USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oakham > Soldiers of Oakham, Massachusetts, in the revolutionary war, the war of 1812 and the Civil war > Part 4
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M. S. R., i, 108 (7), III (16) [Aldin], 132 (15) [Alldin]. Oakham V. R., 9, 55.
Jesse Allen.
Born in Bridgewater in 1744, son of James Allen, grandson of Nathaniel Allen, and great-grandson of Samuel Allen, of Braintree.
He marched in Capt. John Crawford's Co., Col. James Con- verse's Regt., (I) on the alarm at Rhode Island, July 23, 1777, and (2) on the alarm at Bennington, August 20, 1777. He enlisted also, September 24, 1777, in Capt. Joseph Cutler's com- pany of volunteers and marched to join General Gates at the Northward, service twenty-four days. In addition he has credit on the town records for six weeks in Rhode Island, in 1778.
Jesse Allen came to Oakham from Bridgewater in 1770, and purchased the farm owned by the late Lewis N. Haskell. He was seventeen times Assessor, twenty-two times Moderator, nine- teen times Selectman, ten times Treasurer of the Town, seven times a member of the Committee of Correspondence, Inspection
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and Safety; was Deacon of the Congregational Church from its origin in 1773 till his death, a period of forty-three years; was member of the Massachusetts Legislature in 1805, and Justice of the Peace from 1802 till his death, April 11, 1816.
Jesse Allen was married to Abigail, daughter of Dr. Stoughton Willis, in 1768. Children, all born in Oakham: Olive, October 26, 1770, died April 11, 1805; Parnal, November 7, 1772, mar- ried Timothy Nye of Oakham; Lucinda, December 25, 1774; Hannah, February 7, 1777, married in 1805, Capt. Benjamin Little of New Braintree; Cloe, August 10, 1779, married (I) Jonas Leonard of Oakham, (2) Rev. Gaius Conant; Abigail, July 12, 1784, married (1) Dr. Seth Fobes of Oakham, (2) Rev. Abraham Gushee of Dighton; Lucy, January 6, 1788, married Col. Henry Penniman of New Braintree; James, July 2, 1792, married (1) Polly L. Crocker of Paxton, (2) Hannah H. Parker of Dunbarton, N. H.
Oakham T. R., i, 187, 188, 189. M. S. R., i, 161 (1), (2). Oakham V. R., 9, 10, 56, 65, III. New Braintree V. R., 33, 100. Mitchell, Hist. of Bridgewater, 94, 95, 237. Knight, Biog. of Dea. James Allen, 9, 10, 38 [Parnal, Dec. 25, should be Nov. 7]. Spy, June 19, 1805. John Robin- son's Notes. Dighton Town Clerk's Records.
Nehemiah Allen, Jr.
Born in Middleboro, March 12, 1765, son of Captain Nehemiah and Abi- gail (Thomas) Allen. The father, Captain Nehemiah Allen, was brother of Deacon Jesse Allen and was born in Bridgewater, December 10, 1733; removed to Middleboro before 1758 and remained there till April, 1778, when he came to Oakham and purchased from William Banks the farm in Lot No. 32, on which he lived till his death, December 28, 1799. Before coming to Oakham in 1778 he had served in the Revolution as captain of the Third Company of the Fourth Plymouth County Regiment, being in the field for four months, in the fall and early winter of both the years 1776 and 1777, on campaigns in Rhode Island. He later received credit on his assessment for taxes in Oakham for this Middleboro service. He served the town as Moderator in 1783 and as Selectman in 1787.
Children, the first five born at Middleboro: Lois, April 10, 1759; Mary, September 22, 1760; Abiah, February 24, 1763; Nehemiah, Jr. (see above) ; Susanna, May 2, 1767; Bathshebe, July 16, 1769; Jedediah, January 28, 1774; Washington, February 16, 1776.
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Nehemiah Allen, Jr., served from August 27, 1781, to Novem- ber 7, 1781, in Captain Cutler's Company at West Point.
