Captain John Elden Jr. and Ruth SandsTheir Lives and Families

By Bryce R. Humpherys

Preface1

This is the story of Captain John Elden Jr. and his wife Ruth Sands along with details about

some of their close relatives. John is the seventh great grandfather of the author and they are ten

generations apart. The specific generations are as follows with the blood descendants underlined.

Captain John Elden Jr. - Ruth Sands John Elden III – Dorcas Foss

Jacob Townsend – Abigail Foss Elden James Foss Townsend – Susan Davis

George Washington Lufkin – Martha Ann Townsend William Alexander Barron – Florence May Lufkin

Elvin Jensen Norton – Martha Amanda Barron Horace Fred Ralph – Marva Norton

Allan Stratford Humpherys – Adele Ralph Bryce Ralph Humpherys – Kimberly Sue Shaw

This has been a fascinating venture into the past and a wonderful opportunity to get to know

John and Ruth a little better. John was a forceful leader who led in colonizing the Maine wilderness,

establishing a community and fighting for his freedom at the birth of our country. His wife was every

bit his equal. It has been amazing and inspiring to think of all they accomplished in their lives despite

the adversity and primitive conditions they faced. I hope the reader finds it equally as engaging.

Early Life in Maine 2

The setting for our story is southeastern

Maine in the 1700s. This is a ruggedly

beautiful northern country with vast forests,

cold winters and heavy snowfall. The first

European settlements were established along

the coast in the early 1600s by the English

where they traded with the Native Americans,

launched fishing expeditions, and harvested

timber. Despite the harsh climate and frequent

conflict with hostile natives, the towns

gradually grew as settlers created subsistence

1 Cover Image: http://dustinstockton.com/2012/12/gun-control-when-defiance-is-patriotism/minuteman/ 2 https://www.mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/895/page/1306/display ; Ridlon, G.T. Sr. 1895. Saco Valley Settlements

and Families. Historical, biographical, genealogical, traditional, and legedary. Lakeside Press, Portland, ME. pg. 21-111

Illustration 1: Maine's forests and Mooselookmeguntic Lake http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byways/byways/13830/photos/all

farms, built mills on the rivers, and started industries that created wood products such as ships,

clapboards and turpentine.

There were multiple and conflicting claims to the territory. Competing English land grants

resulted in competition between Englishmen. In the latter 1600s the land came under control of the

Massachusetts colony so it was essentially a colony of a colony for many years. While the competing

English claims resulted in political drama, other claims to the territory were much more deadly. Both

England and France claimed territory in Maine and the way this international competition played out at

the local level was conflict between English settlers and Indians allied with the French. Of course the

root conflict between settlers and Natives was the result of conflicting value systems, competing

interests for land usage, unscrupulous traders that took advantage of Natives and both sides killing in

vengeance for past wrongs. Especially during times of war between Britain and France, the Canadian

French frequently sought to take advantage of these strained relationships by encouraging their Indian

allies to attack English settlements. As a result, there was nearly constant armed conflict between the

Native peoples and English settlers for 100 years before the American Revolution. Primary conflicts

were King Phillip's War (1670-1678), King William's War (1689-1699), Queen Anne's War (1701-

1713), Dummer's War (1721-1727), King George's War (1744-1749), and Seven Years or French and

Indian War (1754-1760). The times between these wars were punctuated with fighting and far from

peace filled. Most towns had forts or garrisons for defense. Men would take weapons with them when

they went to work in the field or forest. Stories of abductions and death were common. Thus, the

people in these villages were well acquainted with armed conflict and military tactics long before the

Battle of Lexington and Concord started the Revolution.

In addition to the constant safety threats that resulted from conflicts with local Indians, life was

just plain hard when compared to our lives today. The first homes were log cabins but as families

became more established they built frame homes. Even then, they did not have central heating or air

conditioning, much less electricity. Work was done manually rather than by machine. Trees were

felled with axes, brush cleared by setting it on fire, seeds sown by hand, crops harvested with hand

scythes, thread made on spinning wheels, and cloth made on hand looms. Even the use of draft animals

was limited. Luxuries were scarce and expensive as they had to be imported from England. Only the

very richest colonists had horses. There was an abundance of work for these hardy people as they

carved their primitive homes from a wilderness all the while facing the threat of violence from Indians

and the realities of living in a cold climate. Yet, not only did they survive, they thrived. They raised

large families, lived, laughed, and loved. These ancestors left us an incredible legacy of hard work,

devotion, perseverance, patriotism, survival and overcoming adversity.

Illustration 2: Map of Southern Maine http://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/maps/jpg-2006/2215_thesouthernmainecoast.jpg

Prelude and Beginnings

John's Family

The parents of Capt. John Elden Jr. were John Elden Sr. and Martha Knight. John Elden Sr. was

born around 1699 to Major Read Elden and Hannah Pemberton. Read and Hannah were married in

Boston3 so presumably John Elden Sr. grew up in Massachusetts in or around Boston. At some point

he moved to Maine where he met Martha Knight.

Martha Knight was born in 1703 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire to Nathan

Knight and Mary Westbrook. She was one of six daughters and two sons born to Nathan and Mary.

Her family lived in Scarborough, Maine around 1720 where her father began operating the Blackpoint

Ferry and later went into business with his brother-in-law to provide timber to the Royal Navy for

building ship masts4. It must have been at this time when John Elden Sr. met Martha.

John and Martha fell in love and were married sometime between 1725-1730 in Biddeford,

Maine where they made their home and started their family. Late in 1730 or early in 1731 Martha gave

birth to a son they named John Elden Jr. He was christened on February 14, 1731. It is thought that

they had seven children5. One was a son named Benjamin who was listed on a 1757 muster roll6. We

know John operated mills because in 1731 he and five other men jointly purchased a saw mill on the

Saco River7. In 1732 John Elden Sr. was elected highway surveyor for the town of Biddeford8. He

must have been held in high regard by his community peers to be trusted with this important

responsibility. Little else is known about John and Martha other than they lived out their days in

Biddeford.

Ruth's Family

Ruth Sands was born around 1728 to James Sands and Emma Jepson. James emigrated from

England. After he and Emma were married, they first lived in Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, where

some of their children were born, including James Jr. who was born before 1720 and Ephraim who was

3 www.familysearch.org/tree – search for John Elden4 http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~knightfamilyofmaine/ 5 www.familysearch.org/tree – search for John Elden6 Goodwin, William F., ed. Records of the Proprietors of Narragansett Township, No. 1, now the Town of Buxton, York

County, Maine, From August 1st 1733 to January 4th, 1811, with a Documentary Introduction by William F. Goodwin, Captain U.S. Army. Concord, N.H. Privately Printed, 1871. pg. 66-67

7 Ridlon, pg. 1988 Marshall, J.M. 1874. A report of the proceedings at the celebration of the first centennial anniversary of the

incorporation of the town of Buxton, Maine, held at Buxton Aug. 14, 1872. Portland, Dresser, McLellan & Co., pg. 149-151

born in 17259. However, they soon moved to Biddeford. From his will, written in 1745, we learn that

he was a cordwainer, a maker of shoes who made soft leather shoes and other luxury leather items. We

also learn he had seven children, three sons and four daughters. His eldest son was named James and

his other two sons, who were also the executors of his will, were named Ephraim and Tomas. When he

wrote his will, his two eldest daughters, Hannah and Mary, were married while his two younger

daughters, Ruth and Patience, were single and under 18 years of age10.

John Jr. and Ruth

Nothing more is known of John Jr. or Ruth's

childhood. Living in a frontier setting, they were

both surely acquainted with the hard work needed to

survive as well as the uncertainties and dangers of

where they lived. They were tough and had to grow

up fast. Ruth lost her father before she turned 18

years old and so had to deal with the challenges of

survival without a father.

We do not know when John Jr. or Ruth met

or what their courtship was like, although it was

probably typical for the times. They were married

on December 17, 1747 in Biddeford, Maine11. John

was around 17 years old and Ruth was around 19

years of age.

John Jr. and Ruth first settled in Saco where their first two children were born. Martha was

born October 14, 1748 and Mary was born May 17, 175012. Not long after Mary's birth, John and

Sands moved their family to a nearby township called Narraganset, No. 1 (later called Buxton) that was

just being settled. Here they helped build a new community and lived the rest of their lives13. Ruth's

brother Ephraim Sands also moved to the Narraganset Township at about the same time, between 1750

and 175414.

