USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Canterbury > History of the town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912, v. 1 > Part 14
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John Bean, ensign, Shubael Dearborn, Samuel Haines, Joshua Boynton, Nathaniel Glines, John Dearborn, William Forrest, George Shepard, Jonathan Foster, Moses Cross, Stephen Haines, Ephraim Davis, Benjamin Heath, John Davis, William Rinds (Rines), Moses Randall, William Simons, John Foss.
ENLISTMENTS CANTERBURY 1776. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XII, pages 756, 757.)
CANTERBURY September ye 18th, 1776.
We the subscribers do hereby Ingage our selves In the Con- tinental Servis, and forthwith to March to New York and joyn
1 Killed at Bunker Hill.
2 No town given, but probably from Canterbury.
& N. H. State Papers, Vol. VIII, page 154.
140
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
the Continental Army there untill the first day of December Next Unless Sunner Discharged.
As Witness our hands-
SAMUEL GERRISH, JOSHUA WEEKS,
WILLIAM CLEMENT, NATHANIEL PALLETT,
HENRY CLOUGH, ISRAEL GLINES.
SARGENT MORRILL,
ROLL OF CAPT. BENJAMIN EMERY'S COMPANY.1
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, pages 429, 430.)
This company was in Colonel Baldwin's regiment and was raised to reinforce the Continental army at New York in Sep- tember, 1776. The following are Canterbury names:
William Clement, Joshua Weeks, Samuel Gerrish, Nathaniel Pallett, Samuel Ames, James Gibson, Sargent Morrill, Ebenezer Kimball, Benjamin Simpson.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS IN COLONEL STICKNEY'S REGIMENT. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, page 261.)
In a "return of the commissioned officers in Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment March 5, 1776" the following Canterbury names appear :
Captains, James Shepard, Edward Blanchard.
First Lieutenants, Laban Morrill, Thomas Gilman. Second Lieutenants, James Glines, Ebenezer Kimball.
Ensigns, Samuel Ames, Jeremiah Hackett, Ezekiel Morrill.
MUSTER ROLL OF CAPT. BENJAMIN SIAS' COMPANY.
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, page 454.)
This company was in Col. David Gilman's regiment destined for New York, in 1776. Captain Sias is sometimes referred to as from Canterbury, but he was a taxpayer in Loudon in 1774 and one of the petitioners to have that town set off from Canter- bury the year before. On the roll appear the following from Canterbury:
Stephen Sutton, William Forrest, David Norris, Peter Blan- chard, Jonathan Forrest, Simeon Sanborn, John Rowen.
1 Captain Emery was of Concord.
141
ROSTER OF ENLISTMENTS FROM CANTERBURY.
CONTINENTAL SOLDIERS ENLISTED FOR THREE YEARS OR WAR.1
Among the townpapers is the following list of the men enlisted from Canterbury for the Continental service in 1777 for three years or during the war (in Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment) :
ENLISTED
BOUNTY
John Rowen 2
April 1,1777
TERM 3 years
£30
Thomas Hoyt2
May 13, 66
6.6
Prince (Thompson)
May 15, 66
66
66
66
Ebenezer Farnam
8,
15
William Walker
June 5,
30
Pratt Chase
May 13,
66
Loyd Jones
13,
"
During war 3 years
66
Robert Hastings 2
Feb. 2,
66
66
66
James Hastings 2
2,
66
John Holden 2
Abner Fowler 2
May 31, "
66
Nathaniel Glines 2
June 19,
66
The quota for Canterbury in this enlistment was twenty. The town furnished nineteen. The additional names of Pearson East- man, Nicholas Hall and John Millsare given in the State Papers.
Another return gives the additional names of Aaron Hale and Samuel Danford of Boscawen but omits that of Nathaniel Glines of Canterbury. Appended to it is the following certificate:
"Pursuant to the precept from the Honourable Thomas Stickney Esqr. We do hereby make a true return of the Above Mentioned Soldiers they being Inlisted for the Town of Can- terbury and State of New Hampshire.