He removed to Pawlet, Vermont, after 1790 and lived alter- nately there and in Granville, N. Y. He was in Rochester, N. Y., when the present site of that city was offered him for one shilling per acre. He died in 1852, aged 87.
In 1787 he was married to Moley Bothwell, who died in 1841, aged 73. Children : Lucy, born in 1796; Jane, born in 1800.
Oakham T. R., i, 184, 202, 252, 280, ii, II, 51, 116. M. S. R., i, 178 (13), 179 (3). Oakham V. R., 56, 65, III, 116, 128. Mitchell, Hist. of Bridge- water, 95. Mayflower Descendant, xvi, 41. Weston, Hist. of Middleboro, 200. Middleboro Town Clerk's Records. Bailey, Early Mass. Marriages, ii, 84, 96. Conant Family, 259, 260. Nye Genealogy, 232. Worc. Co. Prob. Records, January 7, 1800. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, lxxix, 316. Hollister, Hist. of Pawlet, Vt., 158, 255, 256. Family Bible of Washington Allen in the possession of Mrs. H. H. Lawrence, of Westboro.
Jacob Ames.
Enlisted soon after the Battle of Bunker Hill, with other Oakham men, for a term of eight months, in Capt. Hazeltine's (5th) Co., Col. Fellows' (8th) Regt., and served at Roxbury. He reënlisted August 10, 1777, in Capt. Earll's Co., Col. Dan- forth Keyes's Regt., for service in Rhode Island, from which he was discharged January 4, 1778.
Jacob Ames was probably nephew of James Ames.
Oakham T. R., i, 165. M. S. R., i, 218 (5), v, 141 (13) [Eames].
James Ames.
Served in Capt. Earll's Co., Col. Keyes's Regt., from August 27, 1777, to January 4, 1778, four months and eight days, in a campaign at Providence.
He was by trade a blacksmith. In 1770 he purchased of George Harper, for £337 6s. 8d., one hundred and forty-nine acres, one hundred and forty rods, lying on both sides of the county road leading from New Braintree to Worcester, and extending from the College Lot on the east beyond the town road on the
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west; also a pew in the meeting-house "betwixt the east door and women's stairs." The farm was later owned by Governor Levi Lincoln and was a part of his "Oakham farm." James Ames kept an inn here from 1776, and perhaps earlier, to 1783. He was Selectman of Oakham in 1780 and 1781, and member of the Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety in 1775.
December 8, 1761 he married Elizabeth Hall. Five of their children were born in Oakham: Hannah, February 16, 1771; Abner Craft, May 31, 1773; James, February 22, 1775; Lucy, December 3, 1777; Elizabeth, June 5, 1779.
Oakham T. R., i, 188. M. S. R., i, 218 (14). Oakham V. R., 10, II. Rutland V. R., 108. Records, Worc. Co. Court of Sessions, 1777-1783. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, lxiii, 250.
James Banks.
Born September 19, 1751, O. S., son of William and Azubah (McMains) Banks. He was the first boy born in Oakham.
James Banks served at Roxbury two months in 1776, and went with Capt. Crawford on the Rhode Island alarm, July 23, 1777. In 1776 he was detailed by Capt. Crawford to go under Lieut. Asa French in Capt. Abner How's Co. to Horse Neck, but did not join the regiment.
In 1774 he married Martha White of Warren. The same year he purchased of his father, for £120, sixty-four acres in the southeasterly part of Lot No. 29, which he sold in 1778 to John Moore, and his name has not been found later in the registry of deeds.
Oakham T. R., i, 168. M. S. R., i, 577 (13) [Bankes], 578 (4). Oak- ham V. R., II. Warren V. R., 76. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, lxxix, I47, Ixxx, 404.
William Banks.
