We hear so much about patriotism, especially at this time of year. For many, this sense of pride and belonging to our country stems from a deep connection to those who have served in the military, fighting for peace, defending our freedom and preserving our democracy.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, and in recognition of their service, this column is a tribute to the men who fought in the war that helped win our independence, risking their lives to help create a dream: a country where men and women would live under self-government, free from the rule of kings.
Many who took up arms were local farmers who left their land and their families. To fully appreciate the risk they undertook, consider their probable fate had the war turned out differently.
Under British law, the penalty for high treason in the 18th century—defined as any act against the sovereign, including fighting or supporting those who did—was death, either by hanging or being drawn and quartered, literally pulled apart from all four limbs. Heirs of traitors could forfeit inheritance of property or titles. So seriously did the kingdom regard treason, it remained a capital crime from 1351 through 1998. Today, the sentence is life in prison. (Bodleian Libraries libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk)
This Veterans Day, we salute those from our community who served during the Revolution:
- Benjamin, Amaziah, b. abt 1765 – d. Jan. 1851 interment Mt. Pleasant
- Bishop, Solomon, b.? – d. Jan. 1833 interment cemetery on Alfred Goldbeck property, Center Moriches
- Brewster, Caleb, 2nd Lieutenant, Minute Man, Col. Josiah Smith’s Regiment b. September 1747 -- d. February 1827
- Carter, David, b. 1744 -- d. February 1812 interred Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Manorville
- Carter, Deacon Icabod, b. abt. 167 -- d. October 1851
- Carter, Jacob, b. abt. 1769 -- d. October 1851 interred Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Manorville
- Clark, Moses, Captain, b. 1757 – d. October 1841 interred Methodist Church Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Clark, William, Lieutenant b. 1746 – d. 1779 interred probably in Ct. Served in Col. Josiah Smith’s and Col. Drake’s regiments, probably also served in Westchester
- Davis, Nathan, b. abt 1753 – d. October 1843 interred Manorville Cemetery “Here he retires to rest./ His aged Head free from all wars/ Slumbers with the dead.”
- Downs, David, b. abt 1737 – d. 1782 interred on private property of James Hawkins, Moriches
- Downs, James, b. abt 1749 – d. May 1791 interred on private property of James Hawkins, Moriches
- Gardner, John, b. abt 1752 – d. 1799 burial stone on property of George Osborn, owned by J. G. Price, East Moriches
- Hallock, David, b. abt 1743 – d. April 1812 interred Old Burial Ground Beach Fern, Center Moriches
- Havens, Jeremiah, b. abt 1757 – d. August 1820 interred Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Havens, John, Captain, b. 1748 – d. June 1809 Interred Old Presbyterian Cemetery, Beach Fern, Center Moriches
- Havens, Nathaniel, b.?—d.?, interred Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
- Havens, Selah, proprietor The Ketcham Inn during the Revolution and through British occupation of Long Island, b. 1755 – d. 1785 interred Beach Fern Cemetery or possibly upstate N Y
- Hawkins, John, b. 1750 – d. 1799, interred probably in John Hawkins Cemetery, Moriches
- Hawkins, Joseph, b.? – d.August, 1820, interred Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Howell, Charles, Captain, b. 1766 (?) – d. 1788, interred in private cemetery on land owned by O B Smith, East Moriches
- Howell, David, Captain, Continental Line, Revolutionary War, b. 1724 – d. 1803, interred private cemetery on land owned by O B Smith, East Moriches
- Ketcham, Joshua, b. 1716 –d. 1787, interred possibly outside of Brookhaven Town
- Ketcham, Scudder, b. 1741 – d. 1799, interred Rose Cemetery, Brookhaven Hamlet
- Lane, Timothy, b. 1758 –d. 1829, interred private cemetery on Wading River Road, North Manor
- Laws, Benjamin, b. abt 1749 – d. 1819, interred Brookfield Cemetery, Manorville
- Penny, John, b.? – d. 1850, interred Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Penny (Penney), William, b. 1754 – d. 1847, interred Methodist Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Peterson, David, b. abt. 1771 – d. 1855, grave marked with a single stone on Walters Property, Manorville
- Post, James, b. 1741 – d. 1813, interred Beach Fern Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Raynor, Benjamin, b. 1750 –d. 1795, interred in early Raynor Cemetery in Manorville, “stones, if any, destroyed or moved”
- Raynor, Henry, b. abt 1752 – d. 1815, interred in early Raynor Cemetery in Manorville
- Raynor, Joseph, b. abt 1723 – d. 1797, interred in private cemetery, Manorville, “In Captain Selah Strong’s Company, ibn Josiah Smith’s regiment. Was said to have killed 2 or more—another report says 4—British soldiers while resisting capture at his home.”
