{"id":27279,"date":"2017-12-04T11:54:27","date_gmt":"2017-12-04T16:54:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=27279"},"modified":"2021-12-01T14:20:50","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T19:20:50","slug":"researching-my-revolutionary-war-ancestor-noah-marsh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/researching-my-revolutionary-war-ancestor-noah-marsh.html","title":{"rendered":"Researching My Revolutionary War Ancestor Noah Marsh"},"content":{"rendered":"

My fifth-great-grandfather Noah Marsh<\/a> (1755-1830) was a Revolutionary War soldier and the father of 13 children. I didn\u2019t know much about Noah aside from his military service, so I decided to research him using GenealogyBank<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the first records that pulled up after searching for just Noah\u2019s first and last name was his obituary.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank, American Advocate (Hallowell, Maine), 13 November 1830, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I knew that he was a Revolutionary War veteran, but I wanted to know more about his service, so I kept looking through the search results. Under the Government Publications<\/a> section on GenealogyBank I found something interesting: a rejected 1838 pension application by Noah\u2019s widow, Hannah (1754-1844).<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank, \u201cNoah Marsh\u201d Report from the Secretary of War, with statements of rejected applications for pensions. January 11, 1838. Referred to the Committee on Pensions, and ordered to be printed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is terrific.<\/p>\n

What a find!<\/p>\n

Notice the reason listed for rejecting her application: \u201cHusband was not in actual service after the date of his marriage.\u201d A good clue that this was his second wife.<\/p>\n

GenealogyBank show that he received a pension in 1818.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Source: GenealogyBank, \u201cNoah Marsh\u201d Message from the President of the United States, transmitting a report of the Secretary of War, in compliance with a resolution of the Senate \u201cto cause to be laid before them a list of all the pensioners of the United States, the sum annually paid to each, and the states or territories in which the said pensioners are respectively paid.\u201d March 28, 1818. Printed by order of the Senate of the United States.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next, I googled \u201cNoah Marsh Revolutionary War\u201d and found his name listed at the bottom of the second column on a New Hampshire Muster Roll<\/a> that I found online using Google Books<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Source: Google Books, Provincial and State Papers, Volume 14, New Hampshire (Colony) Probate Court. 1885. Page 312.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From another Google Books result<\/a> I learned that Noah served in the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment in 1777 and that he was wounded in action.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Source: Google Books, Provincial and State Papers, Volume 17, New Hampshire. 1889. Page 465.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In addition, I learned that his unit, the 2nd New Hampshire Regiment, had spent the brutal winter of 1777-1778 in Valley Forge and his name is on the Valley Forge Muster Roll of that unit at Valley Forge, provided by ValleyForgeMusterRoll.org. Interestingly there is the notation \u201csick at Albany.\u201d So, I don\u2019t know if he remained hospitalized in Albany, New York, during this period or if he actually spent the winter in Valley Forge with his unit.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Source: ValleyForgeMusterRoll.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to this website, Poor\u2019s Brigade entered Valley Forge in December 1777 and left July 1778 as a part of Lee\u2019s Division.<\/p>\n

A Wikipedia article on Valley Forge<\/a> says the following about that winter:<\/p>\n

\u201cValley Forge was the military camp 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Philadelphia where the American Continental Army spent the winter of 1777\u201378 during the American Revolutionary War. Starvation, disease, malnutrition, and exposure killed more than 2,500 American soldiers by the end of February 1778.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Amazingly, Noah survived that winter and lived another 52 years.<\/p>\n

According to my FamilySearch notes, Noah died in Cornville, Somerset County, Maine, in October 1830 and was buried in the West Ridge Cemetery in Cornville. Here is a photo of his gravestone from Find a Grave. See: https:\/\/www.findagrave.com\/memorial\/120825731#view-photo=93302364<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Gravestone of Noah Marsh, West Ridge Cemetery, Cornville, Somerset County, Maine. Source: Find a Grave.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thank you GenealogyBank \u2013 I learned a lot about my ancestor Noah Marsh.<\/p>\n

Genealogy Tip<\/em><\/strong>: Use GenealogyBank and free sources online to find historical records that can help you learn more about your ancestor\u2019s military service in the Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n

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