USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > Lynn in the Revolution, Part II > Part 7
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A descriptive list dated West Point gives Jacob Hart as twenty-two years of age; stature, 5 ft. 11 in .; and complexion, bair, and eyes, light ; residence, Lynn.
HART, JOHN,-private, was born in 1733. He married April 19, 1757, Lydia Curtis, born 1734. Their children were Jacob, baptized Novem- ber 12, 1758; John, October 13, 1760; Ebenezer, November 21, 1762: Sarah, August 23, 1769; Daniel, November 10, 1771; Joseph. November 14. 1773; Lydia, August 25, 1775; Mary, July 18, 1779. John Hurt Jacob and Ebenezer were both Revo- lutionary soldiers and pensioners. Mr. Ilart was a soldier of the French and Indian War, enlisting as a private in Captain Newhall's company, Colonel Plaisted's regiment, which marched toward Springfield, August 15, 1758. At the opening of the Revolution he was a member of Captain Nathaniel Bancroft's company of minute-men, and marched with the company on the Lexington alarm. On May 5, 1775, he enlisted as a private in Captain Ebenezer Winship's company, Colonel John Nixon's (5th) Massachusetts regi- ment, giving his receipt for advance pay at Cambridge, June 22. Ile was stationed with the main guard at Prospect Hill during the fall and winter following, receiving an order for a bounty coat December 22, 1775. His military service probably ended with the expiration of his enlistment, January 1, 1776.
Ile was a farmer, and took but little part in the affairs of the town. Ile died April 11, 1811, at the age of seventy-five. His wife, Lydia, died April 10, 1818, aged eighty-four. They are buried in the old cemetery at Lynnfield Centre, where a marble stone and bronze marker of the S. A. R. were erected to his memory in 1904.
HART, JOSEPH,- Son of Samuel and Phoebe (Ivory) Hart, was born August 17, 1739; married November 11, 1766, by Rev. John Treadwell, to Eunice Burrill, daughter of Samuel and Anna (Alden) Burrill, born August 24, 1747. Their children were Anna. Joseph, Eunice, Phabe, Joseph Burrill, Samuel, and Sarah.
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Josh Hart
Joseph, the father, died December 15, 1806, and his wife, Eunice, died November 25, 1816. They are buried with their children in the old Western Burial Ground. The home of this family of Harts was ,in the old Hart house, at the corner of North Federal and Boston Streets, and the farm extended from Boston to Walnut Streets. The fields were planted largely with flax, and are said to have looked very beautiful with their acres of blue blossoms. The flax was used for the manufacture of tow cloth.
Josephi Hart held the town offices of warden in 1771, tithing-man in 1779, constable in 1782, and treasurer in 1785, 1786, 1787, 1788. He was a soldier in the French and Indian War, being a private in Cap- tain William Flint's company at Crown Point. In the Revolution he was a sergeant in Captain Rufus Mansfield's (4th) Lynn company, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, and may have seen other service. Judge James R. Newhall was his grandson.
HART, MOSES,-son of Aaron and Tabitha (Collins) Hart, born February 15, 1727, is the only one given in the Lynn records, and is probably the right man.
This old soldier, with a long and honorable service in the French and Indian War, is recorded with a less creditable connection with the War of the Revolution. He was a captain in Colonel Paul Dudley's regiment from April 24 to August 1, 1775. Force's Archives (vol. iii .. p. 666) gives a court-martial in which he figured as follows :-
"HEADQUARTERS, CAMBRIDGE, Sept. 5, 1775.
"The General Court Martial, whereof Col. Experience Storrs was president, is dissolved. Capt. Moses Hart, of the 28th regt. (Col. Sargent's) tried by the above mentioned Court Martial, is found guilty of 'drawing for more provi- sions than he was entitled to, and for unjustly confining and abusing his men,' he is unanimously sentenced to be cashiered. The General approves the sentence and orders it to take place immediately."