"JAMES SHEPARD
"EDWARD BLANCHARD
Captains."
FOR NORTHERN ARMY, 1777. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, pages 164, 165.)
Pay roll of Capt. Ebenezer Webster's Company, Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment, raised out of the Thirteenth Regiment of
1 See also N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, pages 565, 566 and Vol. XV, page 607.
2 Residents of Canterbury.
66
Andrew Rowen 2
April 4,
Walter Haines 2
May 15,
George Shepard2
Elkins Moore 2
66
142
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
New Hampshire Militia in July, 1777, which joined the Northern Army at Bennington and Stillwater. These Canterbury names appear :
Reuben Kezar, William Simons, Jonathan Foster, fifer, James Gibson, Elias Abbott, fifer.
FOR RELIEF OF TICONDEROGA.
"Pay Roll of part of Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment of militia, commanded by Lieut. Col. Henry Gerrish raised in the town of Concord and towns adjacent which company marched July 5, 1777, for the relief of the garrison of Ticonderoga on the alarm and marched seventy miles when we heard news of the evacuation of the fort."
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, page 127.)
The following are names of Canterbury men:
Ensign Jeremiah Hackett, William Moore, Sergt. David Norris, Abraham Morrill, Corp. Edmund Kezer, Jesse Stevens, William Simons, Moses Danforth, Jonathan Foster, Joseph Durgin, William Gault, Elias Abbott, William Glines, Gideon Bartlett, Jonathan Gile, Jotham Young, Peter Blanchard, Jacob Heath, Joseph Hancock, Stephen Haines, John Cross, David Kenniston.
A return among the town papers in manuscript gives the following additional names: Thomas Foss, Joseph Durgin, Jesse Stevens and John Lovejoy. .
CAPT. JOHN DREW'S COMPANY, COL. NATHAN HALE'S REGIMENT, CONTINENTAL SERVICE, 1777.
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, pages 617, 618.)
The muster roll gives the following from Canterbury:
John Davies, age twenty and Ephraim Davies, age twenty- four.
In an account of the rations due to the several officers in Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment in Gen. John Stark's brigade July, 1777, the name of Laban Morrill appears. (State Papers, Vol. XV, page 162).
143
ROSTER OF ENLISTMENTS FROM CANTERBURY.
VOLUNTEERS FOR DEFENCE OF FORT EDWARD.
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, page 387.)
A pay roll of the volunteers who went from Canterbury and Loudon with Capt. Benjamin Sias to Fort Edward at the time of General Burgoyne's invasion,1 whose service was from October 4 to October 26, 1777, shows the following Canterbury names:
David Morrill, Lieut., William Dyer, Ezekiel Morrill, Eben- ezer Foss, Masten Morrill, Jonathan Guile, William Glines, Sampson Moor,2 John Forrest.
"Sampson Moore (Battis) was a volunteer under Captain Sias. He was a slave of Col. Archelaus Moore of Canterbury who promised him his freedom for good fighting in the Revolu-" tion. Colonel Moore not only redeemed his promise but gave Sampson a hundred acre lot in the southwest part of Canterbury, upon which his descendants lived for many years. The locality was called 'New Guinea.' Sampson was a fine specimen of a negro, was in command of a battalion in the early part of the century (1800) and is well recollected by the people of Concord as attending Election and Muster, dressed in regimentals, and greatly enjoyed his title of Major which he honorably held from Governor Gilman. He married Lucy, a slave of William Coffin of Concord, giving Mr. Coffin a year's work for her freedom." 3
RETURN OF SOLDIERS ENLISTED FROM LOUDON, 1777.
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, page 726.)