9 Ridlon, pg. 1133-113410 Sargent, William Mitchell. 1887. Maine Wills: 1640-1760. Portland, Maine: Brown Thurston & Compansy. pg. 493-

49511 Marshall, pg. 149-15112 Goodwin, pg. 359-36013 Ridlon, pg. 10814 Ridlon, pg. 1134; Clayton, W. Woodford. 1880. History of York County, Maine, with illustrations and biographical

sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck. pg. 251

Illustration 3: Pleasant Point Park by Debra Jensen. The Elden's lived near Pleasant Point http://www.americantowns.com/me/buxton

Settling Narraganset Township, No. 1

Narraganset Township, No. 1

was one of seven townships

established in 1728 and 1733 for

soldiers and their heirs who were

part of a winter campaign against the

stronghold of the Narraganset

Indians in 1675 as part of King

Phillip's War. These men were

promised land in addition to their

wages if their war campaign was

successful. When the Massachusetts

General Court created Narraganset

Township, No. 1 in 1733, the land

was awarded to 120 proprietors15.

As proprietors, these men had sole ownership of the land in the township as well as the responsibility to

attract additional settlers, make improvements to the land, build roads, locate home sites, and manage

common lands within the township16. When the townships were granted it was with the stipulation that

the proprietors settle sixty families and a minister in the township within 7 years or forfeit their

grants17.

The settlement of all seven townships, including Narraganset Township, No. 1, was very slow

and when the seven years had passed only a few families were living in Narraganset Township, No. 1.

As a result, on May 26, 1742 a group of 62 inhabitants of Biddeford and Scarborough petitioned the

General Court stating that no more than ten or twelve of the original grantees of Narraganset, No. 1 had

settled in their lots. The seven years that the proprietor's had to settle was now past and these men were

asking that the grants be forfeited and opened to other inhabitants of the area. The petitioners stated

that they had already incurred considerable labor and costs to build roads and bridges in order to to

harvest timber for ship masts in the area. It is interesting to note that Nathan Knight, father-in-law to

John Sr., had a contract to produce masts for the King's Navy and was one of the signers on the

petition. John Elden Sr. was another signatory as well as Walter Foss, who's granddaughter Dorcas

15 Goodwin, pg. v-viii; Akagi, Roy Hidemichi. 1963. The town proprietors of the New England Colonies. Gloucester, MA, reprinted by permission from University of Pennsylvania Press.

16 Akagi, pg. 2-517 Goodwin, pg. 22-23

Illustration 4: "Capture Of King Phillips Fort" by Engraver unknown- Harper's Magazine: http://books.google.com/books?id=HIYCAAAAIAAJ&dq=adventures%20of%20the%20early%20settlers%20harper's%20magazine&pg=PA33#v=onepage&q&f=false. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CaptureOfKingPhillipsFort.jpg#mediaviewer/File:CaptureOfKingPhillipsFort.jpg

would later marry John Elden III, grandson of John Elden Sr.18. Since John Sr. was a signatory on this

petition we conclude that the Elden family was not amongst the original grantees of the township.

Rather they obtained a proprietorship later, presumably by purchasing it from an absent proprietor.

A petition dated the same day, May 26, 1742 from eleven settlers at Narraganset, No. 1

complained that the other grantees had neglected their responsibility and, as a result, these individuals

had to live without a church, school, public

buildings, or any fortifications. They petitioned

that the grants be forfeited and others allowed to

settle19. One of the petitioners was James Sands

Jr., brother of Ruth Sands. Since he was an

original proprietor, either a relative must have

been involved in the Narraganset campaign of

1675 or he bought his allotment from an original

proprietor. In any event, he does not appear in

the record again so his stay in the township must

have been temporary. Two of his younger brothers, Ephraim and Tomas were proprietors in the

township in the 1750s so they must have purchased the proprietorship from him.

Both the petitions spurred the delinquent grantees into action. The proprietors called a meeting,

levied taxes, and appointed a committee to secure a preacher in an effort to avoid action by the General

Court20. They also formed a committee to sell lands of proprietors who had not paid their taxes21. A

letter dated March 23, 1743-4 directed their town clerk to call meeting of town proprietors to discuss

gathering money to build a road to the town of Biddeford, build a sawmill, establish the boundaries of

the town, glaze the meetinghouse, and clear the area around the fort. These Proprietor Meetings were

open to the town proprietors and were the formal mechanism they used to take care of town business.

It was very similar to the town council meetings held today except the voting members were not

elected officials but all the landowners in the town. John Elden Sr. was a signatory on the letter as a

proprietor so he probably purchased his proprietorship at about this time22.

In response to rising tensions between England and France, the Massachusetts House of

Representatives allocated funds to build a garrison in the township in 1743. While the garrison was

built, the town was abandoned due to fear of an Indian attack because England and France went to war

18 Goodwin, pg. 45-4819 Goodwin, pg. 48-5020 Clayton, pg. 25021 Marshall, pg. 3322 Goodwin, pg. 142

Illustration 5: Saco Rivery by Tracy Nelson https://www.flickr.com/photos/tenelson17/5405202953/

in 1744 (King George's War). There

were at that time only about 15 men

living in the town and they were not

strong enough to withstand an Indian

attack, despite their small fort. The

residents relocated to larger communities

closer to the coast for the next five years.

This is when James Sands Jr. must have

moved out of the township, never to

return. It was also during this time that

John Elden Jr. and Ruth Sands were

married in Biddeford. As a young man

about 17 years of age, John now faced

the responsibility of establishing and

providing for a household. His father may have sold or given his proprietorship to his son as a way to

help him begin to get established. This generosity is in keeping with what we know of John Elden Sr.

When one of his daughters, Mary, was engaged to a man named John Davis, John Elden Sr. sold his

future son-in-law 15 acres of land just two weeks prior to the wedding23.

Peace between Britain and France was finally reached and a treaty signed between the New

England colonists and the Indians in 174924. That same year on Aug. 21, 1749 two of the original

settlers and relatives of other settlers gathered in Biddeford to call for a proprietor's meeting25. Thus

they began to take care of community affairs. On February 6, 1750 they requested permission from the

legislature to move their fort because it lacked a water source. (It was necessary to request this from

the legislature since that body paid for the initial construction of the fort.) They must have been happy

when their request was granted26. In May, 1750 a proprietor's meeting was held and resettlement began

in earnest27. We know that John Elden Jr. settled in the town at this time because he is listed on a deed

dated October 12, 175028. As a proprietor his name began appearing in proprietor meeting minutes

beginning in 175029. Not long after settling in the town, John and Ruth celebrated the birth of their

23 http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/u/n/Alan-P-Lundstedt-Cincinnati/GENE1-0013.html 24 Marshall, pg. 4125 Clayton, pg. 25126 Goodwin, pg. 5627 Clayton, pg. 25128 Marshall, pg 14929 Goodwin, pg. 151

Illustration 6: "Old Block House, Kittery Point, ME" by Unknown photographer - Reproduced from an original postcard publishedby the Hugh C. Leighton Company, Portland, Maine. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Block_House,_Kittery_Point,_ME.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Old_Block_House,_Kittery_Point,_ME.jpg

their third child and first son. Nathan, born March 21, 175230, was the first male child born in the

community31. Resettlement of the town was rather rapid for when the region again experienced war

and the threat of Indian attack only four years after resettlement began, there were enough families in

the township that they decided not to abandon the town again but instead to fortify it.

Tensions were building between Britain and France and reached a peak in 1754 with the

beginning of what became known as the French and Indian War. In 1754 the town proprietor's, ever

wary of attack by French allied Indians, voted to construct a fort32. The fort was constructed at Pleasant

Point overlooking the Saco River33. Though he was only 23 years of age, John Jr. was given command

of the fort. The fact that he was given this command shows the confidence the other settlers had in him

and the leadership he exhibited. His wife

Ruth was no less capable than her

husband. At one point the families of the

settlers were gathered in the fort for safety

while the men were away for a day and

night. A runner brought news that Indians

were nearby and there was a threat of

attack by them. Ruth Sands rose to the

occasion. She donned her husband's

uniform, grabbed a sword and imitated a

man's voice in rallying the other women in

defense of the fort. The other women also dressed as men, gathered weapons, and prepared to defend

the fort. The women kept up their charade successfully throughout the night until the men returned the

following day. Their bluff was successful as they were not attacked34!