Nothing further is found of him in the records, and it is not improb- able that he left Lynn after the above event.
HART, ZERUBBABEL,-private, son of John and Mehitable (Endicott) Hart was born in 1738. His name came down to him from Zerubbabel Endicott, son of Governor John Endicott, and great-great-grandfather
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to Zerubbabel Hart. Mr. Hart enlisted April 13, 1758, in the service of King George II., in Captain Isaac Osgood's company, Colonel Ebenezer Nichols's regiment. This regiment was raised for the total reduction of Canada, and marched to Albany. There, under General Abercrombie, Ilart served until November 12 of that year, having seen hard fighting about Lake George. He was married in Danvers, June 22, 1762, by Rev. Nathaniel Ilolt, to Eunice Curtis. Two of his children were Eunice, who died January 4, 1775, and Zerub- babel, Jr., who died July 4, 1790, aged twenty-six.
Having seen service in the French War, it was but natural that Zerubbabel Hart should become a member of Captain Bancroft's com- pany, and on the morning of the battle of Lexington he met with his neighbors, and marched over to meet the British. The conversation between captain and private has been related. Had his admonition to beware of the flank guard been heeded, it would have saved the lives of three of his comrades. Mr. Ilart died February 14, 1797, aged fifty-nine, and was buried in the old cemetery at Lynnfield Centre. Dr. Martin Herrick, another Revolutionary veteran, appraised his estate, which amounted to $1,800.
A marble stone and bronze marker of the S. A. R. were erected at his grave in 1904.
HAWKES, ADAM,-private, son of John and Hannah (Priest) Hawkes. was born in North Saugus, December 8, 1743. The line to the emi- grant ancestor was Adam 5, John 4, Moses 3, John 2, Adam 1. He lived in the venerable house still standing on Forest Street, which was the only one on the road at the time. This house, in which Miss Ilannah Hawkes died in 1907, at the A Jam Hawkes age of ninety-two, is identical in form and appearance with the old house of April 19, 1775. Adam Ilawkes was married by Rev. Mr. Roby, on July 10, 1765, to Hannah Newhall, daughter of Moses and Susannah (Bowden) Newhall, born June 26, 1746. In the year of his marriage he bought the farm above men- tioned, and with his young wife there began housekeeping. He was a shoe manufacturer in a small way, as well as a farmer, and sold his shoes in Providence, making his trips on horseback. Ile responded with patriotic zeal to the call of April 19, 1775, and marched away with
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his comrades in the company of Captain David Parker, of Saugus. Ilis name on the muster-roll is given as Adam Hawke. In the old family Bible is briefly related his final action in the War for Indepen- (lence. He had entered upon the privateer service, and the record says: "Adam Hawkes entered on board the privateer 'Greybow,' under command of Captain Hammon [probably Captain Edward Ham- mond, who was sent back to Boston, October 8, 1778, to be exchanged for British prisoners], May 9, 1778, and was taken by the enemy and carried to Halifax to prison, where he remained until the last of Septem- ber, when he was exchanged and on the 16th of October he arrived at Boston, and got home on Friday, the 19th of October, sick with the yellow fever, which continued till the 20th and then he dyed."
He left eight children, six sons and two daughters. In 1785 the widow sold the farm and removed to Boston, where most of the chil- dren married. She died there, May 10, 1827, and was buried in Copp's Hill Burial Ground. Ile was interred in the old ground at Saugus Centre, where in 1903 a marble stone and bronze marker of the S. A. R. were erected.
