Celebrating Independence Day!

In honor of Independence Day, I'd like to honor my ancestors who supported the Revolution. Some supported independence by signing anti-British documents or serving in early government positions, others provided supplies, and others actually fought in battles. The following names have been primarily identified from the rolls of the DAR. I need to do a lot more research on most of these men but if you have the names and vital dates for your ancestors who were born between 1700-1763, the DAR database is a good place to start your search.



Edward Abbott (1730-1801) - 5th great-grandfather - Signed the Association Test in New Hampshire. This document was written in April before the Declaration of Independence. It called for the signatures of every adult male willing to take up arms against the British AND lists the names of those who refused to sign. 

George Abbott (abt 1708-1785) - 6th great-grandfather - Signed the NH Association Test.

Jonathan Abbott (1740-1821) - served as a Sergeant in Capt. Henry Abbott's militia and responded to the Lexington Alarm.

Samuel Ackley (1763-1861) - 5th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Jackson's Company, Col. Crane's Regt.

Asa Barrows (1751-1830) - 5th great-grandfather - private in multiple companies: Capt. Shaw, Capt. Benson, Capt. Hammond.

Benjamin Blake (1731-1824) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Joseph Chandler's Company, Col. Wyman's Regt. He also paid a labor tax to support the war.

David Blake (1762-1843) - 5th great-grandfather - private in Col. Richardson's Company

Eleazer Cole (1747-1833) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Josiah Hayden's Company, Col. John Bailey's Regt. Massachusetts Line.

Samuel Connor (1704-1778) - 7th great-grandfather - signed the NH Association Test

William Cotton (1751-1814) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Edward Everett's Company, Col. Timothy Bedel's Regt.

Samuel Dennen/Denning (1733-1798) - 6th great-grandfather - served as a seaman and was taken prisoner.

John Dunham (1726-1814) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Shaw's Company, Col. Warren's Regt. - responded to the Lexington alarm. Also served under Capts. Curtis and Sampson, Cols. Jacobs and Cotton.

Gibbins Edgecomb (1743-1817) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Crocker's Company, Col. Mitchell's Regt.

Dr. James Freeland (1743-1796) - 5th great-grandfather - physician or surgeon

John Garland (1719-aft 1790) - 7th great-grandfather - signed the NH Association Test

Samuel Haskell (1749-1825) - 6th great-grandfather - served in as a private, later promoted to Sergeant in Capt. Joseph Elliott's Company, Col. Wm. Turner's Regt. and later in Capt. Hezekiah Whitney's Company, Col. Josiah Whitney's Regt.

Hezekiah Hayes (1719-1791) - 7th great-grandfather - signed the NH Association Test

Elisha Houghton (1746-1810) - 6th great-grandfather - minuteman in Capt. Benjamin Houghton's
Company, John Whitcomb's Regt.

Snow Keene (1734-aft 1811) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Turner's Company, Col. Thomas' Regt. and responded to the Lexington alarm. He later served under Capts. Chamberlain and Turner, Col. Brooks.

Moses Lyford (abt 1728-1788) - 7th great-grandfather - signed the NH Association Test

Oliver Smith Lyford (1753-1788) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Col. Stark's Regt.


Thomas Mellen (1713-1782) - 6th great-grandfather - served as a member of the Massachusetts First Provincial Congress in 1774 & 1775. They met after Parliament annulled the charter of Massachusetts and declared that representatives would no longer be elected; they would be appointed by the King. John Hancock was the president (governor) and the Provincial Congress collected taxes, bought supplies, and raised the militia. In 1775, the Provincial Congress sent delegate, Paul Revere, to the First Continental Congress with the message that they had set up an autonomous government, free of British influence.

Daniel Messer (1735-1815) - 6th great-grandfather - served as a private in 1775 and also provided civil service to the new government.

William Moody (1740-1828) - 6th great-grandfather - served as a private and later as Sergeant with Capt. Bradish, Capt. Pride, Col. Phinney.

