Bond's List of Soldiers
Extracted From
Watertown's Military History
Anonymous
1807
Boston: D. Clapp & Sons, printers

[Transcribed by Sandra Boudrou]

In the exhaustive Genealogical History of Watertown, published by Henry Bond, to the compilation of which he devoted many years of thoughtful care, there is a bewildering array of military titles. Just how many of these were complimentary it is impossible to decide. In order to amplify to some degree the list already presented, the following names and descriptions of service have been selected from Bond and placed in alphabetical order. These cover the Colonial and Revolutionary periods, as well as some services of still later date. Bond states that the quota of Watertown for the Pequod war, under date of April 18, 1637, included Capt. Mason, Capt. Willard, Lieut. Goodenow, Lieut. Beers and Sergt. Wincoll. The following names of soldiers were taken from Bond's History of Watertown: BALDWIN, ISAAC. He was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill. BALL, JOHN. Was born in 1644; Oct. 21, 1665, he sold to William Perry his farm in Watertown, which he had purchased of John Lawrence, and went to Lancaster, where he was killed by the Indians, Sept. 10, 1675. He was a son of John Ball, who was said to have come from Wiltshire, England, and was admitted freeman in 1650. BARNARD, SAMUEL, Major. Was baptized June 19, 1737. Was one of the Boston "Tea Boys" and a Major in the Revolutionary Army; he died Aug. 8, 1782; was a son of Samuel Barnard and Susanna Harrington, and married Mar. 24, 1773, Elizabeth Bond; they had five children. BARSHAM, NATHAN, Capt. Was a Lieut. in the forces raised in 1690, for an expedition against Canada. BEERS, ELIEZER. Was a member of Capt. Cutler's company in 1696. He married Susanna Cutting Apr. 21, 1690, and died Dec. 5, 1701. BEERS, ELNATHAN. He served as Sergeant in the company of his father, Capt. Richard Beers, and later under Capt. Joseph Sill; married Sarah Tainter, in 1681. Was blessed with five children, and died in 1696. BEMIS, EDMUND. Was born Nov. 1, 1720; died Dec., 1800; was a Lieutenant at the capture of Louisburg, and a Captain in the expedition to Crown Point, 1755-56. BEMIS, JONAS. Was born Mar. 25, 1737; died May 7, 1790; was a soldier in the French war and the Revolution. Married Dolly Wood of Brookfield. He was son of Samuel Bemis and Sarah Barnard, who settled first in Sudbury, and in 1721 moved to Spencer, and was the second settler in that town, where he died in August, 1776. BEMIS, JONATHAN. Was born June 12, 1762; married Sept. 22, 1781, to Mary Stearns; moved to Paris, Me., about 1800, where he died July 5, 1828. He was a Captain and an innkeeper, and was the son of David Bemis. BEMIS, WILLIAM, Capt. Was born Nov. 1, 1722; died March 23, 1801. He was a Captain, married July 5, 1750, Rebekah White; was a son of Samuel Bemis and Sarah Barnard. BENJAMIN, SAMUEL. Was baptized Feb. 10, 1753; was a Lieut. in the Revolutionary Army. He was son of Abel Benjamin. Married, in 1782, Tabitha Livermore, and settled in Livermore, Me. BIGELOW, BENJAMIN. Was born Jan. 20, 1683-4; was wounded in the public service previous to 1708; died Oct. 27, 1709, of a fall from a horse; he was son of Joshua Bigelow and Elizabeth Flagg. BIGELOW, JABEZ. Was a Lieut. in West Point at the time of Arnold's treason. BIGELOW, JOSHUA. Was born Nov. 5, 1655; married Elizabeth Flagg Oct. 20, 1676; was wounded in King Philip's War, and later received a grant of land in Worcester. He died in Westminster, Mass., Feb. 21, 1745, aged 90. He had 11 children. His Father, John Bigelow, a blacksmith, married Mary Warren, Oct. 30, 1642, this being the earliest marriage found in the town records. BIGELOW, TIMOTHY. Was born June 20, 1702; was a Lieut. in his Majesty's service; was son of Jonathan Bigelow, and married Abigail Olcott. BISCOE, JOHN. Was born in Watertown April 10, 1738; was a soldier at Lake George in 1756 or '7; went to Spencer, Mass., in 1763; was son of Thomas Biscoe of Watertown and Abigail Mason; married May 10, 1764. BOND, AMOS. He was born Mar. 22, 1749; died Aug. 8, 1817. He served as Representative for Watertown most of the time from 1788 to 1802; was repeatedly