ILAWKES, ELKANAH,-undoubtedly, the " Alehony" Hawkes of the muster- roll of Captain Parker's Saugus company, was the son of Thomas, and born about 1720. He lived in the ancient house still standing on Forest Street, and married May 4, 1742, Eunice Newhall, daughter of Ebene- zer, horn October 6, 1720. His only service in the town was as sur- ELkanal Hawks veyor of highways in 1757-58. In 1757 he was called ensign. His only service in the Revolution was on April 19, 1775, when he assisted in the run- ning fight against the regulars. Ile was a farmer, and thus indicated by his will on file in the probate records. Letters of administration were granted on his estate July 6, 1778, his will having been witnessed by three of the Saugus company who were his neighbors; namely; Francis Smith, Samuel Wilson, and Adam Hawkes. He left 133 acres of land, house, and blacksmith shop, all valued at £2,802, accord- ing to the currency of the day. His children were Ezra, Eunice, Eliza- beth, Love, and Grace. He is buried in the old cemetery at Saugus Centre. A marble stone and bronze marker of the S. A. R. were erected in 1903.
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HAWKES, JOHN,-descended from the emigrant Adam, the line being Adam1, John2, Adam3, John4, Adam5, John6. He was son of Adam and Iluldah, horn in Lynnfield, July 14, 1754; married in 1776 to Rachel, daughter of Lieutenant Timothy and Mary (Newhall Mans- field) Bancroft, horn at Dunstable, April 18, 1758. He had twelve children, and lived on a part of the John Hawky farm belonging to his ancestors, in the house near the Wakefield line, owned by George Ilawkes. He died May 3, 1811, and is buried in a marked grave, facing the street, in the old ground at Lynnfield Centre. The stone is an immense one, nearly six feet tall. His wife, Rachel, lies at his side, died April 1, 1814, aged fifty-five. He was a Lynnfield man, but enlisted in a Reading com- pany, that of Captain John Walton, Colonel David Green's regiment. which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775. His grand-daughter, Mary B. Hawkes, still lives in Lynnfield, and has in her possession his old commission as first lieutenant in the 6th company, commanded by Captain John Burnham, 1st Essex County regiment, signed by John Hancock.
HAWKES, NATHAN,-who was ensign of the Saugus company on the famous 19th of April, was the son of Moses and Susannah (Hitchings) Ilawkes and great-grandson of Adam, the first white man in Saugus and the ancestor of the Hawkes family which Nathar Thanks located in that part of Lynn. Ile was horn July 1, 1745, in the house in which he lived and died. The house is still standing, and is the first west of the school-house on the road to Wakefield. It was built in 1725 by Moses Hawkes, son of Moses, to whom the land came under the will of the first settler.
Nathan Ilawkes was married by Rev. Joseph Roby, September 3. 1769, to Sarah Hitchings, daughter of Damel and Hannah Hitchings, born February 19, 1745. She was descended from Daniel Hitchings. a soldier in King Philip's War and the holder of lands in Saugus under an Indian deed. Nathan Hawkes was parish clerk during a portion of Parson Roby's pastorate, and the friendship of pastor and clerk was very close. His children were Hannah, Nathan, Daniel, James, Susan- nah, Mary, Moses, and Aaron. On the outbreak of the Revolution,
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April 19, 1775, he marched with his company, and served two days. On the 24th of April, 1776, he was chosen first lieutenant of Captain John Pool's 2d company, 1st Essex County regiment, and was com- missioned April 26. His commission, signed in the bold hand of John Hancock, is in the possession of his great-grandson, Hon. Nathan Mortimer Hawkes, of Lynn. It is presumed that he saw further active service in the Revolution, but, owing to the fact that many muster and pay rolls after 1776 are lacking in the state archives, no record has been found. The sword which he carried on the morning of April 19, 1775, is a treasured heirloom in the family of his great-grandson.
He was active in town affairs, being constable in 1772 and select- man in 1786, 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1805, 1806, and 1807. His colleagues during the latter years were Henry Hallowell and Henry Oliver. During his service upon the board the final separation of town and church took place. The contention between the First Parish and the town was settled by holding the town meeting in 1806 in the Methodist church instead of in the First Parish Meeting-house, where the people had worshipped and had transacted their secular business for one hundred and seventy-three years.