Enlisted as Private in Capt. Ralph Earll's company to serve at Providence from July 2, 1777, to January 4, 1778. Before joining
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SOLDIERS OF OAKHAM
the company, he marched, July 23, 1777, on the Rhode Island alarm, and August 20, 1777, on the Bennington alarm. He has credit also on the town records for five months' service in New York.
William Banks was one of the first ten settlers of Oakham. In 1756 he purchased from Robert McMains, his father-in-law, for £200, seventy-three acres, being one-half of three-sevenths of Lot No. 32. He lived with his father-in-law in a house on this lot and purchased more land during the next twenty years. In 1778 he sold one hundred and eighty acres to Nehemiah Allen. He was Assessor in 1764, Warden in 1764, and six times Selectman.
He was married to Azubah, daughter of Robert McMains, June 7, 1750. Children, all born in Oakham: James, September 19, 1751, O. S .; Mary, September 28, 1756, O. S .; William, February 29, 1760; Elizabeth, December 13, 1761; Sarah, February 27, 1766; Noble, October 26, 1767; Ann, September 9, 1771.
Oakham T. R., i, 168. M. S. R., i, 577 (14), (15) [Bankes], 579 (8), (9). Oakham V. R., II. Rutland V. R., 110. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, xxxvii, 185, 1xxix, 316.
Heman Bassett.
Marched in Capt. John Crawford's company on the alarm at Rhode Island, July 23, 1777.
He came to Oakham before 1776. In 1780 he purchased of Jonathan Bullard, for £52 5s. lawful silver money, twenty-eight acres in the southwesterly corner of Lot No. 13. He was chosen Chorister at a church meeting held December 18, 1782, and was Selectman of Oakham in 1787. Sometime after 1790 he removed to Guildhall, Vt., from which place he wrote a letter to Father Tomlinson, January 8, 1810, which is still preserved.
In 1776 he married Abigail, daughter of Isaac and Martha (Munroe) Stone. Children, born in Oakham: Patty, April 29, 1777 ; William, April 7, 1779; Joel, October 29, 1781 ; Heman, February 7, 1785; Roxena, April 27, 1787.
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Oakham T. R., i, 146, 187. M. S. R., i, 753 (8) [Basset]. Oakham V. R., 12, 47, 58. Oakham Church Records, i, 6. U. S. Census (1790), Mass., 230. MS. Letter of Heman Bassett, Jan. 8, 1810, in possession of H. P. Wright. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, lxxxviii, 64.
William Batt.
Enlisted August 9, 1781, for three months, for the town of Barre, in Capt. Jonathan Sibley's Co., Col. Drury's Regt. Dis- charged November 21, 1781, service, three months and thirteen days.
William Batt, an Englishman, was a wool comber and a tailor. He came to Oakham from Barre before 1790. July I, 1795, he purchased from Asa Perkins of Ludlow, for fio, ten acres of upland, with all the buildings thereon, on the slope of the hill on the south side of the road that leads from the village to the Page Austin place. 'His name is preserved in Batt Hill and Batt Brook.
October 24, 1780, he married Elizabeth Correy of Oakham.
M. S. R., i, 809 (3). Oakham V. R., 63 [Butt]. Barre V. R., 119 [Butts]. New Braintree V. R., 68. U. S. Census (1790), Mass., 230. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, cxxiii, 481.
The Bell Family.
James Bell was born in Belegaley, in the county of Tyrone and kingdom of Ireland, in the year 1706. At an early age he came to America and settled in Rutland, from which place he removed to Oakham in 1749, being one of the first ten settlers. In 1745 he purchased for £160, one hundred acres in Lot No. 30, on which he and his descendants lived for more than a hundred years. He was Warden in 1762, Assessor in 1764, and Selectman in 1760 and 1764.
May 24, 1733, he was married to Martha Crawford (born 1706), eldest daughter of Aaron and Agnes (Wilson) Crawford. Their children were seven sons and four daughters.
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SOLDIERS OF OAKHAM
James Bell died March 25, 1793, in the eighty-eighth year of his age. His wife died September 20, 1795, at the age of eighty-nine.
