Revolutionary War Biographies – Pine Grove Cemetery

John Allen

Born: 1740; Died: Sept. 1809

Married: Eunice (born:1734 and died:1833)

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery

Was in a company of volunteers under the command of Captain Asa Danforth, who marched from Brookfield, on Sept. 23, 1777, to join the army under the command of General Gates and took part in the Battle of Saratoga, on Oct. 7, 1777. Service 22 days. Was with Benjamin Barrett, Silas Stone, Jacob Kent, and John Gilbert, IV.

Lt. Nathan Allen

Born: 1749; Died: Sept. 1814

Married: Persis Gilbert, Jan/1774

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

A minute man who marched April 19, 1775, from Brookfield with the three companies that started for the scene of conflict. He was in Col. Jonathan Warner’s Reg’t. Captain Ithamar Wright’s Co. Serg’t Nathan Allen’s service 8 days. In Col. Brewer’s Reg’t for 8 months when Massachusetts called for 13,500 men.

Andrew Banister

Born: May,1762

Married: Bathiah Witt

Parents: Thomas & Marcy Whelor

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

Fifer, Capt. William Tucker’s Co., Col. Jacob Gerrish’s Reg’t, enlisted July 8, 1778; discharged Jan.1, 1779. Service 5 mos. 25 days, including time to return home. Receipt for 3 months bounty, dated Brookfield Oct. 20, 1779. Fifer, Capt. Joseph Richardson’s Co., Col. Samuel Denny’s Reg’t, enlisted Oct. 19, 1779, and discharged Nov. 23, 1779. Service l month 12 days at Claverack. Company raised in Worcester County for 3 months of service. Fifer, Capt. Timothy Paige’s Co., Col. John Rand’s Regiment, enlisted July 5, 1780.Disch. Oct. 10, 1780.Service 3 months 15 days at West Point. Enlistment 3 months

Moses Barnes Jr.

Born: June/1748; Died: 1835

Parents: Moses (b:1714, d:1802) & Hannah Old

Married: Lydia Bartlett in 1770

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

A private in Capt. Ithamar Wright’s Co. which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, returned home May 1, 1775.Service 15 days. Corpl. in Capt. John Bannister’s Co., Col. Job Cushing’s Reg’t. Enlisted Sept. 7, 1777; Discharged Nov. 29, 1777.Service 3 mos. 2 days at Northward. His father, Moses, was in the French & Indian War.

Capt. Benjamin Barrett

Born: 1758;  Died: 1851

Married: Patty (Martha) Snow in January 1787

Parents: Benjamin (b:1725; d:1785) & Thankful Proctor (b:1727)

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

In the company of volunteers under the command of Capt. Asa Danforth, marched from Brookfield on Sept. 23, 1777, to join the army under the command of Gen. Gates. Took part in the Battle of Saratoga, on Oct. 7, 1777. Service 13 days.

Corporal Reubin Blair

Born: 1756; Died: Jan. 1834

Married: Susanna Shepard in 1778

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

Capt. Ebenezer Newell’s Co., Col. Danforth Keyes’s Reg’t. Pay abstract for bounty for service from Oct. 10, 1777, to Jan. 4. 1778, 2 mos. 25 days. Enlisted July 10, 1777. Also in a list of men who received arms from the province dated North Kingston, Dec. 15, 1777; also muster roll dated Providence, R.I., Dec. 22, 1777; enlisted for 6 mos. In Capt. John Carpenter’s Co. Enlisted Oct. 6, 1779; Discharged Jan. 6, 1780; service 3 mos. with guards at Springfield. The company attached to guards 3 mos. from the time of arrival at Springfield.

Joel Gilbert

Born:  1759; Died: Jan. 1837

Married: Ruth Waite in July/1781

Parents: John & Sarah Abbott

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

In the Autumn of 1776, the army under Washington, then on the North River, came near being broken up by the expiration of short-term enlistments. At the solicitation of Washington, the Continental Congress provided for the formation of a regular army to serve during the war. In the list of men who enlisted for 3 years in 1777, was Joel Gilbert.

Jonas Gilbert

Born: 1762; Died: 1834

Married: Violaty Luce of Ware

Parents: John & Sarah Abbott

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

Capt. Timothy Paige’s Co., John Rand’s Reg’t: Enl. 7/5/1780; Discharged Oct. 10′ 1780. Service 3 mos. 15 days, travel included at West Point; company raised for 3 mos. Also a Private in Capt. Adam Bailey’s Co., Col. John Bailey’s 2nd Reg’t commanded by Lt. Col. Sprout subsequent to Jan. 1, 1781. Enlisted Jan 23, 1781, at the age of 19, in the Continental Army, 1781-1784, the last 3 years of the Revolutionary War. Receipt dated Feb. 21, 1781, for bounty paid said Gilbert by Capt. Loring Lincoln and others, to serve in the Continental Army to the credit of the 1st Precinct in Brookfield for a term of 3 years.