In 1812 one of the earliest schools in the town was held in the home of Nathan Hawkes, and was taught by one of his daughters. Here Father Taylor, Edward T. Taylor, the famous preacher of the Sea- men's Bethel, of Boston, received the beginning of his education. The large farm, which came to Mr. Hawkes by inheritance and by the pur- chase of the interest of his brothers and sisters, was profitably tilled. In addition to farming he carried on the shoe business, after the fash- ion of those days. November 21, 1783, a committee which had been appointed to consider methods of bettering the shoe trade made a report, including a recommendation to petition Congress in aid of the measures proposed. It may be of interest to give the names of the signers of the obligation to pay the bills:
"And we whose names are underwritten, join in the above and sup- port the charges that may arise: Nathan Hawkes, Aaron Newhall, John Lewis, Jacob Ingalls, Rufus Newhall, Micajah Alley, John Alley, Benjamin Parrott, Samuel Batchelder, Ezra Hitchings, William Tar- box, Jolın Watts, David Lewis, Captain Rufus Mansfield, Benjamin Breed, Abraham Breed, Joseph Lye, Ebenezer Newhall, Edward Ireson,
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John Ireson, John Curtain, Isaac Bassett, and Daniel Ingalls." Four- teen of these men had served with Lieutenant Hawkes in the Revolution.
Perhaps the most important public act of his life was the part which he took in setting off the town of Saugus from Lynn. "He was the principal petitioner for this act, and for the contest his wide experience in town affairs, and the recognition by the people of both parts of the town of his ability and fairness, amply qualified him to win the legis- lative battle which added Sangus in 1815 to the list of Massachusetts towns."
Mr. Ilawkes was well remembered by his grand-daughter, Miss Hannah Hawkes, of North Saugus, and she described him as a tall, slender man, of light complexion, and with the usual smooth face of the old-time gentleman. She was the possessor of his ancient tall clock, which ticked in her home. having performed duty in three centuries.
Nathan Hawkes died October 17, 1824. Ilis wife, Sarah, died December 19, 1837, at the age of eighty-seven. They are buried side by side in the old ground at Saugus Centre, and tall marble slabs mark their graves. The marker of the S. A. R. was placed there in 1903. HAWKES, THOMAS,-sergeant, was the son of Elkanah, and Eunice (New- hall) Hawkes, born February 5. 1742. Ile was married by Mr. Roby. June 1, 1768, to Esther Newhall, daughter of Moses and Susannah (Bowden) Newhall, born February 28, 1744. They had seven children. Joseph Haven, Levi, Simeon, Love, Esther, Samuel Merritt, and Ruth. Their home was in the house built by Elkanah Hawkes, which may still be seen in Oaklandvale, a few rods west of Forest Street. So far as it is known, Thomas Hawkes took no part in the Revolution aside from that in Captain Parker's Saugus company at the time of the Lex- ington alarm. His father had been in the old French War, but served as a private in the same company with his son on the 19th of April. 1775. Thomas was the eldest son, and upon the death of his father. in 1778, under the Puritan custom he had the usual double portion of the estate, which in this case was not important, inasmuch as the estate was later declared insolvent. Ile served as constable in 1778-79. but appears to have otherwise taken but little part in town affairs. No record of his death has been found.
HERRICK, DR. MARTIN,-son of Benjamin and Sarah (Potter) Herrick. was born May 30, 1747, in a house in the northern part of Lynnfield.
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called the "Tremont House." He was married in Reading, March 25, 1789, to Sarah Wright, who died in Portland, Me., July 23, 1843, at the age of eighty. Dr. Herrick was very skilful as a physician, and after his death, which occurred July 10, 1820, some of his friends were wont to say that they did not expect to survive another illness. He was buried with Masonic honors, and an old lady who went to the funeral said that the place of his burial was very near the entrance of the old ground at Lynnfield Centre, about where the tablet stands, and this was the spot marked to his memory with a government stone and marker of the S. A. R.