The following are Canterbury names which appear in this return:
Noah Sinkler of Epsom enlisted March 24, 1777, three years. Robert Forrest of Canterbury enlisted March 19, 1778, for war. Joseph Ellison of Canterbury enlisted March 7, 1781, three years.
Moses Danforth of Canterbury enlisted March 7, 1781, three years.
Noah Sinkler,4 or Sinclair, was discharged January 25, 1780. He was a drummer in Captain Morrill's company, Colonel
1 See also Potter's Military History of N. H., page 335.
2 A negro otherwise known as Sampson Battis.
3 Potter's Military History of N. H. page 335. Bouton's History of Concord, page 252.
4 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, pages 184, 320, 328, 332, 343, 344, 458.
»
144
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
Stark's regiment, and was wounded in the wrist at St. John's July 14, 1776, and received a pension from the state. At the time of his examination for a pension September 4, 1786, he gives his age as thirty-one and his residence as Canterbury. The legislature of New Hampshire voted that he receive fifteen shillings a month from the time his pay ceased.1 He was pro- moted drum major, May 28, 1779.2 His settlement in Canter- bury was probably immediately following his discharge.
VOLUNTEERS AT BENNINGTON, 1777.
The following list of soldiers from Canterbury who enlisted for service at Benningon was found among the town papers:
Joseph Hancock, William Moore, Jr., David Kenniston, Lieut. Laban Morrill, Joseph Carr, Josiah Chase, Peter Huni- ford, John Lovejoy, David Blanchard, Jonathan Foster, Nathaniel Dearborn, Benjamin Johnson, William Perkins, James Sherburne, John Cross, Simon Sanborn, Samuel Carter, Richard Glines, William Forrest, Stephen Sutton, Abraham Morrill, Thomas Curry.
VOLUNTEERS AT SARATOGA, 1777.
The following return of volunteers from Canterbury who were at Saratoga when Burgoyne surrendered was found among the town papers:
William Glines, Jr., Jonathan Guile, Lieut. David Morrill, Masten Morrill, John Forrest, Ebenezer Foss, Sampson Battis, servant of Archelaus Moore, William Dyer.
MUSTER ROLL OF CAPT. EBENEZER FRYE'S COMPANY IN COL. JOSEPH CILLEY'S REGIMENT FOR CONTINENTAL SERVICE,
1777 AND 1778. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, page 605.)
The following Canterbury names appear :
Walter Haines, Nathaniel Glines, John Reed, Robert Forrest.
: N. H. State Papers, Vol. XI, page 273.
' Idem, Vol. XVI, page 9.
145
ROSTER OF ENLISTMENTS FROM CANTERBURY.
ROLL OF ABSENTEES FIRST NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT (COL. JOSEPH CILLEY), CAPT. EBENEZER FRYE'S COMPANY, . VALLEY FORGE, JANUARY 10, 1778.
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, page 438.)
Walter Haynes, Canterbury, age twenty-five, five feet, seven inches, fair complexion, color of hair fair, light eyes. Left at Stillwater, sick.
John Reed,1 Canterbury, age thirty, five feet, eight inches, negro, black complexion, black eyes. Left at Fishkill, sick.
STATE BOUNTIES. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, page 591.) 2
"CANTERBURY August 3, 1779.
"State of New Hampshire
To the Town of Canterbury Dr.
July 13,1779 To a State Bounty paid to Isaac Brown, a soldier for the Rhode Island Service £30
To Travil Money to do. 12
August 2, 1779 To Bounty paid to John Taylor, a soldier to do 30
To Travil money to do. 12
August 3, 1779 To Bounty paid to John Batchelder, a soldier to do.
30
To Travil Money to do. 12
£126
"A true account errors excepted "ABIEL FOSTER, "One of the Select men for s'd Town."
The names of Michael Sutton, William Glines, Edmond (Edmund) Colby, Daniel Colby, Phineas Fletcher, William Rhines, Elkins Moore, Moses Danforth appear in the account of state bounties for Continental soldiers who enlisted in the year 1781 for three years or during the war.3
1 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, page 606, John Reid is given as a resident of Canterbury but enlisting for Chichester.
