Captain Thomas Chester, REV

• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Oct 28 2018, 0:00:01 UTC

ID: I103Name: Thomas ChesterSurname: ChesterGiven Name: ThomasSex: MBirth: 18 Aug 1721 in Groton, New London, ConnecticutDeath: 1801 in Connecticut_UID: AFCEC203D733764BB295C39387460AA32402Note:"[Augustin] Chester...; son of Elisha of Groton, Ct,...; son of Thomas Chester of Groton Ct, born there Aug 18, 1721, d. there, farmer, held many trusts, interested in education, church and state, was selected to carry money to the army (m. 1743 Sarah Eldridge b. Mar 19th 1725, died January 19th, 1798). {From ?American Ancestry: Giving Name and Descent, in the Male Line, of Americans Whose Ancestors Settled in the United States Previous to the Declaration of Independence, A. D. 1776?. By Thomas Patrick Hughes, Frank Munsell, 1889}According to research by his granddaughter, he was involved in fending off British attack at Ft. Griswold, New London Connecticut on 31 December 1781. Two of his sons, Daniel and Eldridge, died in the battle and are listed on the Ft. Griswold Memorial."Two of the sons of Samuel Chester were Thomas and Benajah. Thomas, who resided in the old Chester homestead in Shinnecosset, was paymaster for Connecticut troops during the Revolutionary War. On September 6th, 1761, he armed three of his sons for the defense of Fort Griswold. Two of them were massacred after they had surrendered, and the other was taken prisoner. The land on which the Fort Griswold house and adjacent cottages now stand was owned by Benajah Chester and his son Starr. Their house was burned by the enemy during the war. Starr Chester, son of Benajah, subsequently purchased a large tract of land, a part of which is now known as Long Point. His son Nicholas became the father of Fanny, wife of Thomas Chester, and mother of Mrs. Prest." {Biographical Review of New London Connecticut, 'Edward Prest', 1898, Internet Archives of American Libraries, <http://www.archive.org/details/biographicalrevi00biogo>}"Daniel Chester - Killed, Age 27. Gravestone Inscription: Here Lies ye Body of Mr Daniel Chester son of Mr Thomas Chester Who was Killed in fort Griswould after he Surrendered sept 6th 1781 in ye 27th year of his Age. I for my Countrys Cause have fought, My blood was split upon ye Earth By Relentless Inhuman foes I fall a sacrifice to Death."According to his nephew Augustin, "Daniel was one of the crew of the privateer Minerva, Captain Dukdley Saltonstall, which captured the prize ship Hannah, bound to New York, richly laden with cotton woollen, and silk goods, whose capture is thought to have incensed the British, and provoked the reprisal which resulted in the scenes of September 6." {Battle of Groton Heights, by C. Allyn, 1882, <www.heritagequest.com>}"Sgt. Eldredge Chester - Wounded, later died of wounds, Age 24. Gravestone Inscription: 'Here Lies ye Body of Mr. Eldredge Chester son of Mr Thomas Chester who was wounded in fort Griswould sept 6th 1781 and died of his Wounds decr 31st in ye 24th year of his Age Relentless was my foe Deaths weapons through me went, Fell by ye Fatal blow, Linger'd till life was Spent.'{Ft. Griswold, Known Defenders Resting Place, by Michael Meals, <http://www.revwar.com/ftgriswold></http:>, 22 Nov 2003}According to several WorldConnect databases, Thomas and Sarah had 14 children:Thomas 1743-1781; Sarah 1745-; Bathsheba ~1760 m. Thomas Havens; Zerviah 1749-1831 unmarried; Abigail ~1751-aft 1803;Catherine 1753-1820 unmarried; Daniel, abt 1754-1781;Charles 1757-1781 ; Eldridge 1758-1781; Mary 1761-; Matilda 1763-; <<Nathan 1765- , m. Abigail Walworth; >>Elisha 1767- , m. Mary Chester; and Frances 'Fanny', abt 1769, m. John Chester (son of John and Abigail Chester). "The name of this family, always honorable in Groton, derives additional honor from the memory of three brothers, Daniel, Eldridge and Charles, who were among the gallant defenders of Fort Griswold at the time of the battle. Only Charles escaped with his life. Two other brothers, Nathan and Elisha, married two sisters, Abigail and Mary, daughters of Elisha Walworth and Desire Packer." {'Walworths in America' by Clarence Augustus Walworth, 1897, GoogleBookSearch, <http://books. google.com>}1Change Date: 5 Jan 2014 at 09:17:04 HintsAncestry Hints for Thomas Chester

   2 possible matches found on Ancestry.com	Ancestry.com Father: John Chester b: ABT 1691 in Groton, New London, Connecticut Mother: Mary Starr b: 29 Jun 1696 in New London, New London, Connecticut Marriage 1 Sarah Eldridge b: 1725 in ConnecticutMarried: 9 Sep 1742 in Stonington, New London, ConnecticutNote: "Extracted from History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, CT; Richard Wheeler, Norwich, 1875"; Marriage Records of Stonington; <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin></http:>ChildrenHas Children Elisha Chester b: 12 Dec 1767 in Groton, New London, Connecticut Sources:Title: Chester Family Heritage: Descendants of Samuel ChesterAuthor: Lori Chester MaillartPublication: PDF file available at <http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/h/e/Lori-E-Chester></http:>Note: Can access for free through Genealogy.com -- under 'Family Home Page'. Email lorichester@hotmail.com. As of May 2009, page last updated in August 2003.

* Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Oct 28 2018, 0:09:53 UTC