Dr. Herrick responded to the Lexington alarm, and it is said that after the battle he assisted in caring for the wounded. He enlisted in the army, but was transferred to the navy and was twice captured by the British.
The Lexington service is given in the Reading company, that of Cap- tain John Flint's company, Colonel David Green's regiment. His name also appears as surgeon on the brigantine "Tyrannicide," com- manded by Captain John Allen Hallet; engaged August 1, 1778; dis- charged December 18, 1778.
HICKS, WILLIAM,-seaman, ship "Rhodes," commanded by Captain Nehe- miah Buffinton; descriptive list of officers and crew sworn to August 14, 1780; age, twenty-one years; stature, 5 ft. 5 in. ; complexion, light; residence, Lynn .- Mass. Rolls.
HILL, RICHARD,-son of John and Hannah (Beens) Ifill, was born in Lynn, November 14, 1758. He served as a private in Captain Farrington's company, April 19, 1775, marching to Menotomy, where he engaged in the running fight with the regulars. He enlisted May 5, 1775, as a private in Captain Ezra Newhall's company, Colonel John Mansfield's (19th) regiment, then being recruited at Cambridge, and June 8 he gave his receipt for advance pay. He was present with his company on Cobble Hill during the fight on Bunker Hill, but did not participate. During the succeeding fall he went into camp on Winter Hill with his regiment, and did guard duty until the first day of January, 1776, when he was discharged. He received the customary order for a bounty coat on November 4 for having enlisted for eight months. Inasmuch as most of his company re-enlisted at once to serve during 1776, he also probably accompanied his regiment, after the evacuation of Boston,
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to New York, where it took part in the battles of Fort Washington and Fort Lee, and then crossed into New Jersey, where it finally engaged in the capture of the Ilessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776. On the 6th of March, 1777, he was again mustered into service by Lieu- tenant John Flagg, of Lynn, for three years. Ile received a bounty of £24 from the town of Lynn, and was allowed three pairs of shoes. three shirts, and three pairs of hose, all of which, however, was deducted from his pay. He was at this time assigned to Captain Goodale's com- pany, Colonel Rufus Putnam's (5th) regiment, which soon after went into camp at Peekskill, N.Y. June 23 his regiment was sent north to reinforce General Schuyler, and while there was in the famous cam- paign which resulted in the capture of Burgoyne and his army. Cap- tain Goodale's company saw hard fighting during the battle of Sara- toga, led a fierce charge on October 10, and was present at the sur- render. After this his regiment was stationed in the northern depart- ment, doing duty on the Hudson River. During the summer of 1778 Private Hill was in camp at Fort Arnold, and there saw for the first time General Thaddeus Kosciuszko, who was serving as engineer. After two years of service he was promoted to the rank of corporal, and was transferred to Captain John Williams's company in the same regiment. At the conclusion of his three years' service he again enlisted for the war, and was assigned to Captain Job Whipple's company. Colonel Rufus Putnam's regiment. He was at West Point at the time of Arnold's treason and escape. At this time he was described as heing twenty-two years of age, 5 ft. and 11 in. in height, of light complexion and light hair, with residence Lynn. In January, 1781, he was reported as being on guard at West Point with the boats. In February he was granted a furlough, and returned to Lynn, where he spent sixty days, at the end of which time he returned to the army, where he appears for the last time on a muster-roll dated at West Point, April, 1781. It is probable that he remained until peace was declared. but no record exists.
At the conchision of the war, having served nearly six years for his country, he returned to Lynn, where he was living in 1790. Nothing further is known of him.
IHILL. ROBERT,-son of John and Hannah (Beens) ITill, was born October 6, 1756. Little is known of him. He evidently died in Salem, June
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20, 1798, at the age of forty-two, and is given in the record of Rev. Mr. Bentley, of that place, as "a mariner from Lynn." He was also described as infirm, poor, but respected. He died of consumption. His wife was a Collins, and he had seven children. In 1780 he was a resident of Salem, as would appear from a descriptive list of officers and crew of the brigantine "Ranger," commanded by Captain Robert Stone, in which his age was given as twenty-three, complexion light, and residence Salem.