Gravestone Record in Old Cemetery at Oakham. Oakham V. R., 112. Rutland V. R., 113. Crawford Family of Oakham, 7, 8 [Sept. 20= Dec. 20]. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, xx, 44I.
Abraham Bell.
Enlisted in the summer of 1776 for two months' service with Lieut. Asa French at Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown and North Castle and marched on the Rhode Island alarm, July 23, 1777.
He was fifth son of James Bell, was married to Miss Joslyn of New Braintree, and settled in Murrayfield (now Chester).
Oakham T. R., i, 168, 187. M. S. R., i, 907 (12). Crawford Family of Oakham, 9. Pay Roll, Capt. How's Co., 1776.
James Bell, Jr.
Marched with Capt. Crawford as Corporal in the Oakham company of minutemen on April 19, 1775. In the summer of 1776 he enlisted for a term of two months with Lieut. Asa French, at Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown and North Castle. He went also with the Oakham company on the Rhode Island alarm, July 23, 1777, and in a campaign to Bennington in August, 1777.
He was the second son of James Bell, and was born in 1744. In 1792 he was married to Anna Osborn, daughter of Joseph and Jennett (Hodge) Osborn, who was baptized in Hopkinton, July 27, 1760. They had four children, born in Oakham: Melinda, September 24, 1794; Polly Davis, February 15, 1796; Patty Crawford, January 7, 1798; Anna Osborn, August 24, 1800.
Polly Bell married Walter McFarland, May 27, 1817, and Patty Bell married Daniel McFarland, May 19, 1817. After residing in Oakham for a short time, these two families settled in the town of Stark, New Hampshire.
James Bell died July 17, 1811, aged sixty-seven, and the inven- tory of his estate was filed October 22, 1811. His widow, Anna
.
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Osborn Bell, died March 1, 1850. Her funeral sermon, preached by Rev. James Kimball, is still preserved.
Oakham T. R., i, 168, 188. M. S. R., i, 909 (9), (10). Oakham V. R., 12, 58, 86, 112. Hopkinton V. R., 144 [Ozborn], 336 [Orsborn]. Oakham Town Clerk's Records. Crawford Family of Oakham, 8. Worc. Co. Prob. Records, Oct. 22, 18II. Pay Roll, Capt. How's Co., 1776.
John Bell.
Marched in Capt. Crawford's company on the alarm at Rhode Island, July 23, 1777.
He was the third son of James Bell, and was married to Hannah White of Western (now Warren) in 1776, and settled in Murrayfield (now Chester).
Oakham T. R., i, 187. M. S. R., i, 910 (5). Crawford Family of Oakham, 8.
Samuel Bell.
Was Private in Capt. Crawford's company of minutemen who marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775.
He was the sixth son of James Bell. June 22, 1780, he married Miss Elizabeth Campbell of Murrayfield (now Chester), and lived in that place.
M. S. R., i, 911 (6). Crawford Family of Oakham, 9.
Silas Bellows.
Private in Capt. Seth Washburn's Co., Col. Ward's Regt .; en- listed May 10, 1775, for the term of eight months in the siege of Boston. He also marched on the Rhode Island and Bennington alarms in 1777, and probably served as Sergeant in Capt. John Howard's Co., Col. Samuel Brewer's Regt., in 1776 and 1777.
His daughter Lissy was baptized in Oakham by Rev. J. Dana, November 12, 1775.
M. S. R., i, 916 (9), (10), 918 (8) [Belows]. Rev. J. Dana's Notes.
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SOLDIERS OF OAKHAM
Joseph Berry.
Born in Rutland, December 29, 1752, son of Sheers and Esther (Woodward) Berry.