elected senator of Middlesex county, and was a member of the Governor's council. He was a Col. of militia. BOND, CHARLES. He was a son of Col. William, and was born Feb. 16, 1769. He was Captain of militia in Watertown, and a Selectman; died in Keene, N. H., Nov. 19, 1801. BOND, JONAS, Col. He was married, Jan. 29, 1688-'9, Grace Coolidge, and April 11, 1699, married Mrs. Elizabeth Prentice; he held a justice's commission for about 24 years, and was sometimes called the "Marrying Squire"; he belonged to the military force sent into Canada in 1690; represented the town in the General Court, and was entrusted with its most important municipal business; was Lieut.-Col. of a company of militia; died in 1727, aged 63 years. BOND, WILLIAM, Col. Was the grandfather of Watertown's historian, Henry Bond; served under Col. Thomas Gardner at the battle of Bunker Hill, where Col. Thomas Gardner was mortally wounded. Lieut.-Col. Bond succeeded to the command, and subsequently marched with the regular army to New York, and was ordered to Canada by way of the lakes. Upon his return he encamped on Mount Independence, opposite Ticonderoga, where he died Aug. 31, 1776. During his services in New York and Canada he was accompanied by his third son Henry, then quite a lad, who was present at the death of his patriotic father. His son Henry married Hannah, eldest daughter of Capt. Phineas Stearns, of Watertown, and moved to Livermore, Me., where he had purchased land and several mills; was an active, influential citizen, and died Mar. 27, 1796, aged 34 years. BOND, WILLIAM. Was a son of Jonas and Rose Bond of Bury St. Edmunds, Eng.; was baptized Sept. 3, 1625; came to Watertown where he married, Feb. 7, 1629, Sarah Biscoe, daughter of Nathaniel Biscoe, the rich tanner, who died Feb. 15, 1692-'3; married in 1695, Mrs. Elizabeth Nevinson of Watertown; he died Dec. 14, 1695, his widow surviving 25 years; the children were 9 by first wife; in 1676 he was a Lieut. of a company of horse, perhaps under Capt. Thomas Prentice. In 1692, those parts of Watertown which were later Watertown, Waltham and Weston, were designated as the precincts of Capt. Bond's co., Capt. Garfield's co., and Lieut. Jones' co.; Oct. 7, 1679, he was appointed on a committee consisting of Capt. Thomas Prentice, Mr. Wm. Bond and Deacon John Stone, to rebuild Lancaster, which had been destroyed by the Indians. BOWMAN, JOSHUA. He was baptized Feb. 15, 1746-'7; a graduate of Harvard College, 1766; was a Captain of Dragoons in the Continental Army, and died, shot from his horse, at Charleston, S. C., Mar. 30, 1780. BOWMAN, SAMUEL, Capt. He enlisted at the outbreak of the Revolution and served till its close; is said to have been with Major Andre the night before the execution, and to have commanded the guards that led Andre to the gallows. BROWN, EBENEZER. Was born Dec. 29, 1730; died at Ticonderoga, aged 28. BROWN, PHINEAS. He was in the battle of Saratoga, and served several months during the war. CAKEBREAD, THOMAS, Capt. Was admitted freeman May 14, 1634; was a proprietor of Watertown in 1636-'7 and 1642; settled in Watertown, but probably resided a short time in Dedham; was called a renowned soldier of Watertown in Mr. Haven's address (1836), and was invited to be at the head of military affairs in Dedham; he was one of the original members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co., and in Sept. 1642, was appointed by the General Court "to lead the Company of Sudbury as Ensign"; died in Sudbury, Jan. 4, 1643-'4. CHESTER, JOHN. Was born in Watertown Aug. 3, 1635; was a Captain of Wethersfield; admitted freeman May, 1658; was a member of the first troop in Conn.; he was very useful and influential. CHINERY, JOHN. Was a son of Lambert; married in Watertown, Mar. 12, 1655-6, Sarah Boylston; was wounded by the Indians in battle at Northfield, Sept. 4, 1675, and died the next day, leaving one child. COOLIDGE, JOHN. Was a carpenter, and a son of John Coolidge of Watertown; married and settled in Sherburne. He was a soldier in King Philip's War. He had 8 children. COOLIDGE, JOHN. Was sometimes designated as Ensign; took the oath of fidelity in 1652; married, Nov. 14, 1655, Hannah Livermore; she died