HILL, WILLIAM,-fifer, son of John and Hannah (Beens) Hill, was born in Lynn, July 10, 1754. He served in the company of Captain David Parker, of Saugus, at the Lexington alarm, returning home the next day. On May 3 he enlisted in Captain Ezra Newhall's com- pany, Colonel John Mansfield's regiment, as a fifer, and served until August 1, 1775. He was present at the battle of Bunker Hill, but was not called into action. On June 8 he received advance pay for his services, and the town of Lynn voted him a gun. At the expiration of his first enlistment he again entered the service in the same com- pany, and undoubtedly served through the siege of Boston. He appears on a company return October 6, 1775, and on November + he received an order for a bounty coat or its equivalent in money. Ile spent the winter in camp at Winter Hill. On a list of soldiers of the Revolution kept by Henry Hallowell, he is given as a corporal, but no official rec- ords have been found to prove it.
Mr. Hill does not appear on the town records, and it is not known where he lived nor what was his occupation. In 1818 he was pen- sioned by the federal government at the rate of eight dollars per month, but did not live long thereafter. He died in Lynn, May 6, 1819. His burial-place is unknown, but presumably he lies in an unmarked grave in the old Western Burial Ground.
HITCHINGS, ABIJAH,-private, son of Daniel and Hannah (Ingalls) Hitch- ings, was born January 18, 1753, and lived in the family homestead in North Saugus. With his three brothers, Nathan, John, and Daniel, he responded to the Lexington alarm but nothing further is known of him.
HITCHINGS, DANIEL,-private, son of Daniel and Hannah (Ingalls) Hitch- ings, was born in North Saugus, October 2, 1738. His home was the ancient house still standing, west of the Newburyport turnpike, near
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where the Saugus River crosses it. This house has the antique cased beams of oak in the ceiling of the lower rooms, and is an interesting relic of an earlier day. Like all of the name of Hitchings of this local- ity, seven of whom were on the rolls of the Revolution and five in the Saugus company of April 19, he was descended from Daniel Hitchings, a soldier in King Philip's War, who held lands in Saugus under an Indian deed. The Daniel of our sketch had seen service in the French and Indian War, having been in Captain Newhall's company, Colonel Plaisted's regiment, which marched toward Springfield, August 15, 1755. In 1771 he was lieutenant in Captain Ephraim Brown's Ist Lynn company, Ist Essex County regiment of militia. On July 18, 1766, he was married by Rev. Mr. Roby to Eunice Hawkes. Accord- ing to the probate records, letters of administration were granted on the estate of Daniel Hitchings to his wife, Eunice, on July 12, 1793. He is there described as a blacksmith, and in the inventory are men- tioned "one-half a house and one-half a barn, eleven acres adjoining, twenty-five acres pasture and five acres of Burrill meadow." Mr. Hitchings took but little part in the affairs of the town, appearing only as warden in 1767. After the Lexington alarm, in which he served in the company of Captain Parker, he quietly pursued his trade until his death in 1793. Ile is buried in the old cemetery at Saugus Centre where a marble stone and bronze marker of the S. A. R. were erected in 1903. HITCHINGS, JOHN,-private, son of Daniel and Hannah (Ingalls) Ilitch- ings, was born in Saugus, April 4, 1747. He was married December 3. 1768, by Rev. Mr. Roby to Lydia Hawkes, daughter of Adam and Hul- dah (Brown) Hawkes. Jobn Hitchings served with his three brothers, Daniel, Nathan, and Abijah, in the Saugus company at the Lexington alarm, but no further service is recorded. After the war he moved to Richfield, N.Y., with William Ilitchings, possibly his son, and became a pioneer in the wilderness. His descendants still remain in New York and Vermont.
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