Samuel Morgan (1748-aft 1796) - 5th great-grandfather - possible but initial documentation has not been updated since the early days of the DAR and he must be treated as a new ancestor for future applicants.

Reuben Packard (1737-1820) 6th great-grandfather - served as a Sergeant in Capt. Josiah Hayden's Company, Col. Bailey's militia. Marched to Lexington at the news of the alarm. Served nearly 8 months total but in short responses as a Minuteman.

Dimon Perry (abt 1742-aft Jan 1819) - 6th great-grandfather - private in Capt. William Weston's Company. 

Elisha Prescott (1754-1813) - 6th great-grandfather - This is another line that needs work as earlier documentation shows a problem in some areas. However other parts of the application are correct. The problem seems to be with a second wife and not the wife I have in my database. He served as an ensign under Capt. William Harper, Col. Wyman's Regt; also, served as a Sergeant in Capt. Cutting Cilley's Company; and a private in Capt. Winthrop Rowe's Company, Col. Poor's Regt. 

Jeremiah Prescott (1718-1780) - 7th great-grandfather - signed the NH Association Test

Lazarus Rand (1755-1816) - 5th great-grandfather - private in Capt. Abraham Tyler's Company, Col. Edmund Phinney's Regt. and Capt. Alexander McLellan's Company, Col. Jonathan Mitchell's Regt. 

John Safford (1709-1782) - 7th great-grandfather - responded to the Lexington alarm, served with Capt. Whitney, and Capt. Dodge.

Patten Simpson (1737-1807) - 7th great-grandfather - private under Col. Stark

Dominicus Smith (? -1821) - 5th great-grandfather - I have his pension but he is not in the DAR database. He served as a private in Capt. Noble's Company, Col. Patten's Regt. Massachusetts Line. 

Enoch Spurr (1761-1843) - 4th great-grandfather - served as a Quartermaster Sergeant. A quartermaster would supervise, store, and distribute supplies and provisions. From the Quartermaster Creed: "...My forges burned at Valley Forge. Down frozen, rutted roads my oxen hauled the meager foods a bankrupt Congress sent me...Scant rations for the cold and starving troops, gunpowder, salt, and lead..." 

Joseph Spurr (1731-1805) - 5th great-grandfather - served as a matross. A matross was someone who assisted the gunners in loading, firing, and sponging guns. They were armed and guarded the store-wagons that transported the gunpowder and ammunition. 

Aaron Stevens (1710-1796) - 6th great-grandfather - signed the NH Asssociation Test

Dr. Joseph Wight, Sr. (1729-1804) - 5th great-grandfather - served as a ship's surgeon

Here are a few links to the stories of my direct ancestors who fought in the Revolution. I definitely have a lot more research to do based on the long list above.

Samuel Ackley

Asa Barrows - From Bill West at West in New England

Dr. James Freeland

Elisha Houghton

Dominicus Smith 

Enoch Spurr





Ancestors of Thomas Richard Carter (1914-2005): Edward Abbott, George Abbott, Samuel Ackley, Dr. James Freeland, Thomas Mellen, William Moody, Enoch Spurr, Joseph Spurr, Aaron Stevens, Joseph Wight

Ancestors of Fern Lyndell Cotton (1922-2002): Jonathan Abbott, Asa Barrows, William Cotton, John Dunham, Gibbins Edgecomb, Samuel Haskell, Elisha Houghton, Snow Keene, Moses Lyford, Oliver Smith Lyford, Reuben Packard, Elisha Prescott, Jeremiah Prescott, Lazarus Rand, John Safford, Patten Simpson

Ancestors of Clayton Leonard Blake (1904-1979): Benjamin Blake, David Blake, Samuel Connor, Daniel Messer

Ancestors of Linona Alice Yates (1920-present): Eleazer Cole, Samuel Dennen/DenningJohn Garland, Hezekiah Hayes, Samuel Morgan, Diman Perry, Dominicus Smith