{"id":15315,"date":"2016-06-28T11:30:59","date_gmt":"2016-06-28T15:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=15315"},"modified":"2017-02-03T11:34:26","modified_gmt":"2017-02-03T16:34:26","slug":"nathaniel-hayfords-story-veteran-of-the-battle-of-bunker-hill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/nathaniel-hayfords-story-veteran-of-the-battle-of-bunker-hill.html","title":{"rendered":"Nathaniel Hayford\u2019s Story \u2013 Veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill"},"content":{"rendered":"

My name is Nathaniel Hayford. My ancestors came on the Mayflower and I fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill.<\/p>\n

War had not been officially declared, but when I heard of the British attack on our citizens at the Battle of Lexington I enlisted. On 17 June 1775 \u2013 the Battle of Bunker Hill \u2013 I was there. I remember the day well.<\/p>\n

\"Painting:<\/a>
Painting: \u201cBattle of Bunker Hill,\u201d by Howard Pyle, c. 1897. Source: Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My story is recorded in GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the day of the battle of Bunker Hill [I] was stationed upon Winter Hill, under Capt. Scott.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Revolutionary War actually wasn\u2019t declared for another year. The war wasn\u2019t easy \u2013 afterward, when I\u2019d \u201crecount the sufferings and privations [I] endured while fighting for [our] liberty\u201d to my friends, they \u201cshed tears to hear [me tell of it].\u201d<\/p>\n

I \u201cserved five years in the war of the Revolution, and was in most of the principal battles fought to secure the independence of this great republic.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was born in Pembroke, Massachusetts<\/a>, in Plymouth County. My 4th-great-grandparents were John and Priscilla (Mullins) Alden<\/a> who came over on the Mayflower. Now in 2016, my family has lived here in America for almost 400 years.<\/p>\n

After the war I moved from Massachusetts and \u201clived in Tamworth [New Hampshire for] more than sixty years.\u201d I can say that I \u201cenjoyed uninterrupted good health through [my] long life, and [was] able, the past winter, to cut and carry in most of the wood [we] burned\u201d to keep warm.<\/p>\n

I \u201cdied in Tamworth, N.H., April 25, 1851\u201d and [I left] a wife, the partner of [my] youth, to mourn [my] loss.\u201d<\/p>\n

My gravestone is still there in Tamworth. Though broken, it was repaired.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Source: \u201cFind A Grave Index,\u201d database, FamilySearch (https:\/\/familysearch.org\/ark:\/61903\/1:1:QK1G-HM7C:
accessed 30 March 2016), Nathaniel Hayford, 1851; Burial, Tamworth, Carroll, New Hampshire, United States of America, Chocorua Cemetery; citing record ID 145593499, Find a Grave, http:\/\/www.findagrave.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My story is preserved in GenealogyBank\u2019s newspapers.<\/p>\n

\"Obituary<\/a>
New Hampshire Patriot (Concord, New Hampshire), 8 May 1851, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your ancestors\u2019 stories come alive as you read them in old newspapers \u2013 you can almost hear them telling their story as if they were right here with us. Find and preserve their stories and pass them down in the family.<\/p>\n

Note<\/em><\/strong>: An online collection of newspapers, such as GenealogyBank\u2019s Historical Newspaper Archives<\/a>, is not only a great way to learn about the lives of your ancestors \u2013 the old newspaper articles also help you understand American history and the times your ancestors lived in, and the news they talked about and read in their local papers. Did any of your ancestors fight in the Revolutionary War? Please share your stories with us in the comments.<\/p>\n

Related Revolutionary War Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n