With the outbreak of the war a militia was formed under the leadership of Captain Joseph

Woodman, one of the original proprietors. John Elden was one of the men who served under Capt.

Woodman and had a position of responsibility. His brother Benjamin Elden, was also listed on the

muster role. Their dates of service were Aug. 29 - Oct. 31, 1757 and April 19 - Nov. 14, 175735.

Fortunately, the militia were not called to fight elsewhere and the town was not attacked during the war.

John Elden Jr.'s name appears frequently in the minutes of proprietor's meetings showing that he

30 www.familysearch.org/tree ; Marshall, pg. 14931 Clayton, pg. 25232 Goodwin, pg. 168-17033 Marshall, pg. 4834 Ridlon, pg. 3935 Clayton, pg. 251

Illustration 7: Buxton, Maine by Tracy Nelson https://www.flickr.com/photos/tenelson17/5405810502/in/photostream/

fulfilled his duties as a proprietor and was actively engaged in doing his part to settle the countryside

and help manage town affairs. From proprietor meeting minutes between the years 1750 and 1773 we

know that he performed a variety of duties including building two bridges large enough for a loaded

cart to pass over swamp lands36, managing the cutting of hay in common meadows37, participating in

defining the township's water resources38, mending highways39, requesting that a fort be constructed40,

providing for preaching in the town41, repairing the meeting house42, monitoring the harvesting of

timber on public lands43, and surveying the town boundaries and lots within the town44. In 1764 he was

one of the signatories on a letter calling for a proprietor's meeting that would discuss the incorporation

of the town45.

Also in 1764, the citizens sent an interesting petition to the Massachusetts governor and the

legislature dated Nov. 1, 1764 pleading for relief from a tax imposed in 1762 that the citizens of the

township claimed they were unable to pay due to their poverty resulting from a drought and fire. The

petition gives a first hand account of the difficulties these people faced in establishing their town on

what was then the fringes of civilization. Fortunately for them, their request for reprieve was granted.

The original document is found in the Massachusetts Archives, Ante, page. 71. The full text of the

petition is below.

To his Excellency Francis Bernard Esqr Commander in Chief in and over the

Province of the massats Bay, the Honble his majesty's Councill &, House of Representatives in General Assembly ConvenedHumbly Shew

The Subscribers Inhabitants of Narraganset N° one in the county of York, That thesaid Settlement being a Frontier were under Continual Fears of the Indian Enemy, and were obliged to keep Watch and Ward till the Reduction of Quebeck in 1759 - - That before the two late years of Drouth &, Scarcity they were few in Number, and very Poor, being scarcely able with their utmost Diligence in the Improvement of such means as their Situation afforded to procure the Necessarys of Life - - That the two years of Scarcity, almost reduced them to Famine: - - in addition to which in the year 1762, a desolating Fire Ravaged their small Improvements, Burnt several of their Dwellings and much reduced the very little the Drouth had left 'em That these repeated calamitys obliged many of the then Inhabitants for the preservation of Life to pluck up Stakes and leave the Settlement, and those that remained were Just preserved from Perishing with

36 Goodwin, pg. 15137 Goodwin, pg. 154-155, 266, 270-27138 Goodwin, pg. 155-15939 Goodwin, pg. 160-16140 Goodwin, pg. 166-16741 Goodwin, pg. 162-16542 Goodwin, pg. 17543 Goodwin, pg. 178-18044 Goodwin, pg. 205-207, 217-220, 242, 24645 Goodwin, pg. 195-196

Want, by the Belief afforded from some of the Neighboring Towns - - That your Excellency and Honors did lay a Tax on the said distressed Inhabitants in the year 1762, To the amount of Forty four Pounds seven Shillings & six pence which they are unable topay, as many of the then Inhabitants are reduced to Penury by the calamitys aforesaid, and removed to other places - - and those that remain are in a Condition but Little Better - -

Wherefore your Poor Petitioners Humbly pray your Excellency & Honours to Compassionate their distressed Circumstances & Remit to them the said Tax and Grant 'em such other relief in the Premises as your Wisdom shall direct & your Poor Petitionersas in duty Bound shall ever Pray &c

Joseph WoodmanJoshua WoodmanNathan WoodmanJohn BoyntonWill HancockJob RobertsBeniamen DonelJohn Donel

John NasonJohn BrooksJohn ColeEphraim SandsTimothy HasaltineJohn LaneSamuel RoapJohn Elden

Joseph LeavitSamuel LeavitUmphery AtkasonDaniel LeavitJames EmeryJohn EldenSamuel MerrillAmos Hood

In the House of Representatives October 31st 1764Read & Resolved that the prayer of this Petition be granted by remitting the Tax of Forty Four Pounds Seven Shillings & sixpence laid on Narragansett Township number One in the Year 1762, and that the Treasurer be directed to stay the Execution gone forth against them therefor

Sent up for concurrenceS : White Spkr

In Council Nov. 1st 1764 – Read & ConcurredJn° Cotton D. Secry

Consented to —Fra Bernard46

It is interesting that the name John Elden appears twice in this document. One of those

signatures is certainly that of John Elden Jr. The other must be that of his father John Elden Sr. as John

Elden III would have only been 10 years old at the time. We know that John Elden Sr. lived out his

days in nearby Biddeford. If he did obtain a proprietorship in the 1740s then it is quite possible that he

retained a portion of the land and deeded a portion of it to his son John Jr.. Since he continued to live

in Biddeford, he probably left the day to day management of his interests in the township in the hands

of his son and therefore was not actively involved in proprietary meetings. However, during such a

time of extreme trial and due to the important nature of the petition, he probably decided to exercise

his proprietary rights and sign the petition along with his son.

John Elden Jr. followed in his father's footsteps in two respects. Both of them were elected as

46 Goodwin, pg. 205-206

surveyors for their communities and they both operated grist and saw mills. In September 2, 1752 John

Elden Jr. and Joshua Woodman were selected in a proprietor's meeting to build a grist mill and saw

mill on the Little River. He was later mentioned in a deed dated in 1761 for the grist mill and saw

mill47. On July 26, 1769 at a

Proprietor's meeting Captain

John Elden Jr. and three other

men were granted permission

to build a grist mill on

Salmon Falls on the Saco

River provided they built it

within two years. At a July

25, 1770 meeting the men

were granted a deed and four

acres of land for their mill48.

John Jr. established

his home on a plot of land on

the right side of the road between Salmon Falls and Union Falls. Here he and Ruth raised their family

and lived out their days. In addition to Martha, Mary, and Nathan, seven more children were born to

the family. They were John III (born April 10, 1754), Emma (born July 9, 1756), Elizabeth (born

October 5, 1759), Gibeon (born June 2, 1761), Ruth (born December 3, 1763), Lydia (born January 12,

1766), and Hannah (born April 13, 1769)49.

John Jr. continued to play an active role in establishing the community and as his children grew

to adulthood he and Ruth must have enjoyed seeing them marry and establish their own families50.

Their eldest daughter Martha married Daniel Kimball on April 20, 1764 and settled in Buxton where

they raised seven children51. Mary, their second daughter married Benjamin Bradley on July 9, 1767

and they moved to Ohio. In 1772 the town was incorporated as Buxton52. This was surely a happy and

exciting time for John and Ruth. They must have felt immense satisfaction in seeing the fruit of their

hard work in establishing their homestead and community. To make the year even more exciting,

Nathan, their eldest son, married Elizabeth Roberts on May 12, 1772 and they settled in Buxton. The

47 Goodwin, pg. 160, 162-163; Ridlon, pg. 19948 Goodwin, pg. 269-270; Ridlon, pg. 19949 Goodwin, pg. 359-360; Marshall, pg. 149-15150 www.familysearch.org/tree ; Goodwin, pg. 292, 35951 Goodwin, pg. 292-29352 Goodwin, pg. 75-79

Illustration 8: Falls on the Saco River http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buxton,_Maine

following year brought tragedy to John Jr., though, for Ruth, his dear companion of twenty six years

passed away. She was in her mid 40s. John lived as a widower for more than twenty years and must

have sorely missed her. The following year their daughter Emma married Deacon Amos Chase Jr. on

April 28, 1774 and the couple moved to Limington, Maine53.

