Tag Archives: American Revolution

Is this service right?: Connecticut Revolutionary War ancestor with service from a different town…

This is one of the most common errors I see with Connecticut Revolutionary War service – most often when someone is looking for lineage society membership. They’ve found DAR or SAR qualifying service for an ancestor of that name in Connecticut, somewhere, and believe that service must be for their ancestor. Unfortunately, it’s not thatContinue reading “Is this service right?: Connecticut Revolutionary War ancestor with service from a different town…”

Prince Mortimer of Middletown (purportedly 1724-1834): Examining Claims of Revolutionary War Service

                 Since the 2006 release of Denis Caron’s A Century in Captivity: The Life and Trials of Prince Mortimer, a Connecticut Slave, discussion of the life of Prince Mortimer of Middletown has largely centered around the trial for attempted murder that resulted in Mortimer’s imprisonment in Old New-Gate Prison.[1] Yet some studies of Mortimer haveContinue reading “Prince Mortimer of Middletown (purportedly 1724-1834): Examining Claims of Revolutionary War Service”

Rethinking the Historical Approach: Using Genealogy to Tell the Story of a Veteran of Color, Pvt. Sharp Liberty, Connecticut Continental Line

Rethinking the Approach In recent years, scholars of Connecticut history have begun to grapple with the prior discussions of the participation of Connecticut soldiers of color in the American Revolution. As one historiographical study notes, the easy accessibility of two problematic texts on the subject online poses potential issues to future research. The author describesContinue reading “Rethinking the Historical Approach: Using Genealogy to Tell the Story of a Veteran of Color, Pvt. Sharp Liberty, Connecticut Continental Line”

What was the 1780 quota act – and why does it matter?

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the several towns within this State shall forthwith choose a committee who shall divide all the inhabitants thereof, who give in a list or are included in any militia roll, either of the trainband, alarm list or companies of horse, into as many classes accordingContinue reading “What was the 1780 quota act – and why does it matter?”

Connecticut and the Firelands

The Origins of the Firelands: According to the Connecticut State Library, the Firelands were created as a result of the state of Connecticut’s attempts to recompense property owners for their losses after British attacks on Danbury, Fairfield, Norwalk, New London, and New Haven. In 1792, 500,000 acres of the Western Reserve was provided to survivorsContinue reading “Connecticut and the Firelands”

Were Connecticut Revolutionary War units integrated or segregated?

Both. Connecticut had one segregated unit: the company of Capt. David Humphreys in the 4th Connecticut. The privates in that company were all men of color. The company never saw its commander, who was assigned as a staff officer to Washington. The men consistently refer to him as Elijah Humphreys in pension applications. Although itContinue reading “Were Connecticut Revolutionary War units integrated or segregated?”