Joseph Berry was one of the Oakham minutemen in Capt. Crawford's company who marched on the Lexington alarm. April 27, while still at Roxbury, he reënlisted in Capt. Hazeltine's company of men raised in the towns of Hardwick, New Brain- tree, and Oakham, for the siege of Boston, and was entitled to a bounty coat or its equivalent in money, as is shown by a state- ment dated at Hardwick November 2, 1775. On March II, 1777, he enlisted for a term of three years in the Continental Army, in the same regiment and company with his father. He was claimed by Rutland, the place of his birth; but a committee for settling disputes between towns as to soldiers claimed by them, sitting at Barre, June 25, 1778, credited him to Oakham. He was reported sick in hospital in July, 1779, but returned to duty the following month. He was discharged March 11, 1780.
He was married August 5, 1782, to Sarah Powers.
Oakham T. R., i, 165, 171. M. S. R., i, 704 (6) [Barry], 994 (8), (12). Oakham V. R., 12. New Braintree V. R., 69.
Sheers Berry.
Enlisted for a campaign of two months at Roxbury in the early part of 1776, and receipted for ammunition to Capt. Barnabas Sears, on February 15. March II, 1777, he enlisted in the Continental Army for the term of three years, in Capt. Abel Holden's Co., Col. Nixon's Regt. After his discharge from the Continental Army, he reenlisted on July 5, 1780, for a three months' campaign at West Point, from which he was discharged October 10, 1780.
Sheers Berry's name appears on the Rutland town records in 1750, when he was chosen Field Driver. His wife joined the church in Rutland, March 8, 1752. In 1759, he enlisted, at the age of thirty-three, "in his Majesty's service within the Province
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of Massachusetts Bay in the Regiment whereof Timº Ruggles, Esq., is Colonel, for the invasion of Canada."
He came from Rutland to Oakham in 1765, and was "warned out" by the Selectmen, not because they had anything against him, but on account of their unpleasant experience with the Widow Gordon, who became a town pauper after having lived in Oakham a very short time. For many years he lived on the farm owned by the late James S. Foster.
He was married in Rutland, June 15, 1750, to Esther Wood- ward of Holden, and had eight children, the first five born in Rutland: Eunice, June 22, 1751 ; Joseph, December 29, 1752; Ephraim, November 25, 1754; Esther, December 5, 1757; Lydia, September 8, 1760; John, April 4, 1772; Woodward, September 2, 1774; Benjamin, baptized August 17, 1777.
Sheers Berry was living in Oakham in 1790, but died before October 8, 1800, when his wife is called "Widow Esther Berry" in the Spy.
Oakham T. R., i, 36, 165, 171, 199, 252. Rutland T. R., March 4, 1750. Mass. Muster Rolls, 1759. M. S. R., i, 997 (3). Oakham V. R., 12 [Beary]. Rutland V. R., 15, 114. Rutland Church Records, March 8, 1752. U. S. Census (1790), Mass., 230. Rev. D. Tomlinson's Notes. Spy, Oct. 8, 1800.
James Bigelow.
Enlisted for three years in the Continental Army for the town of Oakham; descriptive list taken April 28, 1781 ; age 18, stature 5 feet 4, complexion dark, occupation blacksmith, residence Oakham.
M. S. R., ii, 25 (10).
The Black Family.
Abraham Black came from Rutland, and in 1758 purchased of Aaron Estabrook, of Chelmsford, for £5, forty and one-half acres in Lot BB. He was Selectman of Oakham in 1765.
April 18, 1753, he was married, in Rutland, to Mary, daughter of John and Grace McIntyre. Though the family records are
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SOLDIERS OF OAKHAM
not preserved, he was probably the father of George, James, Stewart, and William Black, who were soldiers in the Revolu- tionary War.
Rutland V. R., 115. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, xxxviii, 479.
George Black.
Was Sergeant in Capt. Crawford's company of minutemen who marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775. On May 1, 1775, he reënlisted for eight months in Capt. Simeon Hazeltine's company, which served at Roxbury. He was appointed Lieutenant in that company, and received his commission June 7, 1775.
He was on the Committee of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety in 1776.