- Raynor, Joseph, Jr., b. abt 1765 – d. 1853, interred in private cemetery on property of John Dunsmore, Manorville
- Raynor, Josiah, b. abt 1730 – d. 1796, interred in private cemetery, Manorville
- Reeve, Obediah, Lieutenant, b. 1756 – d. 1801, served as an enlisted man with 1st regiment of Minute Men, Suffolk County, under Colonel Josiah Smith, as well as Captain Selah Strong’s 7th Company, interred Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Reeve, Silas, b.? –d, 1835, interred Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Robinson, Axel, b. abt 1761 – d. 1842, interred Gordon Cemetery, Manorville
- Robinson, David, b. abt 1759 –d. 1857, interred Robinson Cemetery, Manorville
- Robinson, David, Sr., b. abt 1740 – d. 1793, interred in private cemetery in woods, south of Manorville School
- Robinson, John, Captain, b.? – d.?, interred in Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Manorville
- Rogers (Rodgers), Thomas, b. abt 1747 – d. 1832, interred in private cemetery of James Hawkins, Moriches
- Ross, (Rouse), Henry, b. 1758 – d. 1847, interred Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Center Moriches, “Enlisted as a drummer boy at the beginning of the war; served under Col. Williams, Massachusetts Militia; in 1781 eas appointed to serve under Capt. Fox and Col. Henry Jackson, 9th Mass. Colonial Establishment; engaged in Battle of Bennington where he sustained gunshot wound in left leg. Discharge in 1783 at Newburgh, N Y, when peace was declared.” (Source Department of the Interior—Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D C, October 7, 1825).
- Smith, Hugh. Lieutenant, b. abt 1746 – d. 1792, interred in private cemetery, O B Smith property, East Moriches
- Smith, Josiah, Colonel, b. 1723 – d. 1786, interred Old Smith Cemetery, East Moriches, “Born on his father’s farm in East Moriches, was a member of the Committee of Moriches to raise first Regiment in 1775. Was appointed Colonel of Regiment of Minute Men in 1776. Later he and his family went to Connecticut to escape the British occupation. He was an active leader on the Patriot’s side throughout the war.”
- Smith, William, b. abt 1774 – d. 1851, interred Methodist Church Cemetery, Center Moriches
- Tyler, Nathaniel, b.? –d. 1854, interred Gordon Cemetery, Manorville
- Waters, Samuel, b. abt 1765 – d. 1837, interred private cemetery on property of Alfred Goldbeck, Center Moriches
- Wines, Barnabas, b.? –d. 1856, interred in private cemetery on Wines’ Farm, Manorville
- Wines, Samuel, b.? – d. 1810, interred private cemetery on Wines’ Farm, Manorville
- Youngs, David (Dean), Sgt., b. 1745 – d. 1796, interred in Beach Fern Cemetery, Center Moriches
Unless otherwise mentioned sources include records of the DAR, L I Genealogy, and “Refugees of 1776 from L I to Connecticut,” by Frederic Gregory.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here