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Capt. Isaac Davis' Company [Revolutionary War]
I discovered this list of names while I was searching for information on my STRATTON line in Massachusetts.
I thought perhaps someone would be interested to see if his/her ancestor was among those who were in the company.
The list comes from the privately published book by William Frederick Adams, James Hayward, born April 4, 1750: killed in the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775: with genealogical notes relating to the Haywards (Springfield, MA, 1911), pp. 45-48.
I thought perhaps someone would be interested to see if his/her ancestor was among those who were in the company.
The list comes from the privately published book by William Frederick Adams, James Hayward, born April 4, 1750: killed in the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775: with genealogical notes relating to the Haywards (Springfield, MA, 1911), pp. 45-48.
"Captain Isaac Davis' Company
The following are the names of all the members of Captain Isaac Davis' company that are now known:
Isaac Davis, Captain
John Hayward, Lieutenant
John Heald, Ensign
Joseph Piper, Clerk
David Forbush )
Oliver Emerson ) Sergeants
George Maxfield )
Seth Brooks)
Luther Blanchard, Fifer
Francis Barker, Drummer
PRIVATES
Joseph Barker
Ephraim Billings
Joseph Chaffin *
Ezekiel Davis
Benjamin Hayward *
Abner Hosmer
Jonus Hunt
James Law
Reuben Law
Joseph Locke
Phillip Piper
David Davis
Elijah Davis
John Davis
Reuben Davis
Jacob Gilbert
Joseph Reed
Stephen Shepherd
Solomon Smith
Jonathan Stratton
William Thomas
Thomas Thorp
Moses Woods *
Abraham Young
*The three men listed with an asterisk " '...all joined in the pursuit of the afternoon, but were not present at the fight.'
"The names of the men in Capt. Isaac Davis' company are the men that went to the bridge and were in the Concord fight, April 19, 1775. Later some of the older members claimed the number was thirty-eight [38]. There never was any list of this company to be found--the reason for which is obvious--every man that joined the company, in the eyes of King George III, was a traitor, and if the colonies had made a failure, would have been hung.
"Davis' company was formed the fall before the fight and they met every week for drill and allowed pay by the town for one-half day's work. It would appear that the colonies knew this war had got to come and they anticipated it. There was never a list printed of the men of Davis' company who were in the fight until the celebration of Acton's [MA] centennial in 1835. There were three or four members alive at this time and in full possession of their powers, and there was also some of the other that were too old and infirm to give their depositions. They were all agreed, however, as to the company list of names.
"The two other companies--one in East Acton commanded by Captain ----- Robbins, the other in West and South Acton, at one time commanded by Captain ----- Faulkner, who was in the fall before [1775] promoted to Major or Adjutant of the 3rd Middlesex Regiment, King George's soldiers. This left command of the company to Lieut. Simon Hunt who also marched to Concord. Their actions prove that they did not go very much in the interest of King George III.
"Both of these companies turned out April 19, 1775, as militia. They had met and drilled from time to time, but not under pay of the town, as was Captain Davis' company.
"There are no company returns or lists of the men who assembled at the North Bridge in Concord to oppose the march of the British, April 19, 1775, in the Massachusetts state archives.
"As far as examination of the records of the Provincial Congress and of the Revolutionary Rolls collection shows, no such returns or lists were ever required or submitted. The alarm rolls preserved cover the service of men who performed definite tours of duty, ranging from one day to four weeks, while the army was in the process of formation.
"The document in Vol. 12, page 116, Revolutionary Rolls collection, does not in itself carry proof that any of the men borne on the roll were present when the assembled militia fired upon the British. The service of the officers and men, as shown by the roll, began April 19, 1775, and they served under the command of John Hayward in the camp at Cambridge from five [5] to twenty-eight [28] days. Lieutenant Hayward was undoubtedly elected Captain of the company by the men immediately after the death of Captain Davis, according to the law governing the militia companies of Massachusetts, and he and the men under him continued service for the terms specified in the pay roll. The company could not have been augmented by recruits, as town companies, whether minute-men or militia, were absolutely local organizations and the place of habitation of the men fixed their membership."
Isaac Davis, Captain
John Hayward, Lieutenant
John Heald, Ensign
Joseph Piper, Clerk
David Forbush )
Oliver Emerson ) Sergeants
George Maxfield )
Seth Brooks)
Luther Blanchard, Fifer
Francis Barker, Drummer
PRIVATES
Joseph Barker
Ephraim Billings
Joseph Chaffin *
Ezekiel Davis
Benjamin Hayward *
Abner Hosmer
Jonus Hunt
James Law
Reuben Law
Joseph Locke
Phillip Piper
David Davis
Elijah Davis
John Davis
Reuben Davis
Jacob Gilbert
Joseph Reed
Stephen Shepherd
Solomon Smith
Jonathan Stratton
William Thomas
Thomas Thorp
Moses Woods *
Abraham Young
*The three men listed with an asterisk " '...all joined in the pursuit of the afternoon, but were not present at the fight.'
"The names of the men in Capt. Isaac Davis' company are the men that went to the bridge and were in the Concord fight, April 19, 1775. Later some of the older members claimed the number was thirty-eight [38]. There never was any list of this company to be found--the reason for which is obvious--every man that joined the company, in the eyes of King George III, was a traitor, and if the colonies had made a failure, would have been hung.
"Davis' company was formed the fall before the fight and they met every week for drill and allowed pay by the town for one-half day's work. It would appear that the colonies knew this war had got to come and they anticipated it. There was never a list printed of the men of Davis' company who were in the fight until the celebration of Acton's [MA] centennial in 1835. There were three or four members alive at this time and in full possession of their powers, and there was also some of the other that were too old and infirm to give their depositions. They were all agreed, however, as to the company list of names.
"The two other companies--one in East Acton commanded by Captain ----- Robbins, the other in West and South Acton, at one time commanded by Captain ----- Faulkner, who was in the fall before [1775] promoted to Major or Adjutant of the 3rd Middlesex Regiment, King George's soldiers. This left command of the company to Lieut. Simon Hunt who also marched to Concord. Their actions prove that they did not go very much in the interest of King George III.
"Both of these companies turned out April 19, 1775, as militia. They had met and drilled from time to time, but not under pay of the town, as was Captain Davis' company.
"There are no company returns or lists of the men who assembled at the North Bridge in Concord to oppose the march of the British, April 19, 1775, in the Massachusetts state archives.
"As far as examination of the records of the Provincial Congress and of the Revolutionary Rolls collection shows, no such returns or lists were ever required or submitted. The alarm rolls preserved cover the service of men who performed definite tours of duty, ranging from one day to four weeks, while the army was in the process of formation.
"The document in Vol. 12, page 116, Revolutionary Rolls collection, does not in itself carry proof that any of the men borne on the roll were present when the assembled militia fired upon the British. The service of the officers and men, as shown by the roll, began April 19, 1775, and they served under the command of John Hayward in the camp at Cambridge from five [5] to twenty-eight [28] days. Lieutenant Hayward was undoubtedly elected Captain of the company by the men immediately after the death of Captain Davis, according to the law governing the militia companies of Massachusetts, and he and the men under him continued service for the terms specified in the pay roll. The company could not have been augmented by recruits, as town companies, whether minute-men or militia, were absolutely local organizations and the place of habitation of the men fixed their membership."
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