French War Muster Roll
Braintree, Norfolk Co., MA
Extracted from
Materials for the History of Braintree
From the Muster Rolls of the "Old French War,"
A Part of the Massachusetts Archives
Communicated by Rev. John A. VINTON, South Boston
New England Historical & Genealogical Register
Vol 15, January 1861, pgs 51 & 52

[Transcribed by Jane Devlin]




Peter THAYER was Captain; John WHITE, Lieut.; Joseph HAYWARD, Ensign; Moses BRACKET & Seth TURNER, Sergts; & Richard FAXON, Jr., Corporal; Richard THAYER, Jr., Elijah THAYER (son of Jo. THAYER,) Samuel FRENCH (son of Benj. FRENCH,) Adam FRENCH, John HOLLIS, Ephraim HUNT, Jr., Joshua FRENCH, Nehemiah FRENCH, & many others, all Braintree privates, in a company belonging to the Regiment of Col. Benjamin LINCOLN, that marched on the alarm for the relief of Fort Wm. Henry, in Aug 1757. They marched only to Roxbury & back.

William NILES, Amos STETSON, Richard THAYER, Jesse THAYER, Elijah THAYER, Seth FRENCH, Elijah FRENCH, William HAYDEN, Clement HAYDEN, Joseph NILES, John NILES, Jr., wer privates, & Seth TURNER was 2d Lieut. (all of Braintree, with many others of the same town) in Capt. Edward WARD's Company of Foot, in Col. Joseph WILLIAMS' Regt. from April or May till Autumn, 1758.

The following persons, belonging to Braintree, enlisted in the Regiment commanded by Col. Benjamin LINCOLN, to be under command of Gen. Jeffery AMHERST, for the invasion of Canada. Most of them had been in service before. Their previous military or naval service is noted immediately after their respective ages. "In the ship," means that they had served on board the armed ship King George, Benjamin HATTOWELL, Jr., Commander, equipped & maintained by the Province, to guard the coasts.

Name Age Previous Service Enlisted
Jonathan GREEN 26 at Lake George, 1758 29 Mar 1759
Benjamin BAXTER 30 at Lake George, 1755 23 Mar 1759
William WILSON 32 at Chicnucto, 1755 24 Mar 1759
Samuel CROSBEE 28 ---- 4 Apr 1759
Samuel HAYWARD 21 in the ship, 1758 30 Mar 1759
Joseph BRACKET 44 agt Canada, 1758 23 Mar 1759
Isaac TERRILL 3- ---- 24 Mar 1759
Thomas BELCHER
son of Nathl. BELCHER
19 Cataraque, 1758 29 Mar 1759
Jonathan TANT 22 Lake George, 1757 27 Apr 1759
Thomas CLEVERLY 21 in the ship, 1758 4 Apr 1759
Gregory BASS 23 agt Canada, 1758 23 Mar 1759
Joseph Ruggles PAINE 22 in the ship, 1758 23 Mar 1759
David HAYDEN
son of John HAYDEN
19 agt Canada, 1758 -- Apr 1759
Josiah SANDERS
son of John SANDERS
19 in the ship, 1758 23 Mar 1759
Joseph MERRIAM
apprentice to Joseph FIELD
19 ----- 29 Mar 1759
Ebenezer BASS 17 ----- 23 Mar 1759
Nathl. BELCHER, an officer -- ----- -----
Thomas FRENCH, an officer -- ----- -----
David FRENCH 42 ----- 4 Apr 1759
Winter BASSON 26 Fontunac, 1758 2 Apr 1759
William HOBART 19 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Clement HAYDEN
son of Clement HAYDER
20 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Abel THAYER
apprentice to Thos. FRENCH
18 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
James MORE 22 ----- 3 Apr 1759
Christopher THAYER
son of Christopher THAYER
18 ----- 4 Apr 1759
Benjamin HUNT, Jr.,
apprentice to Benj. ALLEN
20 ----- 5 Apr 1759
David HORTON 26 Lake George, 1757 31 Mar 1759
Zaccheus THAYER
son of Thos. THAYER
17 ----- 31 Mar 1759
Clement CRANE (49 or 19
altered)
Lake George, 1755 31 Mar 1759
Jesse THAYER 30 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
John NILES
son of John NILES
18 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Stephen PAINE 28 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
John HOLLIS
apprentice to Joseph PORTER
18 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Jona. NILES 28 ----- 2 Apr 1759
Nathl. BELCHER, Jr. 26 ----- 2 Apr 1759
John BAGLEY 33 Lake George, 1756 2 Apr 1759
William CURTIS 42 ----- 2 Apr 1759
Isaac SMITH
son of John SMITH
19 Lake George, 1757 2 Apr 1759
Melatiah STEPHEN
apprentice to Jona. WALES
17 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Simon THAYER 26 ----- 2 Apr 1759
Noah THAYER 30 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Thos. FENTON, Jr.,
son of Thomas FENTON
16 ----- 2 Apr 1759
John TOWER 41 Fontanac, 1758 2 Apr 1759
John NOYCE 45 ----- 6 Apr 1759
Nehem'h BLANCHER 24 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Joseph LOVELL 25 Lake George, 1758 2 Apr 1759
Adam FRENCH,
son of Benja. FRENCH
18 ----- 6 Apr 1759
Isaac HAYDEN
son of Daniel HAYDEN
17 ----- 6 Apr 1759


The following is immediately added:---
To the Hon'ble Will'm BRATTLE, Esq'r. Adjutant Gen'l, &c.
Hingham, April 11, 1758. Pursuant to my warrent from the Captain Gen'l. to Inlist or Impress 132 men out of the Third Regiment in the County of Suffolk, I have here return the names of 129 men Inlisted, Rec'd their Bounty, and have read to them 2d & 6th Sexsion of the articals of war, and taken the oath of fidility. I have a Recipt from Cap'n Jotham GAY of 128 men deliver'd him or his order. I have returned Two men only Imprest. So that their is but one man wanting w'e the Cap'n is ordered Immediately to Impress for the service.

I am yr Hon'le Hamble St.

Benj. LINCOLN

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