Lemuel Gilbert

Born: 1747; Died: Apr.1841

Married: Ruth Gilbert in 1770

Parents: Thomas & Judith Goss (m:1718)

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, West Brookfield

One of 12 children, his brother John (b: 1723) was in the French & Indian War. Lemuel was a private in Capt. Timothy Paige’s Co., Col. James Converse’s Regt. Enlisted Aug.21, 1777. Discharged Aug. 31, 1777. Service 10 days. The Company marched to Bennington on alarm that year.

Josiah Henshaw/Hincher

Born: 1753; Died: 1829

Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, West Brookfield

On Nov. 14, 1774, a group of men formed themselves into a Company of “Minute or Piequit Men” as had been recommended by the Provincial Congress. Josiah Hincher (Henshaw) was on that list. The Town (Brookfield) took official recognition of this company of local volunteers at its special meeting of Jan. 9, 1775.

At the Lexington Alarm, Josiah’s name was on the roll of minute men that marched from Brookfield on April 19, 1775, in Col. Jonathan Warner’s Reg’t., commanded by Capt. Jonathan Barnes. The name on roll was Josiah Hincher. Service 9 days. Josiah Henshaw enlisted on April 27, 1775. Was listed as Private in Capt. Peter Harwood’s Co., Col. Ebenezer Learned’s Reg’t., muster roll dated August 1, 1775. Service 3 months, 1 week, 5 days. Also, receipt of bounty coat dated Dec. 20, 1775, at Roxbury Camp. Listed on the return of men raised to serve in the Continental Army after the surrender of Burgoyne, Capt. Ebenezer Newell’s 7th Co., Col. James Converse’s 4th Worcester Co. Reg’t sworn-in at Brookfield. Feb. 21, 1778. Residence listed as Brookfield engaged for town of Brookfield; joined Capt. Lane’s Co., Nixon’s Reg’t; term 3 years or during the war.

Capt. David Hitchcock

Born 1740   Died July 14, 1814 at 74 yrs.

Buried Pine Grove Cemetery GS8 Section 1N, Lot 1

Capt. Zachariah Hunt

Buried- Pine Grove Cemetery sec.1 so- Lot 17

Private in Capt. Theophilus Wilder’s Co/;  Col. David Chushings Reg’t;  enlisted March 20, 1778. Discharged April 4, 1778;  service 16 days under Maj. Thomas Lathrop at Hull;  also Capt. John Lincoln’s Co., Col. Webb’s Reg’t.;  marched to camp August 16, 1781; discharged Nov. 29, 1781;  service 3 months, 28 days, including 3 days preceding the march and travel of 240 miles home.

(Revolutionary War records in State Archives)

Capt. John McClenathan

Born 1713   Died Dec. 12, 1810, at 97 yrs.

Buried Pine Grove Cemetery GS6  Section 1N, Lot 44

Private in Capt. Phineas Walker’s detachments of guards, 7th Worcester Co. Reg’t;  enlisted Oct. 7, 1779;  service 18 days. Stationed at Rutland, Mass.

Lt. Joseph Newell

Buried Pine Grove Cemetery GS6  Section 1N, Lot 2

Among enlisted men from Brookfield in 1777

Israel Smith

Silas Stone

Buried  Pine Grove Cemetery GS6 Section 1S, Lot 19

Among a company of volunteers under the command of Capt. Asa Danforth who marched from Brookfield on Sept. 23, 1777, to join the army under the command of General Gates and took part in the Battle of Saratoga Oct. 1777. Time of service 22 days.

Moses Tyler

Born March 16, 1756 Died March 8, 1825

Buried in Pine Grove Cemetery  GS6   Section 1, Lot 5

A roll of Minute Men in Col. Jonathan Warner’s Reg’t. commanded by Capt. Johnathan Barnes marched from Brookfield when news of the British advance on Lexington and Concord reached Brookfield on the afternoon of April 19, 1775.  9 days service.

Capt. Peter Harwood’s Co. Colonel Learned’s Reg’t.: order given for bounty coat endorsed Nov. 21, 1775; also a private in Capt. John Bannister’s Co., Col. Job Cushing’s Reg’t. enlisted Sept. 7, 1777.  Discharged Nov 29 including 9 days- 180 miles home.

If you have bits and pieces of information on West Brookfield’s soldiers, please feel free to contact us. We welcome any additions or corrections to these pages. We look forward to new information and hope you will come back to check “our” tribute to West Brookfield’s soldiers as it continues to grow.