As 1774 came to a close and 1775 began, political unrest was about to erupt into a war that was

to have a tremendous impact on John and his family. John Jr. was around 45 years old and had already

lived a full life. While he had certainly accomplished much in building a new community on the edge

of the wilderness, establishing a new home, serving as a leader in the local militia, braving the elements

and unfriendly Natives, and raising his children; some of his life's most dramatic adventures were just

about to begin.

53 www.familysearch.org/tree ; Goodwin, pg. 292, 359

The American RevolutionCaptain John Elden Jr. was known as “an active and enterprising man”54 and a man with “great

force of character”55. He was a natural leader, the first militia captain in town56 who first received his

military commission under the authority of the king57. His previous experience as commander of the

town fort gave him valuable military

experience.

As tensions began to rise between

Great Britain and her American colonies,

John's loyalties were certain. He was

devoted to the cause of the rebel colonists

and became a leader for the independence

movement in the town of Buxton. He

served in the war as a Captain in the local

militia and all three of his sons served as

well. Nathan, the eldest, was 23 years old

when hostilities started in 1775 and had the

longest period of service. John III was 21

years old when the war started and also

served with distinction being promoted from

private to corporal to sergeant. Gibeon, the youngest, was only 14 years old in 1775 and did not begin

serving until 1777. Even then, he first enlisted at the tender age of 16.

Boston was the seedbed of the Revolution and its inhabitants were the first to openly resist

British rule. One of their most blatant acts of defiance occurred on December 16, 1773 when a group

of men dumped nearly $1 million worth of tea into the Boston Harbor. The Boston Tea Party brought a

swift reaction from the British Parliament in the form of four acts which became known as the

Coercive Acts. The first act, called the Boston Port Act, passed on March 25, 1774 and mandated the

closing of the Port of Boston until the town could pay for the lost tea.

The inhabitants of Buxton sided strongly with their sister city of Boston. When news reached

Buxton the town leaders met on June 20, 1774 and appointed Capt. John Elden, John Lane, Samuel

Hovoy, Samuel Merrill, and John Mason as a committee to write a resolution expressing the

54 Ridlon, pg. 10855 Clayton, pg. 25256 Goodwin, pg. 359-36057 Clayton, pg. 258-259

Illustration 9: Blessings for the Minutemen http://ushistoryimages.com/colonial-minutemen.shtm

community's dissatisfaction with the actions of the British government. The document was adopted at

a meeting held a few days later on June 2658. A copy of the resolution follows:

By order of the selectmen of the Town of Buxton, a Warrant hath Been Posted and the Inhabitants of said town have assembled the 20 of June 1774 and have Acted as followes to-wit 1. Chose Thomas Bradbury Juner Moderator.2. John Elden Juner, John Lane, Samuel Merrill, Samuel Hovey and John Nason, a committee to Pase som Resolves in behalf of the town. 3. this meeting held by adjournment to the 24 of this Instant June, then to be opened at the meeting-house to See if the town will accept of the Resolves which the above committee shall draw up. 1774. At a meeting held in Buxton June 20 at the meeting house. Voted Thomas BradburyJuner Moderator to Regulate said meeting and then Proseded to vote Capt. John Elden59 Capt. John Lane and messrs. Samuel merrill Samuel hovey and John Nason to be a Commite to Draw up some Resolves in behalf of the town and in concurance with the commite of corespondance in Boaston and other of the neighboring towns so far as they abide by constutional Rights of ameraca. Resolve 1st that Self Preservation is the first Law of natour and that taxation without Representation is subversive of our Libertyes.2. Wharas an act of the British Parlimente hath been passed for closing up the harbour of boston, we think this is unconstutional and under thease greavous and unheard of impositions we are to remain until an unreasonoble Demand is Complied with and we consider this atak upon us as utterly subversive of Ameracan Liberty for the same Power may at Pleasure Destroy the trade and Shut up the Poarts of Every other Colony in its turn so that will be a total end of all Liberty and Privalidg.3. that this town aprove of the Constitutional Exertions and struggles made by opulant Colonies through the Continant for Preventing so fatal a Cattastrophe as is Implied in taxation without Representation, and that we are and always will be Redy in Every Constitutional way to give all asistance in our Power to Prevent so Dier a Calamity. 4. That a Dread of being enslaved ourselves and of trans mitting the chains to our Posterity is the Prinsiple indusement to these measures. 5. that this town Do Return their Sinsear and hearty thanks to all the cities, towns and persons in ameraca and to Boston in particular who have at all times nobly exerted themselves in the cause of Liberty. Voted that the town Clerk transmit a true copy of these Resolves to the Comitte of Coraspondance in Boston. Voted that these Resolves be Recorded in the town Book. a true Entry atest JOHN NASON, Town Clerk60.

Spring of the following year the Revolutionary War erupted with the Battles of Lexington and

Concord on April 18, 1775. News of the battles spread like wildfire and reached Buxton by the next

58 Clayton, pg. 258-25959 It is interesting to note that in this document John Elden is referred to as John Elden, Junior and Capt. John Elden. In

later documents it would appear that his son, John Elden III, is also referred to as John Elden, Jr. Because both father and son are referred to as John Elden Jr. in the primary documents, it is sometimes difficult to determine which is which.

60 Marshall, pg. 269-271

day. In response, the local militia was mobilized. Capt. John Elden and his company were called into

action by Colonel Tristram Jordan61 and they marched to Biddeford on April 24. Capt. John's two

eldest sons, Nathan and John III, marched as private in his company as did his nephews Samuel, James

and John Sands. After only a day and a half of service the company was demobilized62.

Thompson's War

Meanwhile another showdown was unfolding about 15 miles away from Buxton in the port

town of Falmouth (now Portland) that would lead to another mobilization for Capt. John Elden, his

oldest sons, and nephews at the end of the year. In response to the Boston Tea Party, the first

Continental Congress set up the Continental Association, which was a cooperative system amongst the

colonies established to enforce a boycott of British goods63. When a British ship came into the port of

Falmouth in March 2, 1775 with a load of sails, rope and rigging, representatives of the Association

demanded that the ship leave. However, the ship was joined on March 29 by the warship HMS

Canceaux commanded by a Captain Henry Mowat. Under her protection, the cargo ship unloaded.

Then on April 21 the news of the Battles of Lexington and Concord swept through the town of

Brunswick. (Brunswick is 26 miles to the north along the coast and just north of Freeport.)

Immediately thereafter, the militia of Brunswick began devising a strategy to capture the Canceaux.

Fifty men, led by a man named Samuel Thompson, secretly arrived in Falmouth in small boats intent

on capturing the Canceux. This became unnecessary, however, when they captured Capt. Mowat on

May 9 as he came into town to arrange church services for his crew. The crew on the Canceaux fired

two cannon towards the town of Falmouth and threatened to attack the town if the captain was not

released. Militiamen from neighboring communities quickly rallied and came to town in support of

Mr. Thompson and his militia Within a few days Capt. Mowatt was reunited with his ship and he

sailed out of port on May 15. This event became known as “Thompson's War”64.

61 Jordan, Tristram Frost. 1882. The Jordan Memorial. Family records of the Rev. Robert Jordan, and his descendants in America. Press of David Clapp & Son, Boston, MA. pg. 187Tristram Jordan was the youngest son of Capt. Samuel and Olive (Plaisted) Jordan. He was born May 13, 1731, at Winter Harbor (now Biddeford), Maine. He was eleven years old when his father died and his eldest brother, Rishworth,became his guardian. Tristram Jordan first married in 1749, when only 18 years of age and outlived three wives. In 1754 when only 23 years old he was one of the selectmen of the town, and about the same time received a commission as Captain of militia, something unusual for one so young. He was known as a thorough business man, industrious and enterprising in business and in the church. He was appointed Colonel by the council of Massachusetts in 1776. He was elected Senator by the County of York to the Massachusetts Legislature in 1787 and served as a town Selectman from 1754 to 1762. He was the Justice of the Peace for many years. He died in 1821 at 90 years of age. He was eminently the' father of the town '.