Dec. 23, 1678, aged 45, and he married, Sept. 16, 1679, Mary Maddock; had 14 children; was son of John Coolidge, one of the earliest proprietors, who was admitted freeman May 25, 1636. COOLIDGE, JOSEPH. Was a soldier in the French war; baptized in 1698; died in 1724. COOLIDGE, JOSEPH. A son of Simon Coolidge, a bricklayer; was born June 18, 1730, and married Eunice Stratton, Sept. 11, 1753; was killed at the battle of Lexington, Apr. 19, 1775. COOLIDGE, LEWIS. Was born Sept. 16, 1783; was taken prisoner by the British in 1814, and lost his property. After his exchange he went to Vermont as teacher until 1818, when he moved to Waltham, Vt., afterwards to Illinois. COOLIDGE, NATHANIEL. He married, Sept. 19, 1751, Dorothy Whitney; he kept a public house from 1764 to 1770, on the south side of the river at Watertown bridge, the first house. COOLIDGE, SAMUEL. He enlisted, Mar. 12, 1745-6, to go to Cape Breton. COREY, ISAAC. Was born Jan. 9, 1739-40; was a soldier at Lake George in 1758, in Capt. Jonathan Brown's Company. CRAFT, ABNER. An innholder of Watertown in 1772; a Captain in the 25th Regiment of Continental Army in 1775; he left 9 children. CUTTING, DAVID. Was burnt to death during the Revolutionary war in a barn, where he lay with a broken leg. DIX, JOHN. Was a surgeon in the U. S. Navy; died on board U. S. sloop of war Cyane, off the coast of Africa, April 16, 1823. DIX, STEPHEN. Was born June 30, 1735; died abroad in the army in 1755. FISKE, ROBERT, Lieut. Was admitted freeman May 18, 1631; Sept. 4, 1632, Lieut. under Capt. Patrick; died in 1662-3, leaving 9 pounds; was one of the earliest and largest proprietors; Selectman in 1637, '39, '40; representative in 1634, '34, and '36; was appointed Lieut. by the Court, and is said to have united with Capt. Patrick in the purchase of Greenwich, Conn.; appears to have become impoverished; died at the house of Samuel Thatcher, who disposed of his estate to pay expenses. FINCH, JOHN. He came over with Gov. Winthrop in 1630. In 1636-'7, he settled in Watertown, where his wigwam and all of his goods were burned; was one of a small colony that first settled Wethersfield, Conn.; was killed by an Indian Oct. 30, 1637. FIRMAN, JOHN. He settled in Watertown, where his wigwam was burned Nov. 10, 1630; was admitted freeman May 18, 1631; returned to England and re-embarked from Ipswich for New England Apr. 1634, then aged 46; was a Deacon and also a Selectman in 1638; his heirs sold his lands in Watertown to Barnabas Farr of Boston, who resold to Richard Beers, Feb. 25, 1652-3. FISKE, NATHAN, Lieut. Was born in Watertown, Oct. 17, 1642; died Oct. 1694; bought of Thomas Underwood 220 acres of land in Weston for 10 pounds; inventory, 151 pounds. FLAGG, GERSHOM, Lieut. Was born in Watertown, April 16, 1641; settled in Woburn; killed by the Indians at Lamphrey River, July 6, 1690. FLAGG, TIMOTHY. Born Mar. 10, 1740-1; belonged to the force sent to Lake George in 1758, and was a soldier of the Revolution. FLAGG, WILLIAM. Was killed by the Indians at Lancaster, Aug. 22, 1675. FULHAM, JACOB. Was born Nov. 19, 1693; served as Sergeant in Capt. Lovewell's co. and was killed by the Indians at Pigwacket (Fryesburg) in "Lovewell's Fight," May 8, 1725. "A Sergeant named Fulham, and an Indian, distinguished by his dress and activity, singled each other out, and both fell, mutually slain, each by his antagonist's weapon;" he was son of Major Francis Fulham; he married, Feb. 28, 1715-16, Tabitha Whitney. FULLER, DAVID. Was born Sept. 14, 1787; was purser's steward in the U. S. sloop of war Wasp, Capt. Jones, when she captured the Frolic. GARFIELD, BENJAMIN, Capt. Was Representative of Watertown 9 times, between 1689 and 1717, and held numerous municipal appointments. He was born in 1643; admitted freeman Apr. 18, 1690; died Nov. 28, 1717, aged 74. HAMMOND, JOHN, Lieut. Was a son of Wm. Hammond; was born in England, and when 7 years old came here with his parents and two sisters, leaving Ipswich, Eng., Apr. 1634; had 3 wives and 9 children, his wives being Abigail, Sarah and Prudence; he died Nov. 22, 1709, aged over 80 years; in 1690, his assessment was the largest in the town, and next to his was that of William