2 Among the town papers is a return that Brown and Batchelder were to have fifty bushels of Indian corn and Taylor sixty bushels, and that the "sol- diers have notes for the corn." See also N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, pages 663, 670.
3 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, page 235. 11
.
146
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
EXPEDITION TO RHODE ISLAND, AUGUST, 1778.
Pay roll, Capt. Benjamin Sias' company, Col. Moses Nichols' regiment.
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, page 512.)
The following members appear to have been Canterbury residents :
Lieut. Jonathan Heath, Thomas Curry, Sergt. John Bean, Thomas Foss, Corp. Jonathan Foster, William Miles, Abner Miles, Ephraim Moore, Ebenezer Kimball, John Moore, John Lyford, Ezekiel Morrill, Abraham Morrill, John Lougee.
A return 'found among the town papers shows that William Forrest 3d, James Gibson and Samuel Colby enlisted for this expedition and were paid a bounty of £90 each.
In a petition dated November 2, 1778, Abner Miles of Canter- bury states that he "turned out as a volunteer in the service of his country on the expedition to Rhode Island under the com- mand of Capt. Benjamin Sias, and served there until the com- pany came off the Island," that he was taken sick and confined to the house of Joseph Goffe at Rehoboth and remained there until September 24, 1778. He asks that the bill of said Goffe amounting to £39 4s. and the bill of Dr. Jos. Bridgham of £9 6s. may be paid by the state, the said bills having been allowed by the committee on sick and wounded soldiers. Miles also states that he lost a horse valued at $250 while in the service and Captain Sias certifies to his loss. Jeremiah Hacket and Obadiah Clough appointed by the selectmen of Canterbury to appraise the horse gave it a value of £75.1
Ezekiel Moore of Canterbury was in the service twenty- seven days in Capt. Benjamin Sias' company at the forts in Piscataqua Harbor. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, page 697.)
A return of the men of the Third New Hampshire Regiment at Camp Danbury, December 8, 1779, gives the name of George Shepard of Canterbury in Captain McGregore's company. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XV, page 734.)
: N. H. State Papers, Vol. XI, page 269.
147
ROSTER OF ENLISTMENTS FROM CANTERBURY.
PAY ROLL OF NEW LEVIES FOR CONTINENTAL ARMY, 1780. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, pages 87, 90, 94, 99.)
These troops were enlisted for six months and the following were returned from Canterbury.
Ebenezer Foss Enlisted June 27. Discharged Dec. 15, 1781.
Benoni Drew Enlisted June 27. War. Col. Dearborn's.
Benjamin Glines Enlisted June 27. Discharged Dec. 13, 1781.
Ebenezer Chandler Enlisted June 30. During war, 1781.
Thomas Cross Enlisted June 27. Discharged Dec. 11, 1781.
William Forrest Enlisted June 30. Discharged Dec. 18, 1781.
Merril Clement Enlisted June 30. Discharged Dec. 15, 1781.
The age of Drew is given as seventeen, of Glines seventeen, of Foss twenty-one, of Chandler twenty-five, of Cross eighteen, of Forrest twenty-five, and of Clement seventeen. Forrest and Clement are shown in one of the rolls as from Loudon. Thomas Cross is returned as in Capt. Josiah Munroe's company, First New Hampshire Regiment, February 14, 1781. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, page 224.)
CAPT. NATH'L HEAD'S COMPANY, COL. REYNOLD'S REGIMENT, 1781.
From Original in Pension Bureau, Washington, D. C. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVII, page 430.)
Thomas Curry Corp. Canterbury Sept. 8 to Nov. 25.
Sampson Battas 1 Canterbury Aug. 20 to Nov. 25.
Peter Blanchard Canterbury Aug. 20 to Nov. 25.