May 19, 1774, he married Bethiah Allen, daughter of James Allen, of Bridgewater, and sister of Deacon Jesse Allen, of Oakham. Mrs. Bethiah Allen Black died April 19, 1836, aged eighty-six years. Her daughter, Bethiah Black, died September 29, 1873. Lieut. George Black lived on the farm owned by the late Reuben Dean.
Oakham T. R., i, 168. M. S. R., ii, 94 (10), 128 (3) [Blake]. Oakham V. R., 59 [Blake], 112. Oakham Town Clerk's Records. Mitchell, Hist. of Bridgewater, 95.
James Black.
Private in Capt. Joseph Livermore's company ; enlisted July 3, 1779, for a term of three months with guards at Rutland, and was discharged October 4, 1779.
In 1775 he was married to the Widow Rebeckah Lyon.
Oakham T. R., i, 215. M. S. R., ii, 96 (2). Oakham V. R., 59.
Stewart Black.
Private in Capt. Crawford's company of minutemen which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, and Ensign in Capt. Hazeltine's company, in which he reënlisted April 27, 1775, for
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a term of eight months. He served also under Capt. Nathan Hamilton from August 3 to September 30, 1776, in the company sent to Ticonderoga and Fort Edward, and marched with the Oakham company on the Bennington alarm, August 20, 1777.
He married Anna, daughter of Aaron and Jean (Craige) Parmenter, in 1778.
Oakham T. R., i, 168. M. S. R., ii, 100 (5), (6), 137 (2), (3) [Blake]. Oakham V. R., 41, 59.
William Black.
Marched with Capt. John Crawford's company of minutemen on the Lexington alarm, April 19, 1775, and was one of those who, before the minutemen were discharged, reënlisted in Capt. Hazeltine's company, on April 27, for a term of eight months, and was entitled to a bounty coat or its equivalent in money. July 2, 1777, he reënlisted in Capt. Ralph Earll's company and served six months at Providence. In 1779 he enlisted in the Continental Army for three years for the town of Northfield, giving his residence as Oakham.
Oakham T. R., i, 165. M. S. R., ii, 100 (10), 138 (2), (3), (6) [Blake].
James Blair.
Son of James Blair, who was born in Scotland, went at the age of five with his parents to Ireland, and two years later came to America. The father was a coachman and married an English girl named Pepper. Three sons, James, Asa, and Joseph, served in the War of the Revolu- tion. Asa died as a result of wounds received in the battle of White Plains.
James Blair served as Private for a term of two months at Roxbury under Capt. Barnabas Sears, and again in a campaign to Bennington and Half Moon in August, 1777. He was Cor- poral in Capt. Joseph Cutler's company of volunteers, which marched to join General Gates at the Northward, September 24, 1777. On July 9, 1778, he was sent to guard stores at Brookfield. In 1780 he served as Sergeant in Col. Whitney's Regt. in Rhode Island.
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SOLDIERS OF OAKHAM
April 16, 1776, he purchased of Benjamin Joslyn, for £293, one hundred and ten acres on the road leading from George Black's to Silas Frost's in New Braintree; this was the Charles Keith place. Mr. Blair was one of the early signers of the church covenant, but was not in town in 1773 when the Congregational Church was organized.
He married Sarah Joslyn of New Braintree, April 26, 1770. Children: Lucy, born June 24, 1771; Sally, born November 27, 1772; Katey, born November 18, 1774; Joseph, born April IO, 1777; Asa, born May 13, 1780; James, born November 4, 1782; Polly, born December 10, 1784; Hosea, born August 3, 1787.
November 22, 1793, Sally Blair married George Black, 2d, and in 1800 was living in Wardsboro, Vt. George Black, 2d, died November 24, 1810, at Watervliet, N. Y. His widow, Sally Blair Black, died October 23, 1863, near Castle Creek, N. Y.