Bond, Esq. HARRINGTON, EDWARD. Was born May 22, 1735; a Captain in the Revolution; died at Ticonderoga, Sept. 23, 1776. HARRINGTON, GEORGE. Was born Nov. 24, 1655; belonged to Capt. Wadsworth's company and was killed by the Indians in Lancaster, Feb. 1675-6. HASTINGS, WILLIAM. Resident of Watertown; belonged to Capt. Jonathan Brown's co. at lake George in 1758. JENISON, WILLIAM. Was one of the first who desired to be admitted freeman, Oct. 19, 1630; was a member of the Artillery co. in 1637; Captain of the train band, 1638; Selectman and Representative; commanded one of the companies sent, in 1636, to avenge the murder of John Oldham, by the Pequod Indians, at Block Island; returned to England soon after 1645, where he died. JOHNSON, CALEB. Was accidentally shot, May 4, 1654, near his house "in the Liberties of Watertown." LEARNED, JEDEDIAH. He belonged to Capt. Jonathan Brown's co. at lake George, in 1758. NORCROSS, SAMUEL. Was born Oct. 14, 1689; was a soldier in the expedition to Canada; died in Durham, Conn., in 1724, where he had lived 6 years. OLCOTT, JOHN. He was born Nov. 21, 1739; was married to Hannah Wardsworth June 30, 1771. He was Major of Col. Ward's 21st Regt. of the Continental Army, and accompanied Col. Arnold in his expedition to Canada. PENDLETON, BRYAN, Capt. Was made freeman Sept. 3, 1632; was Selectman and Representative; a member of the artillery co. in 1646; a Capt. in Watertown; a Major in Portsmouth; councilor in 1680. RANDALL, JOHN. Was born Oct. 2, 1750; said to have been one of the "Boston Tea Boys." SAFFORD, THOMAS. Resident of Watertown; he belonged to Capt. Jonathan Brown's co. at lake George in 1758. SALTMARSH, WILLIAM, Lieut. Was a Lieut. under Capt. Jonathan Brown at Lake George in 1758. SANGER, RICHARD. Was born in Sudbury; moved to Watertown in 1649, Sept. 8; he with his two sons and 3 others, during King Philip's war, guarded the mill in Watertown. SEELEY, ROBERT. Was one of the first settlers of Watertown; was admitted freeman May 18, 1630; in 1636 he went to Wethersfield, Conn.; was probably the Lieut. Seeley in the Pequod war, and perhaps the Capt. Seeley of Stratford, killed in battle by the Indians, in Dec. 1675. SHERMAN, JOHN, Capt. He came to America in 1634; was admitted freeman May 17, 1637; was Selectman, town clerk and Representative; died Jan. 25, 1690; born in Dedham co., Eng., in 1613. SPRING, JEDUTHAN. Was a Corporal in Capt. Jonathan Brown's Co. at Lake George in 1758, and his brother Josiah was a private in the same company; both of Watertown. SPRING, MARSHALL. Was a physician; arrived early at Lexington Apr. 19, 1775; born Feb. 19, 1741-2; died Jan. 7, 1818; a tory. STEARNS, ASA. He enlisted in Col. Ward's Mass. Reg. the day after the battle of Bunker Hill; was with the Americans at Long Island in 1776, and in the battle of White Plains; served 20 months in Col Ward's Reg. and then joined Col. Cilley's Reg. of N. Hampshire, in which he served 3 yrs.; was at the capture of Burgoyne, in the battle of Monmouth, and with Gen. Sullivan at Wyoming, where he suffered excessively from privations; later was at sea in a privateer and helped capture the "Hannah," richly laden with merchandise and which was taken to New Haven; after the war he moved to New Hampshire; died Feb. 2, 1852. STEARNS, PETER. Was born Aug. 3, 1742, in Watertown; enlisted in the French war and never returned; estate administered in 1758. STEARNS, PHINEHAS, Capt. Resident of Watertown; was a soldier at Lake George, where he commanded a company. STONE, MOSES, Capt. He owned a large part of the land which is now Mt. Auburn. TAINTER, JOHN, Jr. He belonged to Capt. Jonathan Brown's co. in 1758, at Lake George; was born Aug. 12, 1732. THOMPSON, GEORGE. Resident of Watertown; he belonged to Capt. Jonathan Brown's co. at Lake George in 1758. WELLINGTON, GEORGE. He was born Oct. 21, 1749; was a Revolutionary soldier. WELLINGTON, THADDEUS. Born April 5, 1758; was a Revolutionary soldier. WHITE, JEDEDIAH. Was born Feb. 3, 1734-5; belonged to the expedition sent to Lake George in 1758; resident of Watertown; served under Capt. Jonathan Brown. WHITE, WILLIAM. Resident of Watertown; was a drummer in Capt. Jonathan Brown's co. at Lake George in 1758.