John Sutton Canterbury Aug. 20 to Nov. 25.
ENLISTMENTS IN CANTERBURY, 1780.
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XII, page 757.)
CANTERBURY, July 4th, 1780.
We the subscribers hereby acknowledge to have Voluntarily enlisted to serve the United States of America for three months from the time we shall Join the Army of the sd United States at the place appointed for Rendesvous by the Commander in Chief of said Army. Witness our Hands.
WILLIAM FOSTER. DANIEL FOSTER.
EZEKIEL MOORE. ELKINS MOORE.
ASA FOSTER. MOSES DAVIS.
1 Sampson Battis, marked "Deserted November 22."
148
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
ENLISTMENTS IN CANTERBURY, 1781.
CANTERBURY, 24th July, 1781.
We whose Names are underwritten hereby acknowledge to have volentarily inlisted to serve as Militia in the Continental Army for the term of three Months from the time of our joining said Army, on the encouragement given by the Town of Canter- bury at a Muster for the purpose of raising sd Men, And engage to equip, and march whenever we shall receive orders.1
his
SAMSON X BATTIS. PETER BLANCHARD. mark
THOMAS CURRY. JOHN SUTTON.
John Abbott,2 Drummer, residence Canterbury, enlisted for Canterbury in Capt. Benjamin Ellis' company, Col. Alexander Scammel's regiment, February, 1781. The same record is given for James Barns, private.
George Shepard and Benoni Drew 3 are given in Captain Den- net's company, Second New Hampshire Regiment, February 15, 1781. Shepard is also given as serving for Boscawen from Can- terbury.
Reuben Blanchard,4 age eighteen, abode Canterbury, enlisted for Concord, July 20, 1781, to December to recruit Continental Army. He served at West Point from July, 23 to December 13, 1781. He is also given as in Capt. Aaron Kinsman's com- pany, Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment in July 1780.5 In the latter company was Elias Abbott.
Isaac Blanchard,6 age twenty-four, Capt. Edward Elliott's company, Col. David Hobart's regiment, which marched from Plymouth and adjacent towns, July, 1777. He is thought to be a son of Benjamin Blanchard, Jr., of Canterbury, who had left home and was visiting relatives in the vicinity of Plymouth.
Joel Blanchard,7 Capt. Simon Marston's company recruited for the Rhode Island expedition of 1777. There was a journey to Concord, Pembroke and other places to muster the company.
1 See also N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, page 264.
2 Idem, page 225.
3 Idem, page 232.
' Idem, pages 247, 253.
" Idem, page 105.
· Idem, Vol. XV, page 150.
' Idem, page 267.
149
ROSTER OF ENLISTMENTS FROM CANTERBURY.
Benjamin Blanchard, Jr., of Canterbury had a son Joel, eighteen years of age, in 1777. An Ephriam Moore was in this same command.
Abel Blanchard,1 Capt. Henry Butler's company, Col. Thomas Bartlett's regiment, raised in 1780 and serving at West Point. As the record shows some of the men of this company to have been recruited in Hopkinton and vicinity, it is thought that this was another son of Benjamin Blanchard, Jr., of Canterbury.
Peter Blanchard,2 Capt. Peter Kimball's company, Col. Thomas Stickney's regiment which was raised out of the Thir- teenth Regiment of New Hampshire militia July, 1777, and joined the Northern army at Bennington and Stillwater. In this same company was Elias Abbott.
There is a family tradition that Benjamin Blanchard, Jr., had five sons in the Revolution, who in the order of their births were, Isaac, Peter, Joel, Abel and Reuben. A still younger son, Simon, born in 1766 may have enlisted in the closing year of the war.
