunday . . made a Breakefast of Chocolate and Buter and Chease but noe Bread Diner Noe Bread but about 2 o the Cloack we heard a cracking in the Brush and I tuck the gun into my hand thinking it to be a moose but as sone as it came in Sight Who Should it be but our Nabour Foster with a half a bushel of meal to his Back whitch Rejoyst us as much as the Sight of a moose it Semes he thoat marcy was before Sacrifise tho it was Sunday he new we had Noe bread and so come out to us.
31. Monday [he describes an accident to Foster by which he was near being killed by a falling tree].
June 1. Day Tusday. Rany till after Nine-went to worck and about three o'clock Beat of by Rane
2. Wensday Cloudy Loose Weather . worcked all Day on the Road and fitting muscatoes till Dusk-about Ten o the cloack a Bare came with in few Road of our camp-all a sleep but I, and I let him come prity Near and waked the Dog thinking he might Tree him and he Stood and Snuffed a Spell and I Tuck the gun in my hand and the Dog Jumpt Into the Bruech about three Road and come back frited allmost to Death and yeald with his Brussels
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stuck up and he Laramed all our camp and I let him out and he folloed him of a Spell and com back againe glad he was alive . . . we cleared the Road into our Township this day.
3 Day. Thusday Rany ... moved about 2 mile and } mile into our Town.
4. Friday old worck Broak 1 ax to Day.
5. Day Sattur Day ... a woolf com and hould Round our camp and made much Rout among us.
-6 Day. Sunday.
7 Day. monday . . . Phipses Cannaday men come to us and thay Kooked thare Dinner at oure house and was bound home all harty and after we had Drunk a Little Brandy Toddy and Eat Diner to gather we parted.
8 Day. Tusday this after Noon the Dog Kiled a pocopine and filled his mouth full of quiles and caused a good Deal of Truble to get them out of his mouth we tied his legs and gaged him and worcked about an houre upon him and he was vary glad after it was over.
9. Wensday ... the wind Blue So that we were afraid to go to Sleep but Keept awake all Night amost for feare of being Kild by the Trees.
10 Day. Thusday Traviled in to Lieut. Livermoores for we was afraid to stay in the woods any Longer the Trees fell so. . . . Returned again to camp.
11. Friday at work on the Road. .
12. Satturday . . . at work on the Road. 13 Day. Sunday Set out to Wintrup did not git to mr Hows till Knight.
14 Day. monday set out at one of the clock to mark oure Road to poart Royal and at Knight campt by grait anderascoggin pond and as we was En camping we heard Something growling Like a bare and we went of from our camp and we found 2 cubs up on a Tree and I shot one of them and mr how Shoat the other and we had Som for brakefast and had a vary good brake- fast. Road finished to Day.
15 Day. Tusday Set out this morning and Struck the River by fishes Ise- land about Eleven o the cloack-1 [o'clock] our hands Washing up for hom.
16 Day. Wensday after Lieut. Livermoores cattle that was runaway Steard of about 12 o the cloack Struck thare Tracks and follow of after them till Sun Set but could Not over take them our hands cutting a Road to the falls and campt with out Blanket or Victuals Next Day I got in Next Day.
17. Thusday at Eleven o the clock 24 hours without any victules Except one pan cake this afternoon packed up our things for marching home about the Sun Set foure miles on our Jorney. . . .
18. Fryday got into Mr. Laines about the middle of the afternoon and Re- freshed ourselves and Rested ourSelves at Little andrew Soggen River.
19. Saturday crost the River . . . Traveled to Mr. Winslows in North Casko and Loged thare.
20. Sunday at falmouth afternoon went to church. Quartered at Mr. Shattucks.
[On Monday, 21, they found passage in a vessel for Boston and reached Lieut. Livermore's, Waltham, the following Friday evening. ]
26. Satturday vary hot -and Traviled home [to Oxford] - Vary hard Days work for me. -
Entries in the journal indicate that he was again surveying at Livermore in the spring of 1774. Left Oxford 18 April, from which date a diary was kept until 7 May when he says " went up the River and found all things well at my
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chest and Deacon Livermore well at his camp." This second journal is less circumstantial than the first, and has mainly reference to his surveys.
In 1775 a great change in public affairs occurred and Mr. Fish laid aside his compass and took the sword in hand instead. On the Lexington alarm he went as second lieutenant of the Oxford company, entering upon a term of over four years service in the war. Of the details of his career we have little knowledge, but that it was an honorable one his repeated promotions attest.1 In June, 1779, while encamped at Providence, R. I., a dispute arose between Captains Fish and Webb, both of Col. Shepard's Regiment, as to precedence in rank. Fish felt himself much aggrieved inasmuch as he had applied for a board of referees to sit upon the case and had been refused. The result was his resignation, which he gave in on the 15th. On the 17th, by order of Gen. Gates, it was accepted, and he left the service.
The following document accompanies the resignation and its acceptance in the State Archives :
" To whom it may concern : This may certify that Capt. Thomas Fish has served in the Continental Army of the United States of America four years and two months, and has sustained an unspotted character as an officer and soldier, both in action, in the field and in quarters, and has universally had the good will of officers and soldiers both in Regiment and Brigade to which he belongs, and resigned June 17, 1779, by his own desire.
" PROVIDENCE, July 6, 1779.
JNO. GLOVER, Brig. Gen1. WM. SHEPARD, Col. E. SPROUT, Lieut. Col. L. BALL, Maj. ISAAC POPE, Capt. TIMO BIGELOW, Col. JOSEPH VORCE, Col. ELIJAH VORCE, Lt. Col. ROBERT ELLIOT, Col. Art. WM. MOORE, Capt." And 22 other officers."
On a pay-roll acted upon in the Massachusetts Council 30 March, 1780, ap- pears Capt. Thomas Fish, in Nathan Tyler's Regiment, service in Rhode Island from Dec. 1, one month, four days, from which we infer that he may have entered the service for a short time subsequently to his resignation. The history of Livermore says he was a Major in the United States Army. Possi- bly he may have received a brevet commission as Major, as did others at the close of the war, but in his note of resignation he signed himself Captain.
His subsequent history is short. Dea. Livermore had in 1779 taken posses- sion of his homestead in Maine, and on his return from the war Fish, whose wife had then deceased, naturally turned toward his old friend, who with characteristic generosity kindly received him at his home. The proprietary also recognized its early servant and 12 Sept., 1781, appointed him as col· league with Mr. Livermore to fix upon a proper location for mills for the town. In his journey to Livermore, Fish in passing through Winthrop made the acquaintance of Miss Betsey Marrow of that town. Says the history of
1 A notice in the Massachusetts Spy, 8 April, 1777, required all persons enlisted in his com-
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