USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > Lynn in the Revolution, Part II > Part 3
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CHEEVER, JOHN, son of Thomas and Mary (Emerson) Cheever, and brother of Thomas, Jr., was born in Lynn, February 25, 1763. He was a private in Captain Addison Richardson's company, Colonel Wade's detachment from Essex County militia, enlisted July 12, 1780, discharged October 10, 1780; service, three months and eleven days. Besides this he was in later service, for he died on the Jersey prison- ship, of small-pox, November 11, 1783. See under Jonathan Board- man, where this fact appears in Boardman's letter to his parents.
CHEEVER, THOMAS, Sr.,-son of Thomas and Eunice (Ivory) Cheever, was born in Lynn, February 20, 1733, and together with the other
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Cheevers of Lynn was a descendant of Ezekiel, the famous master of the Boston Latin School, who was born in London and came to Boston in 1637. The first Thomas, who came to Lynn about 1702, was from Rumney Marsh, now Chelsea, and was a cordwainer, yeoman, and tanner, and built a mill on Saugus River in 1723. Ile took a prom- inent part in forming the third parish, and his son Edward, born May 2, 1717, was the first settled pastor. His grandson, the subject of this sketch, married Mrs. Mary Emerson, of Reading, published September 30, 1753, and their house was at the head of Park Street, facing Lynn Common, his farm extending through to what was afterward the turn- pike. It was his barn which Harris Chadwell was shingling when he suddenly decided to enlist in the war. Thomas Cheever died Jan- uary 28, 1823, at the age of ninety, having for some years been of feeble mind and under the guardianship of Zachariah Attwill. His wife Mary had previously died, November 23, 1809, and both are buried in the central part of the old Western Burial Ground. Their children, all born in Lynn, were Hannah, Mary, Thomas, and John. The Salem Gazette at the time of his death made the statement that he was a soldier of the Revolution and of the old French War, but his service cannot be distinguished from that of his son Thomas, Jr. The records, as they appear on the rolls under the name of Thomas ('heever, are as follows, part belonging to the father and part to the son :-
Private, Captain Zadock Buffinton's company, Colonel Johnson's regiment; enlisted August 15, 1777; discharged November 30, 1777. at Cambridge; service, three months, sixteen days, at the northward. Roll sworn to at Salem.
Private, Captain Miles Greenwood's company, Colonel Jacob Gerrish's regiment of guards; enlisted November 11, 1777; service to April 3, 1778, four months, twenty-three days. Rolls dated eamp at Winter Hill.
Corporal, Captain Addison Richardson's company, Colonel Wade's detachment from Essex County militia; enlisted July 12, 1780; service, three months, eleven days.
Private, Captain Simeon Brown's company, Colonel Jacob Gerrish's regiment of guards; service from July 2 to July 12, 1778, ten days; roll dated camp at Winter Hill; also Captain Simeon Brown's company, Colonel Nathaniel Wade's regiment; enlisted July 30, 1778: service.
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DOCTOR ABIJAH CHEEVER HOUSE, SAUGUS
Lynn in the Revolution
five months, seven days, at Rhode Island; discharged at East Green- wich, R.I .; company raised in York and Essex Counties; also muster- roll dated East Greenwich, October 14, 1778; enlistment to expire January 1, 1779; reported on command at Warwick; also muster- roll dated East Greenwich, November 6, 1778.
Private, Captain Nathan Sargent's company of guards; enlisted February 3, 1779; discharged May 7, 1779; service, three months, three days, under Major-General Gates at and about Boston.
CHEEVER, THOMAS, Jr.,-son of Thomas and Mary (Emerson) Cheever, was born March 17, 1760; married August 30, 1789, by Rev. Obadiah Parsons, to Mrs. Anna Hudson. She died October 3, 1793, and he married, second, May 15, 1797, Abigail Breed, who died December 25, 1828. Their children, born in Lynn, were John, Anna, Joseph. lle died April 19, 1825, and his inventory filed at Probate Court men- tions dwelling and barn on Lynn Common, and also nine acres of land and another house. This may indicate that he succeeded to his father's property. He is buried in the western part of the old Western Burial Ground. His Revolutionary record cannot be distinguished from that of his father. The records under the name of Thomas Cheever are given above.
