FEATURES

THE HONOR ROLL: Colonial Wars

Evidence of our ancestors who fought in America's Colonial wars is sketchy at best. A few names appear on militia rosters and in town records. For the most part, these were conflicts the Colonists were drawn into by wars in Europe. In America, they were "summer wars," with soldiers going off for a few months' battle and then returning by late fall. There were no pensions, thus no pension records. Nor did the Colonial authorities keep many records on the participants. Nevertheless, here is what I have compiled over the years.

Those who died in the wars appear in red:

King William's War / The War of the Grand Alliance (1689-1697)

This was part of a larger European war fought by the Grand Alliance -- Britain, the Netherlands, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Savoy, Sweden and a number of German states -- against France over the succession to the throne of England.

No record of family members involved.

Queen Anne's War / The War of Spanish Succession (1702-1713)

On one side were Austria, Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, the Holy Roman Empire and later Portugal; on the other were France, Spain and a number of Italian and German principalities.

No record of family members involved.

King George's War / The War of Austrian Succession / The War of Jenkins's Ear (1744-1748)

On one side were Austria, Britain and Holland; on the other, Bavaria, France, Spain, Sardinia, Prussia and Saxony.

French & Indian War (1754-1763) / The Seven Years' War (1756-1763) / Third Carnatic War (1756-1763)

This British-French conflict was the first true world war. It began with a clash between a party led by George Washington to warn French settlers out of the Ohio River Valley, expanded into Europe and then into India and the Philippines.

	Aaron 1733-1780 corporal; of Guilford, Conn. [05-0177] (Abraham, Isaac, John, John) Spent 15 days' service in Capt. Nathaniel Johnson's company, one of 61 men who "rode horses from Guilford." The unit saw action at New York's Ft. William Henry at the south end of Lake George in August, 1757.
	Adin 1746- ? private; of Killingworth, Conn. [01-0117] (Nehemiah, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, John, John) Enlisted March 22, discharged Dec. 3, 1762. Served in the 11th Company of Capt. Thomas Pierce/Pearce. Saw action in the Northern Campaign of 1762.
	Amos 1734-1779 lieutenant; of Litchfield, Conn., [03-0074] (David, Joshua, John, John) Served from April 2 to Nov. 13, 1757, in the 13th Company of Capt. Ephraim Preston. Amos also was commended for his efforts during the Revolutionary War.
	Benjamin 1738/39-1760 private; of Guilford, Conn. [08-0050] (Hezekiah, Job, John, John) Enlisted March 28, 1757, in the 2nd Company of Lt. Col. Nathan Whiting and was dismissed Nov. 13. The following day he enlisted under Lt. Col. William Haviland and served until May 14, 1758, spending the winter in New York at Ft. Edward, where the Hudson River bends to begin its journey south. He signed up for a third campaign, that of 1760, enlisting April 1 in Col. David Wooster's 1st Company in the 3rd Regiment. He died Oct. 25 or 26, 1760, of battle wounds.
	Cornelius 1734-1820 private; of Killingworth, Conn. [01-0078] (Josiah, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, John, John) Served from Sept. 8 to Dec. 8, 1755, in the 2nd Company of Lt. Col. Andrew Ward Jr. Four years later he served from May 2 to Dec. 12 in the 10th Company of Capt. Peleg Redfield. He also may have served in the Revolutionary War.
	Daniel 1739-1800 captain; of Killingworth, Conn. [01-0126] (Ezra, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, John, John) Served in Capt. --- Turner's company in 1758 and was listed as being in an Albany, N.Y., hospital between June 23 and Aug. 24. In the campaign of 1759, he served from May 25 to Dec. 12 in the 10th Company of Capt. Peleg Redfield.
	Hezekiah Private This may be [10-0038] Hezekiah 1710/11- ? ; of Durham, Conn. (Joel, John, John) [08-0049] Hezekiah 1737-1794; of Guilford, Conn. (Hezekiah, Job, John, John) or [10-0064] Hezekiah 1745-c1808; of Durham, Conn., and Essex, Vt. (Hezekiah, Joel, John, John) Served March 24 to Dec 3, 1762, in the Northern Campaign under Capt. Thomas Pearce/Pierce.
	John 1743-1783 Private; of Durham and Chester, Conn. [10-0225] (John, Joel, John, John) Served in the 1759 campaign in the 2nd Company of Lt. Col. Joseph Spencer from April 16 to Nov. 30. In the campaign of 1760, he served from April 7 to Nov. 21 in the 12th Company of Capt. Thomas Pierce/Pearce. In the campaign of 1761 he is listed on a May muster roll under Pierce and, in 1762, again under him from March 23 to Dec. 3. Also in that unit was Samuel, his brother. He is buried at Old Town Hill Cemetery, Chester.
	Noah 1740-1803 Private; of Newtown, Conn. [07-0061] (Noah, Stephen, John, John) Served 18 days in the campaign of 1757 in the company of Capt. --- Barnum for the relief of New York's Ft. William Henry, at the south end of Lake George. From April 14 to Dec. 8, 1759, he was a member of Capt. Gideon Tomlinson's company. Served from March 16 to Dec. 6, 1762, in the 2nd Company of Col. David Wooster's regiment.
	Roswell 1739-1811 Private; of Killingworth, Conn., and LeRoy, N.Y. [01-0114] (Nehemiah, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, John, John) Served in the campaign of 1759, from May 25 to Dec. 12. Served from March 22 to Dec. 3, 1762, under Capt. Thomas Pierce/Pearce. The town of LeRoy has erected a marker in his honor at Ft. Hill Cemetery. He served again in the Revolutionary War.
	Samuel 1743-1808 Private; of Killingworth, Conn. [01-0128] (Ezra, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, John, John) Served in Capt. Peleg Redfield's company in the campaign of 1759. He was buried at Killingworth's Chestnut Hill Cemetery.
	Samuel 1740-c1774 Private; of Durham and Saybrook, Conn. [10-0058] (John, Joel, John, John) Served from March 24 to Nov. 21, 1760, in the 12th Company of Capt. Thomas Pierce/Pearce. Also in that unit was John, his brother. He also was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
	Simeon 1740-1820 Private; of Durham, Conn., West Stockbridge, Conn., and Westford, Vt. [10-0062] (Hezekiah, Joel, John, John) Served from April 10 to Nov. 17, 1758. Saw action in central and western New York, at Ft. Stanwix [Rome], Oswego, and at the capture of Fort Niagara. His name also appears on an April 4, 1759, muster roll of Suffolk County, N.Y., volunteer militiamen; the entry states that he was 18, born in Durham, was a laborer, had light complexion and served in Capt. Gilbert Potter's Company. He also fought in the Revolutionary War.