{"id":108916,"date":"2026-06-12T09:43:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T13:43:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/?p=108916"},"modified":"2026-06-30T11:42:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T15:42:24","slug":"soldiers-of-the-american-revolutionary-war-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/soldiers-of-the-american-revolutionary-war-part-1.html","title":{"rendered":"Soldiers of the American Revolutionary War (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> America 250 Celebration \u2013 Melissa Davenport Berry begins a series exploring the lives and service of Revolutionary War patriots. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOur Union, liberty, and independence were defended by the best blood of every American.\u201d
\n–Daniel Adams, colonel of Moses Little\u2019s regiment<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A potent spark of energy is awakened when we hear the heroic tales of the patriots who fought for freedom and liberty in the American Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:
Illustration: America\u2019s 250th Anniversary logo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Illustration credit: https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/home.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Captain Offin Boardman<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, we pay homage to the spirited privateer Captain Offin Boardman (1748-1811) and the 17 Herculean wildcats under his charge who captured the British ship Friends of London<\/em>, commanded by Capt. Archible Bowie, off Plum Island in 1776.<\/p>\n

\"Illustration:
Illustration: Offin Boardman, by Christian Gullager, 1787. Credit: Worcester Art Museum; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Anthony Davenport<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anthony Davenport (1752-1836), son of Captain William Davenport and Sarah (Gerrish) Davenport, was a prominent merchant, wharf owner, and privateer in Newburyport, Massachusetts, who greatly increased his fortune by operating armed vessels, most notably the brig Hazard<\/em>, under letters of marque to disrupt British supply lines during the American Revolution.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Davenport-Greeley House, 78 State Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts. Credit: Tate and Foss.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Anthony Davenport happens to be my ancestor and the patriot I joined under for membership to DAR<\/a>.<\/p>\n

His father, Captain William Davenport, operated the famous Wolfe Tavern. On 26 September 1765, men were summoned there to a meeting to commiserate over the unfairness of the Stamp Act.<\/p>\n

The gathering was nothing new, as the sturdy patriarchs had sat many a night around the fire in Davenport\u2019s parlor nursing their toddies while rocking the cradle of liberty. A tavern had the proper ingredients to ease the \u201cGreate Uneasiness and Tumult of the saide Towne, on occasion of the Stamp Act.\u201d Read more: \u201cAncestor\u2019s Outrageous Bar Bill Shows Extent of Stamp Act Protests & Drinking<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

The montage below consists of: an advertisement (center) for Wolfe Tavern from the Boston Gazette<\/em> (Boston, Massachusetts), 2 August 1762, page 1; and illustrations of the tavern (left) and a sign (right) from the Boston Herald<\/em> (Boston, Massachusetts), 12 January 1908, page 36.<\/p>\n

\"Montage:
Montage: Wolfe Tavern, operated by William Davenport.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Col. Nathaniel Wade<\/strong><\/p>\n

Patriot Col. Nathaniel Wade (1749-1826) is the son of Timothy Wade and Ruth (Woodberry) Wade. He married Mary Foster, daughter of Col. Joseph Foster and Lydia (Giddings) Foster, and 2nd Hannah Treadwell, daughter of Jacob Treadwell and Mary (Rogers) Treadwell. He left descendants.<\/p>\n

Below is Col. Wade\u2019s obituary. He died on 26 October 1826 in Ipswich, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Columbian Centinel (Boston, Massachusetts), 28 October 1826, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reports:<\/p>\n

In Ipswich, on Thursday, in the 77th year of his age, Nathaniel Wade, Esq. Treasurer of the county of Essex. Col. Wade was a tried and faithful soldier of the Revolution, having served in the great cause from the battle of Bunker Hill, in which he was a captain, through the greater part of the war, during most of which time he commanded a regiment in active continental service.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Daniel Treadwell<\/a> (1791-1872) is the son of Captain Jabez Treadwell and his second wife Elizabeth (Dodge) Treadwell. He married Adeline Lincoln, daughter of Levi Lincoln and Desire (Thaxter) Lincoln. Daniel, one of the most eminent American mechanicians and inventors, published a memorial on Colonel Wade\u2019s wartime history in the Boston Courier<\/em> newspaper:<\/p>\n

\u201cColonel Nathaniel Wade was an officer in the army during most of the Revolutionary War. Being with the garrison at West Point under Arnold, the command of that fort by order of General Washington devolved upon him immediately after Arnold\u2019s defection. This command was held but a few days, as, upon the arrival of more troops, it was necessarily given to a general officer. Colonel Wade remained in the army until near the close of the war, when he returned to Ipswich, his native town. Upon the breaking out of the insurrection under Shays he again went into the service in command of the Essex regiment, one of the four regiments sent under General Lincoln for the winter campaign against the rebels in 1786-87. This was his last service in the field. During the remainder of his life he lived at Ipswich, honored and beloved throughout the county for his sound judgment, his perfect integrity, and his unfailing benevolence. He died in 1826, at the ripe age of seventy-seven years.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photos:
Photos: Nathaniel Wade House, 88 County Road, Ipswich, Massachusetts. Credit: Gordon Harris; Historic Ipswich Blog.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Historians say the epitaph on Wade\u2019s gravestone in Ipswich was most likely written by Daniel Treadwell.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: gravestone of Nathaniel Wade, located in the Old South Cemetery, Ipswich, Massachusetts. Credit: Kate Ritter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First to Be Killed at Bunker Hill?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Simeon Pike (1753-75), son of James Pike and Anna (George) Pike, served as a private in Captain Sawyer\u2019s company, Colonel Frye\u2019s Massachusetts regiment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Below is a Massachusetts account record listing Simeon Pike as killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: record of the death of Simeon Pike at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Credit: FamilySearch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to a letter published in 1825, historian Dr. John Wingate, of Amesbury, stated that the first person killed in the Bunker Hill fight was Salisbury\u2019s Simeon Pike.<\/p>\n

Pike was decapitated by a cannonball, and the eyewitnesses present were his neighbors. Wingate stated that \u201cIsaac Whittier, Paul Hardy, John Hoyt, and David Huntington\u201d told him the contents of Pike\u2019s head \u201cwere scattered upon them.\u201d<\/p>\n

I found a newspaper clip, a letter to the editor, that reveals a similar story about how Simeon died at Bunker Hill.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Maine Gazette (Bath, Maine), 24 June 1825, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This letter reads:<\/p>\n

\u2026A gentleman by whom every important particular in the history of that desperate day [Battle of Bunker Hill] is still freshly remembered<\/em>, informs us, that \u201cthe first man who fell in our lines on the memorable 17th of June, 1775, was SIMEON PIKE, a much esteemed and promising young man, aged 22 years; only son of James Pike, of Haverhill, East Parish. Isaac (afterwards Col.) Whittier and Paul Hardy, of Amesbury, were at his side, when a cannonball from the enemy raked the earth which had been thrown from a trench they were then digging, struck the head of Pike and killed him instantly \u2013 the top of the head having been so taken off, that the brains were seen quivering long after he fell.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: memorial tablets in honor of the men killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill, 17 June 1775, located in Boston. Credit: Bill Coughlin; Historic Marker Data Base https:\/\/www.hmdb.org\/m.asp?m=191832<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be continued\u2026<\/p>\n

Create a free account<\/a> at GenealogyBank for 7 days to start your journey and discover the stories your ancestors left behind.<\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> \u201cThe Spirit of \u201976,\u201d by Archibald Willard. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

Related Articles:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n