After the death of his first wife, James Blair married, Decem- ber 23, 1799, Annie Hagar, widow of Isaac Hagar, and removed to the Wilbur place, which had been given her by her father, Capt. Jonathan Bullard.
Oakham T. R., i, 188. M. S. R., ii, 118 (8), (9), (10), (II), (12). Oak- ham V. R., 12, 59. Rev. D. Tomlinson's Notes. New Braintree V. R., 69. Oakham Church Records, i, 1, 3. J. A. Young, Genealogical Notes, Part II, 1, 3. Recollections of Mrs. Horace Wilbur. Worc. Co. Reg. of Deeds, 1xxix, 438.
Apollos Bolton.
Has credit on the town records for service in a three months' campaign at West Point, from July 5 to October 10, 1780.
Oakham T. R., i, 252.
Elias Bolton.
Enlisted July 6, 1780, in the Continental Army for a term of six months; age 18, stature 5 feet 9, complexion light. In the fall of 1780, he was Fife Major in Col. Gamaliel Bradford's regiment. He was discharged December II, 1780.
Oakham T. R., i, 251. M. S. R., ii, 249 (9).
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Nathaniel Bolton, Jr.
Probably son of Nathaniel and Deborah (Washburn) Bolton of Bridge- water, who were married March 24, 1740.
He marched with Capt. Crawford July 23, 1777, on the Rhode Island alarm.
Nathaniel Bolton was a school-teacher and a local poet. At least three of his poems were printed. In the Massachusetts Spy of April 8, 1779, was the announcement:
"On Saturday next will be published, and to be sold at the Printing-Office, A Poem on the Surrender of Gen. Burgoyne &c, composed by Nathaniel Bolton of Oakham, the week after that glorious conquest obtained by Gen. Gates."
Some verses written by him on the "Death of Dr. Spencer Field" are preserved in the Fobes Memorial Library, and "A Poem on Infidelity," Greenwich, 1808, is in the Boston Public Library. An acrostic (MS.) on the Death of Mrs. Hannah Foster is in the possession of Miss Laura G. Burt. Mr. Bolton lived on the county road from Rutland to Brookfield, about a half mile south of Ware Corner.
He married Jane, daughter of Thomas and Jane (Washburn) Thompson of Bridgewater, in 1777. She was born in Bridge- water, in 1749, and died in Oakham, May 8, 1814. Only one son, Oliver, lived to grow up.
M. S. R., ii, 251 (7). Oakham V. R., 112. Spy, Apr. 8, 1779. Note of Dea. Jesse Allen. Mitchell, Hist. of Bridgewater, 118, 314. Plymouth Co. Marriages, 30. Bolton, Boltons of O. & N. England, xii.
Alexander Bothwell, 2d.
Son of Alexander Bothwell, who with his wife was among those who had been communicants in Ireland and who in 1729, "producing letters testimonial and consenting to church covenant, were admitted to full communion" with the church in Rutland.
Alexander Bothwell, 2d, served in six campaigns: (I) on the alarm at Rhode Island, July 23, 1777; (2) in Capt. Crawford's Co., September 7 to November 29, 1777, at Still-
4
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SOLDIERS OF OAKHAM
water, in the army that captured General Burgoyne; (3) in the company that guarded Burgoyne's troops at Rutland from March 30 to July 2, 1778; (4) in Col. Whitney's Regt. from July 30 to September 13, 1778; (5) as guard at Rutland in the summer of 1779; (6) again as guard at Rutland, April 20 to December 20, 1780. He was Corporal in the Stillwater campaign.
He was one of the first ten settlers of Oakham, and in 1748 purchased from Jonas Clark of Boston, for "Five Pounds in Bills of Credit of ye Last Emission," seven hundred and four acres, as follows: the whole of Lot No. 20, seventy-nine acres in Lot X, and four triangular pieces of land called gores, lettered P, Q, R, S. He built a house at what is now Rice Corner, and kept an inn here from 1758, when his name first appears on the list of licensed innholders.
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