('HITTENDEN, THOMAS,-private, was not a native of Lynn, but probably came here from Marblehead. He was married December 8, 1774, by Rev. Mr. Treadwell, to Love Ramsdell. His only military service re- corded was upon April 19, 1775, in Captain Farrington's company. He became a member of the First Church, owning the covenant August 10, 1777.
CLARK, EDMUND,-son of Edmund and Mary, was born October 14, 1747. He was married about 1770, and his children were Rebecca, Elizabeth, Theophilus, and Sarah. He was a sergeant in Captain Rufus Mans- field's (4th) company which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, to Concord; service, two days. Little is known of him. Letters of administration were granted upon his estate January 14, 1805, and his wife Elizabeth and son Theophilus are mentioned. He enumerates a mansion house, barn, shoemaker's shop, and twelve acres of land, valued at $1,545. His pasture land adjoined Noah Ramsdell's, and his estate was evidently at Wood End. Theophilus Burrill and Micajah Burrill were appraisers.
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COATS, JOHN,-son of Samuel and Ruth (Hart) Coats, was born in Lynn, April 2, 1738. Ilis only service was in Captain Farrington's company at the time of the Lexington alarm. Nothing further is known of him. COATS, PHILIP,-son of Philip and Ruth Coats, was born September 16, 1758. His father was probably the Philip who served in the French and Indian War, serving in the expedition to Canada and on the Maine frontier. Philip, the subject of this sketch, was married September 9, 1784, by Rev. Mr. Roby, of Saugus, to Ruth Potter, daughter of Benjamin and Hannah (Brown) Potter, and their children were Kitty, William, Burrill Potter, Lois, and John Brown. The date of his death is unknown. He was living in 1805, inasmuch as his name appears in connection with the will of William Newhall, Jr. His Revolutionary record is given as follows :-
Private, Captain Joseph Ifiller's company, Colonel Jonathan Tit- comb's regiment; arrived at destination May 5, 1777; discharged July 5, 1777; service, two months, six days, travel included, at Rhode Island; roll dated camp at Providence; also list of men raised for the six months' service and returned by Brigadier-General Patterson, as having passed muster in a return dated Camp Totoway, October 25, 1780; also pay-roll for six months' men raised by the town of Lynn for service in the Continental Army during 1780; marched June 27, 1780: discharged December 5, 1780; service, five months, twenty days .- Mass. Rolls.
C'OATS, STEPHEN,-son of Philip and Ruth Coats, was born in Malden. February 22, 1753. Little is known of him except his military record. He was a private in Captain Ezra Newhall's company of minute-men which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, sixteen days: also Captain Ezra Newhall's company, Colonel John Mansfield's regi- ment; order for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 8, 1773; also same company and regiment, muster-roll dated August 1, 1775; enlisted May 3, 1775; service, three months, three days; also Captain Ezra New- hall's company, Colonel Israel Hutchinson's (19th) regiment, order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Winter Hill, November 4, 1775.
Stephen Coats was also in Washington's army in the Jerseys in 1776. but was taken to Philadelphia sick in November of that year. Here he was quartered with Henry Hallowell and Charles Florence. These
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men left the city together in the winter of 1776-77, and tried to reach Lynn. Mr. Florence and Mr. Hallowell, however, both fell sick on the way, and Mr. Coats was obliged to push on alone. How he reached home, sick, on foot and alone, is left entirely to the imagination, since nothing further has been found concerning him, except the brief record of his marriage in the Saugus church records. This took place about a year later, December 3, 1777, to Sarah Stone. There is also found the birth of his daughter, Ruth, on August 4, 1780.