The names of Merrill Clement, William Foster, Jonathan Foster, David Blanchard and Joseph Clough, appear among the men mustered for the defence of Portsmouth in September, 1779.3
The pay roll of Capt. Ebenezer Webster's company of rangers, raised for the defence of the Western frontiers in 1782, gives the name of William Arvin 4 (Ervine) of Canterbury, July 5 to No- vember 7, 1782. Abiel Foster petitions December, 1788, to have the wages of William Ervine, "who was three months in the service as a ranger in Captain Webster's company in 1783 and who was deceased, paid to him for the benefit of the town of Canterbury." 5
The "History of Northfield" mentions the names of Ezekiel Danforth, Samuel Goodwin, Abraham Brown and Theodore Brown as soldiers in the Revolution from that town prior to its separation from Canterbury.6
An Ezekiel Danforth enlisted in Capt. James Shepard's com-
1 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, pages 131, 163.
¿ Idem, Vol. XV, page 185.
3 Idem, page 698.
4 Idem, Vol. XVI, page 296.
5 Idem, Vol. XI, page 273.
6 History of Northfield, page 72.
150
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
pany for the Continental army, July 2, 1776, at Boscawen.1 There was a private by the name of Samuel Goodwin in Capt. John Calef's company on Great Island and in Capt. Titus Salter's company of artillery at Fort Washington in November, 1775,2 and in February, 1776.3 Abraham Brown is a name found in Capt. Daniel Moore's company, Col. John Stark's regiment in 1775.4 As men of this company were recruited from Pembroke, Allenstown, Bow and other nearby towns, it is very probable that this Abraham Brown was from Canterbury. A Theodore Brown was in Capt. Henry Elkin's company, recruited for the defence of Piscataqua Harbor, November, 1775.5
RECORD OF TOWN RETURNS (CANTERBURY).
(N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, page 502.)
Nat Glines
Benoni Drew
Michael Sutton
r. March 23d, 1781.
Morril Shepard r. April 26th, 1781.
William Glines r. March 23d, 1781.
Edmund Colby r. March 23d, 1781.
Dan'l Colby r. March 23d, 1781.
Wm. Rynes
r. March 23d, 1781.
Elkins Moore r. March 23d, 1781.
Abner Hoyt,
r. 1782 by E. Frye.
In another list the name of George Shepard appears in place of Abner Hoyt (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, pages 593, 594.)
SOLDIERS MUSTERED FOR CANTERBURY.
EXETER, December 23d, 1785.
The following is a list of Soldiers Mustered for the Town of Canterbury for each of which a Bounty of twenty pounds is due to said town.6
1 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XIV, pages 317, 320.
2 Idem, page 227.
3 Idem, page 257.
Idem, page 72.
5 Idem, page 253.
& Idem, Vol. XVI, page 595.
151
ROSTER OF ENLISTMENTS FROM CANTERBURY.
Michael Sutton
Must'd March 23d 1781.
William Glines
Must'd March 23d 1781.
Edmund Colby Daniel Colby
Must'd March 23d 1781.
Must'd March 23d 1781.
Wm. Rynes
Must'd March 23d 1781.
Elkins Moore
Must'd March 23d 1781.
Morril Sheppard
Must'd April 26th 1781.
As appears by the Books
Attes'r
JOSEPH GILMAN.
Michael Sutton appears from the records to have been in the first company of Colonel Cilley's regiment in 1781. He enlisted for three years or during the war and received a bounty.1
Dr. Josiah Chase who was a sergeant in Capt. Jeremiah Clough's company appears to have served later as a surgeon in Stark's regiment,2 for he gives a certificate of the wound received by Noah Sinclair 3 and a certificate that Abraham Kimball of Hop- kinton was wounded in the leg.4
Phineas Fletcher was in the first company of Col. Joseph Cilley's regiment of Continental troops in 1781. He was mus- tered March 23, 1781, and he died on his way home from Yorktown.5
PAY ROLL OF CAPT. EBENEZER WEBSTER'S COMPANY.
This company joined the Continental army at West Point in 1780. The pay roll shows the following from Canterbury.6
REUBEN BLANCHARD. WILLIAM FOSTER.
