John Adams was born in Milton, MA on July 23, 1761 to Andrew Adams and Ruth Wadsworth. I am a little suspicious of the service that was attributed to him by his family. John Adams is an extremely common name in Massachusetts, especially in and around the Boston area where he was from. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors gives the following service for John Adams of Milton: Corporal in Capt. Vose’s Company in Col. Heath’s Regiment in 1775, and in 1778 served at Castle Island

Azor Phelps was born in Sutton, MA to Henry and Sarah (Rounday) Phelps on October 13, 1761. He was the third of their five children. At the age of 18 Azor served as a Private in Captain Alton’s Company in Colonel John Rand’s Regiment. This Regiment was raised out of Worcester County to support the Continental Line in 1780. After the Revolutionary War Azor was a Captain in the local Sutton militia. He married Mary Tenny Holman in 1784, and they had seven children: Mary/Poll

Timothy Merrifield was born in Deadham, MA on January 4, 1739 to Thomas Merrifield and Mary Anderson. He was baptized two months later in nearby Natick, MA on March 18. Timothy was the second of their eight children, and their oldest son. In December of 1764 he published his intentions to marry Keziah Allen of Natick, but the marriage never happened. On May 22, 1766 Timothy married Lydia Cheney, and they had two children, both of whom died in their infancy. Lydia also die

Daniel Baird was born in Leicester, MA on November 13, 1742 to Thomas and Elizabeth (Walker) Baird. Baird also appears as "Beard", "Bard", and "Bierd" (spelling during the 18th century was very fluid). He married Jane Smith in 1768, and they had six children: Patty, Daniel, Thomas, Lewis, Betsey, and Polly. Their farm was in the southeast part of Worcester near what is now the Millbury line along the Grafton Road, and in addition to farming Daniel ran the Baird Tavern. Dan

Nathan Patch was born in Ipswich, MA to John Patch and Mercy Potter on April 8, 1735 and baptized on October 5, 1735. He was the seventh of their nine children. He filed intentions to marry Hannah Whipple on December 14, 1756 and they were married soon after. They had two sons: Henry born in 1757 and baptized in neighboring Danvers, and Joseph born around 1759. Hannah died giving birth to Joseph, but the boy survived. The following year Nathan married Eunice Adams of Worce

Photos of the William McFarland house taken by Harriette Merrifield Forbes William McFarland was baptized in Marblehead, MA on July 19, 1722, and was the oldest surviving of his parents' eight children. His parents, John and Margaret, were "Scots-Irish" (Presbyterians) and had come to the Worcester area to settle in the late 1720s. Their land was located in the northeast part of Worcester on what is now Salisbury Street in the area near Assumption College. In 1740 the old

Samuel Harrington was born around 1754 in Eastern Massachusetts to Joshua and Mary Harrington. He and his brother Noah moved to the Worcester area from eastern Massachusetts some time before the Revolutionary War. Samuel was a Private in Capt. Bigelow’s militia company and marched from Worcester on the Lexington Alarm on April 19, 1775. At some point during or very shortly after the war he moved to Dorchester, MA On November 19, 1782 he was joined in marriage to Silence Ro

Humphrey Bigelow was born in Shrewsbury, MA on September 4, 1761 to Samuel Bigelow Jr. and Phebe Rand. He was their fifth child and only son. He served in the Revolutionary War as a private under many different captains from 1776-1781. Humphrey was only fifteen years old during his first term in Captain Moses Harrington’s Company in Colonel Dike’s Regiment (and probably lied about his age) beginning in December of 1776. His last service was in Capt. Daniel Bowker's Compan

"Far from this world of Toil and Strife, They're present with the Lord, The Labours of their Mortal Life End in a large Reward."

John Tatman was born in Worcester on May 5, 1746 to Jabez Tatman and Sarah Goodkin. His grandfather, Daniel Goodkin, was the first Sherriff of Worcester, and one of its earliest settlers. The Tatmans first came to Worcester in the 1730s and were among the earliest white settlers on Packachoag Hill and the surrounding area. During the American Revolution John was a Private in Captain Timothy Bigelow’s Company. They marched on the Lexington Alarm on April 19, 1775 and helped

Jeffrey Hemenway's birth was recorded in Boston, MA on July 15, 1737, and as an infant was given to Ebenezer Hemenway, Jr. of Framingham to foster. The census and other vital records list Jeffrey as "mulatto", which is an antiquated term for someone who is of mixed heritage. Likely Jeph, as he was known, was of Native American, African, and European descent. Jeffrey's first military service was as a soldier towards the end of the French and Indian War under Captain John Nix

"He was one of the number who threw the Tea overboard in Boston Harbour in 1773, and afterwards served in the Revolutionary War -- He was a brave soldier, valuable citizen, and an honest man.

Memento mori In Memory of Capt. Jonathan Willson, who was Killed in Concord- Fight April 19th AD 1775. In the 41st year of his Age.

James was born in Castleisland, County Kerry, Ireland in 1832, and came to the US as a young man through New York in the 1850s. At some point before the Civil War he came to Massachusetts. He enlisted as a Private in the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry in late 1863, and was transferred to the 32nd Massachusetts in 1864 when the 32nd was absorbing units from other regiments that were disbanding. His life after the War is just as tricky to track as his life before the War. There we

“He from earth did suddenly retreat, To the grand lodge above: We trust he’s gone to take his seat, Where masons dwell in love.”

George was born in Bangor, ME around 1840. His birth was recorded in Boston, MA on December 20, 1840. All of his military records indicate Maine as his birthplace. I have been unable to find any information about his early life. Shortly after the US Civil War George enlisted in the US Navy. He was described as being 5’10” with blue eyes, light brown hair, and a fair complexion. He served on several ships, serving the longest aboard the USS Wachusett. In the summer and early f

George William Stafford was born around 1840 to George L. and Samantha Stafford in New Hampshire or Massachusetts. His mother died of consumption when he was about 4, and his father remarried to Sophronia C. Goodrich. After her death in 1857 his father married again to a woman named Emily. He had at least one half sister from his father’s second marriage. Her name was Frances Ann. His father George died of consumption in June of 1862. In early August of 1862 George W. enliste

"Time was I stood as thou dost now, And view'd ye dead as thou dost me Ere long you lie as low as I, And others stand & gaze at thee."

William was born on April 26, 1839 to William Henry and Mary Jane (Shaw) Barr in Spencer, MA. During the US Civil War he served as a wagoner, teamster, and forage master in the 21st Massachusetts Infantry, Company C. Private Barr enlisted in July 1861 and served faithfully until he mustered out in October 1864. During his service he contracted malaria but survived. After the War William returned to Massachusetts and worked as a teamster and laborer, taking on odd jobs. He mar

Andrew was born on May 14, 1838 in Charlton, MA to Lyman and Hannah (Brown) Knight. He was the oldest of their three children, born only three months after their marriage. Lyman died in 1844 at age 24 of a gangrenous infection. I wasn’t able to find Andrew in the 1850 Census, but in 1855 he is living in Charlton with Andrew McIntyre and working as a shoemaker in his shop—perhaps an apprentice? On October 21, 1858 he married Catherine A. “Kate” Olds. The marriage was registere