COATS, WILLIAM,-son of Philip and Ruth and brother of Philip and Stephen, was born April 8, 1756. Of this man only his Revolutionary record can be given :-
Private, Captain Ezra Newhall's company of minute-men which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, sixteen days; also Captain Ezra Newhall's company, Colonel John Mansfield's regiment; order for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 8, 1775; also same com- pany and regiment; muster-roll dated August 1, 1775; enlisted May 5, 1775; service, three months, three days; also Captain Newhall's company, Colonel Mansfield's (19th) regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Israel Hutchinson; company return dated October 6, 1775; also Captain Ezra Newhall's company, Colonel Israel Hutchinson's (19th) regiment; order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Winter Hill, November 4, 1775 .- Mass. Rolls.
COLLINS, JOHN, probably married Rebecca Richardson, of Lynnfield, April 19, 1770; had a son John. August 6, 1775, there is recorded the death of a child of John Collins at Lynnfield. Nothing definite can be said of this man. In the Massachusetts rolls the record is, "Drummer, Capt. Stephen Wilkins's co., Col. Wigglesworth's reg .; pay abstract for travel allowance from Albany home, sworn to Jan. 15, 1777."
COLLYER, JOHN .- Nothing is known of this man. He was possibly born in Marblehead.
Captain Asa Prince's company, Colonel Mansfield's regiment; re- ceipt for advance pay dated Cambridge, June 8, 1775; also Captain Prince's company, Colonel Israel Hutchinson's regiment; order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated December 21, 1775 .- Mass. Rolls.
COPP, SAMUEL,-may have been the Samuel who some time after the war was engaged in the manufacture of tobacco in Lynn, first at Massey's
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Ilall, where in 1805 he carried on the business with Joseph Nye, the sign reading "Copp & Nye." Subsequently Mr. Copp removed to Saugus, and erected buildings at what was later known as Sweetser's Corner, in Cliftondale. This Samuel Copp was a native of Boston, and his mother was a sister to the wife of Landlord Newhall. Ile married Nancy, daughter of William Sweetser, April 24, 1803, and after her death, which occurred in 1805 at the age of twenty, lie married her sister, Sophia, April 6, 1806. There is, however, a strong probability that this man was born too late to have served in the Revolution, and that the soldier was his father or uncle. The soldier is spoken of in the records as sometimes of Boston and sometimes of Lynn, and his service was from 1777 to the close of the war. In 1781, in a descriptive list of men, dated at West Point, his age is given as thirty-six, his stature six feet, his complexion light, and his occupation that of a carpenter. Ile served in several regiments as private and sergeant, for the most part in and about West Point. Ile was granted, Jannary 6, 1783, at New Windsor, a furlough of one month and ten days to return to Boston. Evidently he did not return to the army at the end of the term, for in March, only a month before the cessation of hostilities, he was reported deserted.
COSTEKIN, ANTHONY,-was paid a bounty of fourteen pounds by Lynn in March, 1777. His name is given in a list of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, muster-master for Suffolk County, dated Boston, April 13, 1777; Captain Joseph Williams's company, Colonel John Greaton's regiment; residence, Lynn; enlisted for the town of Lynn. - Mass. Rolls.
Nothing further is known of him.
COWIN, FRANCIS,-private, Captain Ezra Newhall's Company, Colonel John Mansfield's regiment; muster-roll dated August 1, 1775; enlisted May 6, 1775; service, three months, two days; also Captain Newhall's company, Colonel Mansfield's regiment, commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel Israel Hutchinson; company return dated October 6, 1775. Mass. Rolls.