62 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. 1899. Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the Revolutionary War, A compilation from the archives, prepared and published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth in accordance with chapter 100, resolves of 1891. Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Co. Vol. 5 pg. 256-257; Vol. 13 pg. 800-802.

63 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Association 64 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thompson's_War ; https://www.mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/899/page/1310/display

Siege of Boston and the Battle of Bunker Hill

Let us now turn our attention back to

events in Boston. After the Battles of

Lexington and Concord, the British Army

retreated to Boston where they were besieged

by colonial troops. This siege would end up

lasting nearly a year. On April 23, 1775, just

days after the battles, the Second Provincial

Congress of Massachusetts passed a

resolution to raise thirteen thousand six

hundred men in the colony. Three days later

the Congress voted that the regiments should

be composed of ten companies of fifty-nine

men65. Only two weeks after enlistments

began, the York County regiment had

enrolled 547 men and was on the march.

Col. James Scamman led the regiment and it

was the first regiment to leave Maine in the Revolution66.

The regiment was composed of ten companies. One was led by Capt. Jeremiah Hill67 of

Biddeford. Many men from Buxton and Pepperrellboro (later Saco) enlisted. John Elden III enlisted

on May 368 and served as was one of the Corporals while his cousin John Sands was one of the privates

in the company. In addition, he served with other men who would play a larger role in his life in the

future. John Foss, his future uncle-in-law was another Corporal in the company and Levi Foss, a

cousin to his future wife, was a private. Finally, another private in the company was Nathan Woodman.

Over 20 years in the future after John Elden III would die prematurely, Nathan's son the Honorable

John Woodman, would marry the widow of John Elden III.

Orders to march to Cambridge were issued on May 10 and Col. Scamman's regiment was

marching soon thereafter. They marched at least four days and arrived in Cambridge where the

65 Goold, Nathan. 1899. History of James Scamman's Thirtieth Regiment of Foot: Eight months service men of 1775 fromYork County with a full account of their movements during the Battle of Bunker Hill and complete muster rolls of the companies. Portland, Maine: The Thurson Print. pg. 1

66 Goold, pg. 1, 3, 967 Capt. Hill served with distinction during war. After returning home he served as the town clerk, a representative to the

General Court, a justice of peace, and the first tax collector of Saco. He received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Harvard in 1787. He was also the first Master of the Saco Masonic Lodge.

68 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol. 5 pg. 256-257; Vol. 13 pg. 800-802.

Illustration 10: Battle of Bunker Hill by E. Percy Moran From the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs DIGITAL ID: (color film copy transparency) cph 3g04970 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g04970 CONTROL #: 96516282 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_bunker_hill_by_percy_moran.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Battle_of_bunker_hill_by_percy_moran.jpg

regiment was commissioned in the first part of June69.

The Battle of Bunker Hill took

place on June 17, about 4 weeks after

the regiment arrived in Cambridge. As

the battle began to take shape Col.

Scamman was ordered to go to where

the fighting was. He supposed the

British would launch an amphibious

attack against the American forces on

the mainland by landing at Lechmere's

Point so he took his regiment there.

Col. Whitcomb, who as acting as a

general officer, ordered Col Scamman

to the hill. Col. Scamman thought this

meant that he was to march to Cobble

Hill to view the movements of the

British vessels so he obeyed and waited

with his men on the hill. By this time

the battle was at its peak. Col.

Scamman sent two sergeants to General

Putnam asking if his regiment was

needed. Before he heard back from

General Putnam, he began to move his

regiment forward towards the battle.

However, the American's were in retreat

before he reached the top of Bunker

Hill. Col. Scamman urged his men forward calling, “Come, my Yorkshire lads, now let us show our

bravery.” But when they met the retreating soldiers, Col. Scamman called on his regiment to retreat

with them. Thus, his men did not fully participate in the battle although two were wounded, probably

during the assault on the hill. Col. Scamman was court martialed for not obeying orders and

cowardice. He was acquitted of all charges70 but the question of his honor continued to bother him71.

69 Goold, pg. 10-1270 Goold, pg. 12-2371 When the regiment was formed there was confusion about who should lead it since both James Scamman and Johnson

Illustration 11: Map of Boston and Bunker Hill http://drbenjaminchurchjr.blogspot.com/2014/10/was-dr-benjamin-church-jr-involved-in.html

General Washington arrived on July 3 and brought organized the assembled army into three

divisions, each composed of two brigades. He assigned Col. Scammon's regiment to General Heath's

brigade, which was part of General Israel Putnam's division. The regiment staffed Fort No. 1 and the

flank of Fort No. 2 at Cambridge. The regiment did its duty in holding the line during the siege of

Boston and served until December 3172. Their only action during this time were sporadic skirmishes

along the siege line. Interestingly, records for John Elden III state that he returned on September 27,

175573. As we will see later, this was probably because he had accepted another assignment.

Burning of Falmouth

The British Navy was supporting the British Army in Boston and trying to quell the rebellion that was

spreading throughout the colonies. In July the Vice Admiral of the British North Atlantic Fleet, Samuel

Graves, issued orders to Captain Henry Mowat to take actions in seacoast towns that would suppress

the rebellion and “lay waste burn and destroy such Sea Port towns as are accessible to His Majesty's

ships.” Captain Mowat received the order on October 2. His recent humiliation only five months

previous in Falmouth was still fresh in his mind and he sailed directly to Falmouth with his ship HMS

Canceaux as well as four other ships to exact his revenge. They anchored off the Falmouth harbor on

October 16. The next day he brought his ships into the harbor near the town and sent a message to the

citizens that they had two hours to evacuate before he attacked. The townspeople begged for mercy to

which Capt. Mowat demanded

they swear an oath of allegiance

to King George and surrender

their weapons and gun powder

in order to avoid the execution

of his order. In response the

people began to abandon their

town but they never signed the

oath. Mowat set a deadline of

9:00 am on October 18 for the

Moulton were promised the position of Colonel if they could raise a regiment. The county militia officers asked Scamman to step down and serve as Lieutenant Colonel but he did not and Moulton ended up accepting the secondary post. This resulted in a lack of unity in the regimental leadership and certainly had an impact on Scamman's later court martial. In 1776 he sought another commission but did not receive it and did not serve in the war again. He became a successful business man and was s representative of Saco for several years in the 1780s.

72 Goold, pg. 24-2973 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol 5 pg. 256-257.

Illustration 12: Burning of Falmouth http://www.historylecture.org/revfires.html

town to respond. By the morning of that day the town seemed to be deserted and he began firing upon

the town, which set it on fire. After some time he decided that the bombardment was not sufficient so

he sent some men to the town to set fire to any remaining buildings. Approximately 400 buildings,

which was two thirds of the town, were destroyed leaving many people destitute just before winter

began74.

In response to the burning of

Falmouth, Capt. John Elden and his

company were mobilized again. On the day

Falmouth was burned the company was

mobilized and “marched to assist in

preventing the landing of an enemy” and

served for four days. On November 7 the

company was ordered by Tristram Jordan to

“assist in fortifying” and was engaged in

this activity for five days. They were also

mobilized again by Tristram Jordan for 1 ½

days in December and marched to

Biddeford when enemy vessels appeared to

be coming into the harbor there. This was

an attempt to avoid suffering the same fate

as Falmouth. Once again, both of his older

sons Nathan and John III were involved in

these mobilizations as were his nephews

Samuel, James, and John Sands75. Thus

ended a very eventful year for the Elden

family and the first year in what was to

become a long struggle for independence.

74 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Falmouth ; https://www.mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/899/page/1310/display

75 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol. 5 pg. 256-257; Vol. 13 pg. 800-802

Illustration 13: Newspaper account of the burning of Falmouth http://network.mainegenealogy.net/profiles/blogs/fanning-the-flames-of-the

End of the Siege of Boston

On February 5, 1776 Capt. John Elden was called to lead the 5th (Buxton) Company in the 3rd

York County Regiment of the Massachusetts Militia under under Col. Lemuel Robinson that was

ordered to return to

Boston to assist

with the siege.