DANIEL FOSTER. EZEKIEL MOORE.
ELKINS MOORE. ELIAS ABBOTT.
ASA FOSTER.
Service July 4 to October 25, 1780.
Another return indicates that Reuben Blanchard later enlisted for Concord, July 6, 1781, for six months.7
1 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, pages 236, 267.
2 Rev. William Patrick's Historical Sermon.
: N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, page 458.
. Idem, page 400.
5 Idem, pages 236, 267, 513, 772. History of Northfield, Part II, page 224.
6 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVI, pages 147, 148.
" Idem, pages 253, 611.
152
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
ORDERS FROM SOLDIERS 1781 TO 1785. (N. H. State Papers, Vol. XI, pages 272, 273.)
CANTERBURY, March 7, 1781.
To NICHOLAS GILMAN,
Treas. for the State of N. H.
Please pay to the selectmen of Canterbury the sum total of what shall be made up to us in the pay roll as soldiers in the six months service in the summer past.
THOMAS HOYT. BENJAMIN GLINES.
EBENEZER CHANDLER.
EBENEZER Foss.
John Sutton in a similar order directs his wages to be paid to Capt. Laban Morrill.
Samson Bates (Battis) under date of January 15, 1785, orders amount due him for three months' service in Capt. Nathaniel Head's company to be paid to James Norris.
Thomas Curry by order dated November 7, 1785, directs the amount due him for three months' service in 1781 to be paid to David Foster.
LIEUT. THOMAS LYFORD.
Lieutenant Lyford seems to have had the longest continued service of any soldier volunteering from Canterbury. He en- listed in the very beginning of the war, going out as an ensign in Capt. Jeremiah Clough's company in 1775.1 The next record shows him a lieutenant in Maj. Benjamin Whitcomb's independ- ent corps of rangers. A pay roll of part of the corps gives the time of his engagement as November 4, 1776, and that he enlisted for the war.2 He continued in the service until January, 1781, and he is recorded as attached to the Second or Colonel Reid's regiment for the years 1777-78-79 and in the same regi- ment on duty at West Point and in New Jersey in 1780.3 Major Whitcomb's battalion was on duty part of the time on the Upper Connecticut. Lieutenant Lyford was with General Hazen when he built the military road from the Connecticut River at Newbury, Vt., via Cabot, Vt., towards Canada.4
1 N. H. State Papers, Vol. XVII, page 8.
2 Idem, Vol. XV, page 702. Vol. XVI, page 174.
3 Potter's Military History of N. H., page 339.
4 Francis Lyford and his Descendants, by William L. Welch, page 20.
153
ROSTER OF ENLISTMENTS FROM CANTERBURY.
In a petition dated Concord, June 21, 1782, he sets forth that he "entered the service in the year 1775 and by order afterwards in the year 1777 1 was appointed lieutenant in Major Whitcomb's Core of Rangers and served in the same until 1781 when General Washington ordered the officers of said Core should retire on half pay for life, that your memorialist was ordered by said Whitcomb to march said Whitcomb's men to Head Quarters, whereupon the soldiers were mutinous and would not march when ordered thereto, and your memorialist proceeded to Head Quarters from Haverhill to the North River and made report of the same to Gen'l Heath the commanding officer then at West Point." 2
Lieutenant Lyford moved to Cabot, Vt., being the third settler there. . He was born in Epping, and resided in that town, Exeter, Canterbury (Northfield), Sanbornton and New Ipswich.3
The provisional government of New Hampshire in 1775 formed the militia into twelve regiments, and in September, 1776, an act was passed reorganizing it. This act provided for two classes of soldiers, a training band and an alarm list. The training band was made up of all able-bodied males from sixteen to fifty years of age, except certain persons in specified positions and employment, and negroes, mulattoes and Indians. There were about sixty-eight privates in each company.
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