('ox, THOMAS,-was born in 1731; married, first, Abigail King, of Salem. September 17, 1753; second, October 19, 1781, by Rev. Joseph Roby. to Mary Gray, daughter of Abraham and Lydia (Caley) Gray, born January 5, 1743; third. Eunice Rhodes, April 12, 1796. His children
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by Ins first marriage were Abigail, Hepzibah, Thomas, and Sarah. His home was on Waterhill, and with his son-in-law Nathaniel Tarbox, Jr., he worked at shoemaking. He is mentioned as having held several minor town offices, namely: tithing-man in 1760; constable in 1766; tithing-man in 1775 and 1782; fish commissioner in 1779; and collec- tor in 1781. His death occurred November 19, 1796, according to Dr. Gardner's ledger, "of an operation." He left no will, and letters of administration were applied for, his wife Eunice being mentioned and a son, John. He is buried in the old Western Burial Ground, where there is a marker and stone at his grave.
Of the Revolutionary service of Thomas Cox nothing is known except that he was lieutenant in Captain Ezra Newhall's company which marched on the morning of April 19, 1775, and that he is credited with twenty-one days' service at that time.
CUSHING, NATHANIEL,-private, list of men belonging to Lynn, now called Lynn, Lynnfield, and Saugus, who served at Concord battle and else- where.
Return of men raised for Continental service agreeable to resolve of December 2, 1780; engaged March 30, 1780; engaged for town of Lynn; term, three years .- Mass. Rolls.
CUTLER, JOHN .- There are two entries on the Lynn records regarding John Cutler and his family. The first is as follows: "June 21, 1762, John Cutler, wife and three children, Betty, Sarah, and Jerusha, came to the home of Benjamin Meads, from Woburn, and were at once warned out of town." Benjamin Meads was a Lynnfield man. The second is to the effect that on March 30, 1765, Daniel Townsend informed select- men that he had taken to live with him John Cutler, Jr., who came from Woburn, August 7, 1764. "So he was warned out by Joseph Gowing, constable."
This John Cutler, who according to another church record owned the covenant with his wife, Elizabeth, September 18, 1763, it seems, remained in the town of Lynn notwithstanding the fact that the town refused to be responsible for the support of himself and family, for he not only responded to the alarm of April 19, 1775, with Captain Ezra Newhall's company, but became a corporal in the company which was formed later under Captain Newhall, in Colonel John Mansfield's regiment. He is credited with three months' and five days' service from
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May 3, 1775, to Angust 1, 1775, besides fourteen days at the time of the Lexington alarm. Ilis birth is recorded at Burlington, July 21, 1726, and he married Elizabeth Waters, of Woburn, October 21, 1749. Noth- ing further has been found concerning him.
DAGYR, JOHN ADAM,-at one time called "the celebrated shoemaker of Essex," was born in Wales, came to Lynn in 1750, and gave to the in- dustry of shoemaking in Lynn the impulse which carried it forward to one of first rank among the colonies. Many of Lynn's first shoe- makers learned the trade of him, and from being able to make the shoes for their own large families advanced in the art until they could com- mand a market in the neighboring towns. Alonzo Lewis says that be- fore the time of Dagyr only three men in Lynn made shoes so exten- sively as to employ journeymen. These were John Mansfield, Ben- jamin Newhall, and William Gray. Under the instruction of Dagyr, however, the shoes made in Lynn became equal to the best imported from England.
John Adam Dagyr's home was on the north side of Boston Street, between North Federal and Carnes. Ile was married, first, by Rev. Nathaniel Ilenchman, August 18, 1761, to Susannah Newhall, daughter of Moses and Susannah (Bowden) Newhall, born August 8, 174t. She died October 7, 1763, and he married, second, in Malden, Mrs. Sarah (Hawkes) Wait, about 1766. She was the daughter of Elkanah and Eunice (Newhall) Hawkes, born March 19, 1747. His children were Joseph, Catherine, Sarah, and John Adam, Jr. John Adam, Jr .. died January 29, 1773. Joseph was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died of yellow fever February 21, 1814, on his way home from that service. His home was in Saugus.