Capt. John's son

Nathan and nephew

Ephraim Jr.

accompanied him

as privates in his

company76. Their

service turned out

to be vital to the

ensuing American

victory.

The siege of Boston had ground on for over nine months by this point. Strategically it was a

stalemate and both sides were suffering from disease and hunger. The previous May, Benedict Arnold

and Ethan Allen led American forces in capturing Fort Ticonderoga. In November General Washington

sent Henry Knox to retrieve badly needed cannons from the fort. Even though the task was fraught

with immense challenges, Henry Knox met them admirably and delivered 60 tons of cannons to Boston

by January. General Washington used these to tip the scales in his favor by setting some of them on

some hills overlooking Boston Harbor called Dorchester Heights. On the evening of March 4 he

ordered men to occupy and fortify the Heights during the night. The ground was so frozen that they

could not dig trenches. They had to haul the heavy cannons up to the hill tops and build fortifications

with logs and branches. Capt. John Elden and his son Nathan were engaged in this endeavor on that

cold, long night. The next morning the British awoke to find the heights fortified with cannon that

could hit any target in Boston and the harbor. They attempted to shoot down the fortifications, but their

cannons could not shoot high enough and their cannon ball bounced on the frozen ground77. Finding

their position indefensible, they abandoned Boston on March 17, never to return.

76 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol. 5 pg. 256-257; Vol. 13 pg. 800-802. 77 Ridlon, pg. 778

Illustration 14: Boston Harbor http://clccharter.org/andrea/Lit%20circles/Revolution/images/harbour.jpg

Invasion of Canada

In 1775 the Continental Congress

authorized an attack on Canada in an

attempt to raise support for the

independence movement amongst the

French inhabitants. The strategy had a two-

prong approach. One group of men led by

General Richard Montgomery left Fort

Ticonderoga in September, moved up Lake

Champlain and attacked Montreal,

capturing it on Nov. 13. Also in September,

General Washington sent about 1000 men

in another group, which was led by

Benedict Arnold. They marched up the

Kennebec River in Maine to attack Quebec.

The trackless terrain was very rugged,

conditions harsh and many men either died

or deserted. Finally, Arnold reached

Quebec with 600 men on November 8.

While they did attack Quebec, they were

too small a force to take it so they laid siege

to the city. General Montgomery came with

300 men and joined Arnold in a final

desperate attack on December 30. Montgomery was killed, Arnold wounded and the attack failed

miserably. Arnold continued his siege and waited for reinforcements throughout the winter. The harsh

conditions and disease took a heavy toll on Arnold's men. While additional men did come, he was not

successful in taking Quebec and when British reinforcements arrived in June 1776, he was forced to

retreat. He retraced Montgomery's steps and was back at Fort Ticonderoga by July. They tried to

defend Lake Champlain with a small fleet of ships they had commandeered from the British but were

defeated by the British in October. The British halted their advance for the winter and retreated back to

Canada leaving Ticonderoga to the Americans for the time being. The stage was now set for the British

General John Burgoyne's campaign which began the following spring of 177778.

78 http://www.history.army.mil/books/AMH-V1/ch03.htm,

Illustration 15: Invasion of Canada http://www.history.army.mil/books/AMH-V1/ch03.htm

From military records,

we know that 1) John Elden III

returned in September from the

siege of Boston when the rest of

the company stayed through the

end of the year; 2) John Elden

was a sergeant in Colonel

Edward Wigglesworth's

Regiment, Captain Timothy

Eaton's company and his cousin

James Sands was a private in the

same company79; and 3) John

Elden was reimbursed for his

travel expenses coming back

from Ticonderoga late in 1776.

Col. Wigglesworth served under

Benedict Arnold and became the third in command as Arnold was retreating from Canada80. Even

though the record does not specify which John Elden served as a sergeant under Wigglesworth, it must

have been John Elden III. John Elden Jr. held a Captain's commission and there is no record of him

being demoted. Furthermore, it is a logical advancement for John Elden III to move from private to

corporal to sergeant. Piecing all the facts together, it appears that John Elden III was among the men

who left the siege of Boston in September 1775 to join Benedict Arnold in his attack on Canada.

However, John III must have been delayed at home because he was mobilized in November and

December to respond to the burning of Falmouth so he was not with Arnold attacking Quebec. He also

was not a deserter because he held the commission of sergeant, something that would not have

happened to a deserter. John III and James must have been amongst the reinforcements which joined

Arnold during the spring of 1776 and then played a role in the retreat and battle on Lake Champlain.

After he returned home, there is no other record of John Elden III serving in the Revolutionary

War. Probably the main reason for this was that his passions had turned from his country to a young

lady named Dorcas Foss who he married on June 19, 177781.

http://www.lcmm.org/shipwrecks_history/history/history_revolution.htm 79 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol. 5 pg. 256-257; Vol. 13, pg. 800-802.80 Cubbison, Douglas R. 2010. The American Northern Theater Army in 1776: The ruin and reconstruction of the

continental force. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. pg. 219-22081 www.familysearch.org/tree

Illustration 16: "Death of Montgomery" by John Trumbull - ExplorePAhistory.com: The Death of General Montgomery at the Attack on Quebec, by John Trumbull, 1786 (direct)Yale University Art Gallery [1]. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Death_of_Montgomery.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Death_of_Montgomery.jpg

Gibeon's Service Including Saratoga 82

In May of 1777 Gibeon, who was now only 16 years of age, first enlisted in the Continental

army. His enlistments were different from those of his brothers because they served primarily as

members of the local militia, which was different from the Continental Army formed by the

Continental Congress. Gibeon joined Captain Samuel Grant's Company in Colonel Jonathon Titcomb's

regiment and served for two

months, twelve days. He

and his company were

marched to Providence,

Rhode Island where he

served until his enlistment

expired in July.

Gibeon again

enlisted the following

month on August 14 in a

company from York

County, Maine led by

Captain Thomas Romery in

Colonel Joseph Storer's

Regiment. Gibeon reports that he marched to Still Water, NY where he joined the Continental Army

under General Horatio Gates and served until December. This term of service means that he a

participant in one or both of the Battles of Saratoga.

After the American's failed invasion of Canada that ended in the fall of 1776, the British

launched a campaign in 1777 designed to separate the northern colonies from the central and southern

colonies. General John Burgoyne led an expedition from Montreal south along Lake Champlain and

the Hudson River. Meanwhile General William Howe was supposed to march north from New York

City and the two forces were supposed to meet in Albany, NY. However, Burgoyne's progress was

slowed dramatically by American forces that felled trees and used guerrilla tactics to harass and hinder

his progress. Meanwhile, Howe never marched to Albany. Instead he took a detour to Philadelphia

which he captured and occupied. Burgoyne never made to Albany either. Benedict Arnold and Horatio

Gates engaged Burgoyne in two crucial battles on September 19 and October 7 that stopped Burgoyne's

progress entirely and Burgoyne surrendered his forces on October 17. This was the turning point of the

82 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol. 5 pg. 256-257

Illustration 17: Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, by Moran c1911. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress. www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/revolut/jb_revolut_subj_e.html

War in favor of the Americans and led to the French joining the War as American Allies83.

After his discharge Gibeon returned home for about a year and a half. He then enlisted one last

time on July 3, 1779 for a period of nine months. He was marched to Springfield, MA and from there

marched to West Point, NY. He spent the majority of his time at West Point but spent two months at

White Plains, NY between February and April when he return to West Point and was discharged May

18, 1780. Like his older brother John III did before him, Gibeon's attention turned from the patriotic

effort to his own romantic effort. He met a young lady named Susana Whitney and they wed on July 1,

178184.

In 1812 Gibeon, now an elderly man, gave a written statement to a judge summarizing his

Revolutionary War service in an attempt to secure a government pension for war veterans. Below is a

transcription of his statement. (His request was granted and he received a pension of $8 per month

beginning in 181885.)

