Jeremy and Walter Clarke, and Freeborn Williams

click on pictures to enlarge

This is the grave site of Jeremy (is step uncle a correct title?) and Walter Clarke, 8th great granduncle who were father and son governors of Rhode Island. The graveyard is located in Newport and has two names, Gold Hill Cemetery and Clifton's Burying Ground; Clifton was the original owner of the property. Also, buried here with no marker is Freeborn Williams, Roger williams' daughter.  Freeborn was Walter's 2nd wife and Walter was Freeborn's 2nd husband.  Both had been widowed. They shared no children. Jeremy was the second....or third (depending on which version you believe) husband of Frances, "The Falconer's Daughter" Latham, 9th great grandmother. Frances is buried in the "Old Section" of the Common Burial Ground of which you can read more about in her own posting which is further on.

As near as I can determine the stone reads:

Here lyeth intered

the body of Walter

Clarke Esq. A Former

Govern of this colony

and was worthy in his

day of doble hon. for

his religious & civil con-

cerns. He departed this life

the 22 day of May in the 72

year of his age Anno Domini

Lt. Benjamin Maxwell

 

Benjamin was a 5th great grandfather. He was born in 1737 and died in 1829. He fought in the Revolutionary War with his brothers, Hugh and Thompson.

 

This was Benjamin Maxwell's house in Heath, MA

Major Thompson Maxwell

He was the younger brother of Lt. Col.Hugh and Lt. Benjamin (5th great grandfather) Maxwell and as such is an 5th great granduncle. He was a life-time soldier and It's difficult to understand why somebody hasn't written a book or made a movie about him.
He joined the military when he was 14 or 15 years old and retired at 77. During the 62 year interim he was a Provisional Ranger during the French and Indian Wars from 1757 to 1763 serving in Roger's Rangers as well as three other units commanded by Captains Lovell, Barnes and Brewer. From 1775 to 1779 he fought in the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill and many other historical places. He is documented on all known lists as a participant in the Boston Tea Party, helping to plan the "party" at John Hancock's house. Just think for a minute of the significance of this.....here we have our 5th great granduncle sitting there with our 5th great grandfather, Ebenzer Dorr, along with Paul Revere, Samuel Adams and other members of the Committee of Correspondence and Safety plotting one of this countrys most well known historical events in John Hancock's living room. In 1787 he fought in Shay's Rebellion. He also fought from 1812 to 1819 against England in the War of 1812 and then at Tippecanoe. Was a POW at age 71 and was exchanged at 73. I have searched, unsuccessfully, every way that I know how to find an American POW, from any era, that was older than Thompson and I can't find anyone. He spent the last four years of his career as Barracks Master at Detroit until he was finally pensioned from the army at age 77. He was wounded at least once. Equally amazing, he lived to about 93 years of age.
The above is only a hint of his adventures; click on the link below to read, in his own words, the rest of his incredible story.
http://books.google.com/books?id=hkwwKWvozdQC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=major+Thompson+Maxwell&source=web&ots=OTEFkmLqUo&sig=3NitpbMiHTEkfeZSF76wj6ijQCs&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA271,M1

Lt. Col. Hugh Maxwell

http://www.shaysrebellion.stcc.edu/shaysapp/artifact.do?shortName=maxwell_silhouet

Hugh Maxwell's house in Heath, MA.

Hugh Maxwell 5th great granduncle silhouette by Frederick Chapman, 1781 and memorial monument located in the South Cemetery in Heath, MA. Hugh was wounded in the battle of Bunker Hill and survived the winter at Valley Forge. He died and was buried at sea in 1799. One of the original members of the Society of the Cincinnati.

http://www.crookedlakereview.com/articles/101_135/131spring2004/131robortella.html

Major General Israel Putnam "Old Put"

Israel Putnam being rescued from being burned alive during the French and Indian War. Click on picture.

2nd cousin 8x removed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Putnam

Like his cousin, Brigadier General Rufus Putnam, Israel fought in both the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. Israel was the officer in command at the battle of Bunker Hill which was mostly fought on Breed's Hill. That's one version. Other versions have Col. William Prescott in command. Both men were there and history records that they both made a good accounting of themselves. However, as a former member of the military, I'm pretty certain that generals don't usually report to colonels. O.K., here's another version from the notes of Major Thompson Maxwell: There were three hills involved in the battle, Breed's Hill, Bunker Hill and Winter Hill. Generals Putnam, Heath, Sullivan and Colonel Prescott were all at Bunker Hill and Putnam had overall command. Click on this link for details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill Click on the following link to read of his exploits including crawling into a cave on his hands and knees to kill the last wolf in Connecticut.http://members.tripod.com/~compmast/putnam/putnam.html

Brigadier General Rufus Putnam

3rd cousin 7x removed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufus_Putnam

"The Father of Ohio", Surveyor General of the United States 1796-1803. Fought in the French and Indian War as well as the Revolutionary War. Established Marietta, Ohio as the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory.

One of the original members of the Society of the Cincinnati. See the "Notable Ancestors" blog entry below for more information.

The Dorr Trail

Julia Alice Dorr B.1872 D. 1932 and William Henry Sprague B.1850 D. 1920

Van Buren Dorr B. 1837 D. 1908 and Sarah J Putnam B. 1840 D. 1906

Henry Gustavus Dorr B. 1807 D. 1855 and Amy Davis

Andrew Cunningham Dorr B. 1772 D. 1842 and Charlotte Plimpton B. 1781 D. 1817

Ebenezer Dorr B. 1739 D. 1809 and Abagail Cunningham B. 1739

Ebenezer Dorr B. 1712 D. 1782 and Amy Plimpton B. 1714 D. 1782

Ebenezer Dorr B. 1687 D. 1760 and Mary Boardman B. 1689 D. 1728

Edward Dorr B. 1648 D. 1733 and Elizabeth Hawley B. 1650 D. 1719

Joseph Dorr B. abt 1600