John Adam Dagyr became very poor in his old age, and, in spite of the great benefit which he had rendered in the town, his last days were spent in the old almshouse which stood at the corner of Essex and Chestnut Streets. There his death occurred March 31, 1806, and the only notice which was given him in the records of the town stated that he was "an aged person" who died on that date.
Revolutionary service: Return of men enlisted or drafted into the Continental Army from Ist Essex County regiment and sworn to at Salem by John Flagg, February 16, 1778; joined Captain Goodale's company, Colonel Rufus Putnam's regiment: term, three years or
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during the war; also private, Captain John Williams's company, Colonel Putnam's regiment; muster return dated Albany, February 9, 1778; also private, Captain Stephen Wilkins's company, Colonel Wigglesworth's regiment; pay abstract for travel allowance from Albany home sworn to January 15, 1777.
He was paid a bounty of fourteen pounds by Lynn, March, 1777. In making up his pay in 1779, one pound and eighteen shillings is de- ducted as having been spent in provisions for his family during his absence.
DANFORTH, JOHN,-son of John and Elizabeth (Wilson) Danforth, of Bil- lerica, was born in Andover, July 23, 1756, and was a cousin of Joshua, noted below. He was married by Rev. Joseph Roby, September 15, 1779, to Hannah Bancroft, daughter of Captain Nathaniel and Mary (Taylor) Bancroft, born, May 17, 1755, died April 12, 1806. Their home was in Lynnfield, in the house now occupied by his great-grand- son, John M. Danforth. The house was built by John Bancroft, son of Nathaniel. The death of John Danforth occurred August 16, 1796, at the age of forty, and he is buried at Lynnfield Centre. After the Revolution he was a captain in the militia, and known as Captain John Danforth.
Service in the Revolution: Captain Ezra Newhall's company, Colonel John Mansfield's regiment; order for advance pay for one month dated Cambridge, June 8, 1775; also private, same company and regiment; muster-roll dated August 1, 1775; enlisted May 6, 1775; service, three months, two days; also Captain Newhall's company, Colonel Mansfield's (19th) regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Israel Hutchinson; company return dated October 6, 1775; also order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated camp at Winter Hill, November 4, 1775; also Captain Joseph Hiller's company, Colonel Jonathan Titcomb's regiment; arrived at destination May 5, 1777; discharged July 5, 1777; service, two months, six days, travel included at Rhode Island; roll dated camp at Providence .- Mass. Rolls.
DANFORTH, JOSHUA,-corporal, son of Joshua and Keziah (Reed) Dan- forth, was born December 14, 1754. His emigrant ancestor was Nicholas Danforth, and his great-grandfather, Ensign Jonathan, was in the Narragansett War. He was married by Rev. Mr. Roby (pub- lished May 24, 1782, according to the Saugus church records, but,
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according to the Lynn town records, married June 15, 1781) to Lydia Sweetser, daughter of William and Lydia Sweetser, and lived in an old one story house very near the present Cliftondale station. His brother-in-law was Major Benjamin Sweetser, by whom he was employed as a "trader" for many years after the yes hua gunfortha war. He was an industrious, prudent man, and trained up a large family in a respectable manner. His children were Joshua, Lydia, Eunice, Joseph, Lucinda, Sally, Dorothy. Mary, Lavinia, Eliza, and John. He died in Saugus, February 3. 1834, in the eightieth year of his age, and his wife died May 8, 1845. at the age of eighty-five. Both are buried in the old ground at Saugus Centre.
In 1818, according to the United States pension records, he appeared before the Probate Court of Essex County, and made oath that in May, 1775, he was a private in Captain Ezra Newhall's company, and con- tinued until January, 1777, when he was discharged by Colonel Hutch- inson. Was at Dorchester Heights, went on to New York and was in the Jerseys as a corporal. Lieutenant Frederick Breed says that he was lieutenant in the company. Henry Hallowell mentions the fact that he was with him. All of his property at the time his application was made consisted of thirty-four dollars' worth of goods; namely, a pot, kettles, looking-glass, two tables, cow and pig. Ile was a day laborer. very feeble and infirm. His wife, aged fifty-eight, had been sick for six months, and his children were: Dolly, aged twenty; Mary, eighteen; Lavinia, sixteen; Eliza, fourteen; John, twelve. He was pensioned from April 4, 1818, at eight dollars a month, and his widow was pen- sioned from March 4, 1843, at $66.67 per year.