I Gibeon Elden of Buxton in the County of York and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, fifty seven years. I citizen of said Commonwealth declare that about the month of May 1777 – I enlisted for two months in Captain Grants Company. I was marched to Providence, state of Rhode Island, but I am not able to recollect what regiment our company belonged. I continued the two months in Grants Company. I did duty at Providence till I was discharged but I had nothing in writing, nor had others who were discharged at the same time. And about August or September 1777. I again enlisted for three months in Captain Rummeries Company & Coll. Storers Regiment. I was marched to Still Water. I joined the Continental Army under General Gates. I served till the three months expired in December or January I was discharged at . . . . about fourteen mile below Albany, NY, but had no written discharge.

And again about May or June 1779 I entered as a private soldier. I was marchedto Springfield in this state. I was there mustered under a Captain Fisher, if I recollect right, who came on from the Continental Army to conduct the recruits to Headquarters, who marched us to West Point in State of New York and I was there turned into CaptainClarks Company in Coll. Tuppens Regiment and Patterson Brigade in the Massachusetts line on the continental establishment. During said term I was at West Point, except about two months of the latter part of the time I was stationed at White Plains and on the lines, and in frequent movements from place to place, during said twomonths I was in Captain Smiths Company, but don’t recollect the Regiment. Some timein the month of April 1780 I was marched up to West Point, and if I am not mistaken I was placed in Captain Francis Company, and Col. Tuppers Regiment; but I was so often shifted from Company to Company I changed our positions so frequently that I cannot now definitely recollect them. About the time I was discharged there were but two in the company, viz. Denise Foss and myself. I was discharged about the middle of May 1780 at West Point. My discharge was in writing but amount to a pass to prevent

83 http://www.saratoga.com/aboutsaratoga/battle-of-saratoga/ ; ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Howe,_5th_Viscount_Howe ; http://saratoganygenweb.com/

84 Marshall, pg. 149-15185 www.fold3.com

my being stoped on the way & to enable us to draw rations and when I view?? last at Boston our pass discharge was demanded & given up. And I have never seen it since.

I have no pension. I . . . . my reduced in circumstances in life. I stand in need of some assistance from my country or support, as I am enfeebled by age and bodily weaknesses as not to be able to labour86.

Gibeon EldenApril 22, 1812

Final Service

In the end of 1778 or January of 1779 Captain John Elden and his company, which included

Nathan Elden and James Sands were mobilized as part of a regiment led by Colonel Mitchel to go to

Falmouth and assist in fortifying the town. They served for a total of five days87. This is the last record

of military service by Captain John Elden or any of his sons in the Revolutionary War.

When the end of the war was declared in 1783, John Jr. resigned his captain's commission88. He

was now 52 years old.

War's Aftermath and Twilight Years

The war had dragged on for eight long years and either Capt. John or one of his sons was

actively serving in the war for half of those years. They participated in the most crucial battles in the

northern theater of the war. It was surely a relief to the family when the war concluded. While John III

and Gibeon married during the war, as it was concluding most of the rest of Capt. John and Ruth's

daughter's wed as well. Their daughter Ruth married Nathaniel Knight and settled in Westbrook, ME.

Lydia married Thomas Harmon on April 22, 1782 and settled in Buxton. Hannah married Captain

Samuel Andrews and settled in Lovell, ME. Elizabeth, however, remained single89.

We do not know much more about Capt. John's final years. As one of the town founders, a

community leaders, successful business man, and militia Captain, he must have enjoyed great respect

amongst his fellow citizens of Buxton. Hopefully, his final years were peaceful. Capt. John died in

1793 and is believed to be buried at Pleasant Point90.

86 www.fold3.com 87 Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Vol. 5 pg. 256-257; Vol. 13 pg. 800-802 88 Clayton, pg. 258-25989 www.familysearch.org/tree ; Goodwin, pg. 292, 35990 Ridlon, pg. 108

Capt. John & Ruth's Legacy in the Lives of Their Sons

Nathan Elden

Nathan Elden married Elizabeth Roberts on May 12, 1772 and they had 10 children91. He was a

successful businessman and built the first saw mill on the east side of Saco at Moderation and also

established a general store, the first one, there. He also had a business presence at a place called

“Elden's Corner.” He was known for his honesty and integrity. He was known as "Squire Elden" and

was actively involved in public service. He served as a town Selectman from 1825-182892. He was

also a justice, served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1820-1824, and was elected to the

Maine Senate in 182693. He died Nov. 14, 1811 and was deeply mourned by the community94.

John Elden III

Like his brother Nathan, John Elden III followed in his father's footsteps by operating mills. In

1773 he requested permission at a proprietor's meeting in 1773 for permission to build a mill at Salmon

Falls95. He On June 19, 1777 John Elden III married Dorcas Foss, daughter of James Foss who was a

leading supporter of the Revolutionary cause. They had eight children: Dorcas (born May 13, 1778),

Ruth (born Nov. 23, 1781), Nathaniel (born May 21, 1783), Abigail (born Aug. 2, 1785) who later

married Jacob Townsend of Buxton, Narcissa (born Dec. 6, 1787), James Foss (born Sept. 20, 1789),

Mary (born Sept. 7, 1793) and John (born Oct. 1, 1797)96.

John III was involved in his community but not to the same extent as his father or two brothers.

He was a signatory on an agenda dated June 10, 1782 calling for a Proprietor's meeting97. On May 30,

1797 John drowned in the Little Ossipee River north of Buxton98. Four years later his widow, Dorcas,

married the Honorable John Woodman on November 22, 180199.

John Woodman lived near next to the Elden's and the two families were certainly friendly with

each other. They were both involved in mills and harvesting timber. On January 30, 1772 he married

Mary Bean and they had eight children. She died on June 1, 1800.

At a young age John Woodman began to hold public office and was actively involved in public

service his entire adult life, including service in the Revolutionary War. He was elected as a Selectman

91 Marshall, pg. 149-151; www.familysearch.org/tree 92 Clayton, pg. 25593 Clayton, pg. 10794 Ridlon, pg. 108, 20095 Goodwin, pg. 27696 Goodwin, pg. 359-360; Marshall, pg. 149-15197 Goodwin, pg. 28398 Goodwin, pg. 77, 36099 Goodwin, pg. 360

in many times, served as a state legislator and senator. He was first appointed as a judge in 1797 and

held that position the rest of his life. John Woodman was one of the most prominent citizens in Buxton

during his lifetime. He died on November 18, 1828100. Dorcas died March 11, 1843101.

Gibeon Elden

Gibeon Elden married Susana Whitney on July 1, 1781 and they had ten children102. After the

Revolutionary War, Gibeon and two other men were made the first commissioned officers in the town

militia103. Captain Elden had a distinguishing career as a public servant. He served as a justice of the

peace, represented Buxton in the General Court of Massachusetts, was a member of the Maine

constitutional convention, and was elected a town Selectman in the years 1810, 1811, 1816 and 1817.

the convention that formed the constitution of Maine. He was known as “a man of excellent executive

ability and comprehensive judgment” who was trusted and respected by his peers104. Capt. Gibeon

Elden died October 7, 1841 and his wife Susanna died January 19, 1832105

Sands Family

Three of Ruth Sands' brothers played a part in settling Buxton and one of them, Ephraim, settled

in Buxton as well. The Ephraim Sands and Captain John Elden families must have been close. They

certainly worked together and served in the military together. Because of the many close connections

they shared, it is only fitting to give a summary of what is known about this family.

The Sands family originated in England and the first person to immigrate was James Sands. He

lived first in Ipswich, MA and later moved to Biddeford, ME. Four of his children would end up living

in Narraganset, No. 1 for some period of time. They were James Jr., Thomas, Ephraim and Ruth.

Following is the will of James Sands and then a summary of each son's involvement in the Narraganset,

No. 1.

