A Patriot of the American Revolution for MASSACHUSETTS with the rank of PRIVATE. DAR Ancestor #: A046261

Joel Goodall was born 12 August 1760 at Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts, the son of Nathan Goodell and Dinah Weeks. As a young man, he enlisted as a private in the Revolutionary War. A plaque on his grave states that he served in Col. Sparhawk's Regiment, also known as the 7th Worcester County Militia Regiment. The regiment spent the winter of 1776-1777 with Gen. George Washington's main army at Morristown, New Jersey. The regiment was again called up at Barre, Massachusetts on August 16, 1777 as reinforcements for the Continental army during the Saratoga campaign. The regiment marched quickly to join John Stark at Bennington, Vermont and then to General Horatio Gates at Saratoga, New York. The regiment served in General Warner's brigade. With the surrender of Burgoyne's Army on October 17 the regiment was disbanded on October 18, 1777.

On the 15th of October, 1783, Joel married Mary or Molly Swain, daughter of Nathaniel Swain and Mary Emerson. The couple resided for a number of years in both Worcester and Hampshire counties in Massachusetts until moving to northern New York. Watertown, New York was first settled in March of 1800. Joel Goodall has been listed as one of the first settlers. He spent the rest of his life in Watertown. He and his wife are buried in the Huntingtonville Rural Cemetery on the outskirts of Watertown.