In 1825 Joshua Danforth appears in an official list of the survivors of the battle of Bunker Hill who assembled in Charlestown for the purpose of being present at the laying of the corner-stone of the monu- ment. The legislature by special act appropriated three dollars to every veteran who presented himself that day and proved his service, together with mileage for each twenty miles travelled. He gave his residence at that time as Saugus and his age as seventy years, and it is not unlikely that he was one of the actual participators in the battle. There were 180 veterans present at the dedication, including the Marquis de Lafayette.
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Some additional service taken from the Massachusetts rolls indicates that he was in the Rhode Island expedition of the summer of 1777, also among the nine months' men sent to the Hudson who arrived in July, 1778, and also with the six months' men sent to reinforce the Con- tinental Army in the summer of 1780.
DANIELS, JEREMIAH (given Jerahmeel),-in a list of men raised in Essex County for Continental service (year not given); residence, Lynn; engaged for the town of Lynn .- Mass. Rolls.
Also mustered in 1777 for service in the Burgoyne campaign.
DAVIS, JACOB,-was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun which was being repaired, probably at or near Saratoga, in the fall of 1777. He was formerly in service in Massachusetts, and was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill. He was a comrade of Henry Hallowell. No record.
DAVIS, JOHN,-private, Captain Adam Bailey's (later Captain Jacob Allen's) company, Colonel John Bailey's (2d) regiment; muster-roll made up for three years from January 1, 1777; enlisted January 1, 1777; en- listment during the war; reported died January 15, 1777 .- Mass. Rolls. Died in camp at Valley Forge.
DOYL, MATTHEW,-return of men raised to serve in the Continental Army from 1st Essex County regiment dated Lynn, February 16, 1778, and sworn to at Salem, by John Flagg, first military officer of the town of Lynn; residence, Boston; engaged for the town of Lynn; joined Captain Allen's company, Colonel Crane's regiment; term during the war .- Mass. Rolls.
DRAKE, MICHAEL,-private, Captain Nathan Brown's company, Colonel John Mansfield's regiment; muster-roll dated August 1, 1775; enlisted May 25, 1775; service, nine weeks, five days .- Mass. Rolls.
DUNNELL, JONATHAN, son of David and Keziah (Ramsdell) Dunnell, was born May 4, 1759; brother of Reuben.
Private, Captain Joseph Hiller's company, Colonel Jonathan Tit- comb's regiment; arrived at destination May 5, 1777; discharged July 5, 1777; service, two months, six days, travel included, to Rhode Island; roll dated camp at Providence.
Corporal, Captain Wells's company, Colonel John Crane's regiment; Continental Army pay accounts for service from June 7, 1777 to Decem- ber 31. 1779; residence, Lynn; credited to town of Lynn; return
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of men raised to serve in the Continental Army from Ist Essex County regiment dated Lynn, February 16, 1778, and sworn to at Salem by John Flagg, first military officer of the town of Lynn; residence, Lynn; engaged for the town of Lynn; joined Captain Allen's company, Colonel Crane's regiment; term three years; also list of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, muster-master for Suffolk County, dated Boston, August 3, 1777, Colonel Crane's regiment; also corporal, Captain Jackson's company, Colonel John Crane's regiment; Continental Army pay accounts for service from January 1, 1780, to June 7, 1780; also certificate, dated Boston, July 12, 1780, signed by John Crane, colonel of artillery, stating that said Dunnell was in his regiment from June, 1777, to June, 1780, and had not been absent except on com- mand .- Mass. Rolls.
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