Will of James Sands

In the Name of God, Amen. This Eighth Day of January One Thousand Seven Hundred Forty four Five, I James Sands of Biddeford in the County of York within His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New Eng land Cordwainer being Sick

100Woodman, Cyrus. 1874. The Woodmans of Buxton, Maine, A list of the children, and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren bearing the Woodman name of Joseph, Joshua, and Nathan Woodman, who settled in Narraganset No. 1, now Buxton, Me.: Preceded by a list and some account of the families of Benjamin, Joshua and Edward, from whom they were descended. Boston: David Clapp & Son. pg. 96-105

101 Goodwin, pg. 359-360102 Marshall, pg. 149-151103 Clayton, pg. 258-259104 Ridlon, pg. 108; Clayton, pg. 255105 Marshall, pg. 149-151

and Weak in Body but of perfect Mind and Memory Thanks be given to God ; Therefore Calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that all men must die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to Say, principally and in the first placeI give and recommend my Soul into the Hands of God that gave it, and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in Christian Burial at the Discretion of my Executors ; And as touching Such Worldly Estate, wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I give demise and dispose of the Same in the following Manner and Form.And in Respect to my dearly beloved Wife Emm Sands I give to her the Improvement of the One Third part of my Estate during her natural Life and at her Decease the HouseholdStuff and in Door Moveables to be equally divided amongst all our Children. And to my Eldest Son James Sands I give and bequeath all my Eastermost Lot of Land — Provided he the Said James Sands doth pay unto my youngest Daughter Patience Sands the full Sum of Sixty pounds Money old Tenour when She is Eighteen Years old which is the Portion which I give and bequeath unto her besides what She hath already receiv'd But if the foresaid Iames Sands Shall refuse or neglect to pay the Sixty pounds old Tenour then Igive & bequeath unto her my Daughter Patience so much of the foresaid Eastermost Lot of Land as Shall be in Value to Sixty pounds old Tenour which Land aforesaid Shall be prized by two good & lawful men being Sworn to prize the foresaid Land. And as for my Son Thomas Sands and Ephraim Sands, whom I do make and Constitute my Executors, I give and bequeath unto them in equal Halves all the Remainder of my Estate both Real and personal, except Sixty pounds old Tenor which I give to my Daughters Hannah Carterwife to John Carter more than She hath receiv'd and Sixty pounds old Tenor to my Daughter Mary Stimson Wife to Ephraim Stimson more than what She hath received AndSixty pounds old Tenor to my Daughter Ruth Sands besides what She hath received, in allthe Three Sums make One Hundred and Eighty pounds old Tenor which I do oblige Thomas Sands and Ephraim Sands my Executors to pay to my three Eldest Daughters Hannah Mary Ruth above mentioned, The Two eldest Daughters Hannah and Mary Shall be paid at the End of the first year after my Decease, and Ruth Shall be paid when She is Eighteen Years old. And I do oblige my Executors to pay all my just and lawful Debts And I do likewise give unto my Executors all my just and lawful Debts, and if any of my Children either Son or Daughter Shall have any Accompt of Debt or Demand on me or onmy Estate I do deny any Such Accompts and if any there be they that Shall have any SuchAccompts it Shall be in full Satisfaction to them the part of my Estate which I have already Set off for their Portion & no otherwise. And inasmuch as I have made and ordained Thomas Sands and Ephraim Sands my Executors of this my last Will and Testament of all my Homestead of Lands and Marshes and House and Barn and out Door Moveables in equal Halves to divide the Same within the space of one full year next after my Decease by them freely to possess and enjoy And I do hereby utterly disallow revoakeand disannul any other or former Testaments Wills Legacies bequests & Executors by me in any Ways before named willed and bequeathed Ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand and Seal this Eighth Day of Janury Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred forty four, five and in the Eighteenth Year of Our Sovereign Lord George the Second of Great Britain France and Ireland King &c. Signed Sealed published pronounced and declared by the abovesd James Sands as his last Will & Testamt In presence of us the Subscribers

James Sands (a seal)John GrayEzekiel DecosterJohn Davis

York ss. Biddeford March, 13, 1744. James Sands appearing acknowledged this Instrumt or Will on the other Side to be his free & Voluntary Act & Deed. Cor. John Gray Just pace

Probated 16 April 1745. Inventory returned at £1016: 5: 0, by John Davis, Robert Patterson, and Abraham Townsend, appraisers, 10 July 1745106.

James Sands Jr. signed a letter in 1742 requesting the General Court allow the land belonging to

neglected proprietorships in Narraganset, No. 1 be sold to individuals living in nearby communities.

After this he disappears from the record so he must have sold his proprietorship in the town to his two

younger brothers, Thomas and Ephraim.

Thomas Sands, who was living in Saco, purchased land in Narragansett, No. 1 on February 9,

1753, and then on Sept. 27, 1762 but then sold both lots of land the same year107. He appears in records

of Proprietor Meetings in 1754 and 1761 but then disappears from the record108. From this we presume

that he settled in the town at least initially. After 1761 either he was still living there but not involved

in the affairs of the township, or had sold his land and relocated elsewhere.

Ephraim Sands was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts on January 25, 1720. He purchased land in

Narragansett, No. 1, June 13, 1755, and settled there permanently. As a proprietor, he participated in

some of the Proprietor Meetings109. Ephraim was a very skilled at hewing, or squaring round logs for

construction. This work was done with a broad-axe and men would usually draw a line down the

length of the log as a guide so the edge of the beam would be straight. Ephraim became such an expert

with the broad ax that he refused to have his timber “lined.” With each blow, he carried his axe through

the log from the top to the bottom. Thus he was able to hew more in a day than two ordinary axe men.

Ephraim became a master mill-wright, which is someone who builds and repairs mills. He was in

demand for building mills and assisted in building some of the first mills on the Saco river110. Since his

brother-in-law, John Elden Jr., owned and operated mills, the two of them must have worked together

quite closely.

Ephraim married Elizabeth Jones and had four sons. They were Samuel (born 1744), James

(born March 27,1746), Ephraim Jr (born 1750), and John (born 1753)111. While the first three were

older than their Elden cousins, John Sands was near the same age as Nathan Elden and John Elden III

and may have spent considerable time with one or both of them growing up. All four of Ephraim's sons

106 Sargent, pg. 493-495107 Ridlon, pg. 1133108 Goodwin, pg. 166-167, 180-181109 Goodwin, pg. 166-167, 196, 206, 269, 271-272110 Ridlon, pg. 107, 201, 1133-4111 www.familysearch.org/tree ; Ridon, pg. 1134

served as privates in the local militia under their uncle Capt. John Elden in the Revolutionary War.

Ephraim also served in the war under and/or alongside Captain Jabez Lane, also of Buxton. Capt. Lane

was made a Captain by 1777 but no roster of the men who served under him has survived. However, a

booklet kept by Capt. Lane between the years 1775 and 1777 mentions Ephraim Sands. Following is

an anecdote attributed to Ephraim Sands. “At one time, when the company was called up at reveille, the

captain (supposed to be Capt. Jabez Lane) announced to his company that he wanted ten volunteers to

attend him In an attack Involving great personal danger, and asked who would be first. A dead silence

prevailed for a while; at length Phineas Towle stepped forward and volunteered. He was soon followed

by William Andros, and these two were marched to and fro in front of the company, to the great

admiration of their comrades. This proved to be only a ruse of the captain to test the courage of his

men112.”

Tragedy struck Ephraim's family when his son John was found drowned in a river sometime

after the war113. He was believed to have been murdered. How difficult it must have been for Ephraim

for his son to have survived his service in the war only to be killed when he returned home. John was

buried in a cemetery at Pleasant Point, near where the Elden family lived114.

Ephraim was short, had a fair complexion, and became a bit portly in his old age. He formally

joined the Congregational church on July 31, 1803 when he was 84 years old. He lived with his son

James at the end of his life. He died on Jan. 25, 1817 sitting on a block at the door of James' home. He

was in his 98th year115.

Epilogue and Final Thoughts

The legacy of fortitude, hard work and dedication to a cause left by Captain John Elden was

carried on in his family. His grand daughter Abigail Elden married Jacob Townsend and one of their

children was named James Foss Townsend. When Mormon missionaries came to Buxton, James and

his wife Susan accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ whole heartedly. Like his grandfather before him,

James did not just give lip service to his beliefs, he acted on them with a zeal reminiscent of his

grandfather. James and Susan left Buxton to gather with the saints and eventually settled in Utah where

he labored to build a new community on the frontier. He remained true to his faith and actively served

in various church capacities. May we all follow the examples of these great ancestors.

BRH

112 Marshall, pg. 274, 276; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=bryantweb&id=I43939 113 According to Ridlon (pg. 1136) his son, John Jr., was born Dec. 24, 1783 so John Sr. couldn't have died before that year.114 Marshall, pg. 256-258115 Ridlon, pg. 107, 201, 1133-4; Marshall, pg 217