John Daboll, Jr

http://www.dxhansen.com/SSHubbard2-o/p14.htm#i2637

Defender and survivor of the Ft. Griswold massacre.

"John Daboll a private of the 8th Regiment of Militia came with others of his company at the first alarm He was living at the time on the Providence turnpike a mile and a half from the ferry near what is now a family burial ground in which he is buried

Born February 13 1 75 1 a grandson of Samuel who came from Easthampton LI to Groton in 1 7 1 8 he was a cousin of Master Nathan Daboll the author of the arithmetic and almanac which bear the family name

He was married in 1774 and had three children at the time of the battle afterward five others His wife died April 2 1803 In 1804 he married widow Sarah Halsey by whom he had two sons David Luther and William Vincent both of whom are now living in Providence RI The following incident was related to the writer by his father who had it from the lips of the hero of this narrative

His story is that after he was wounded in the hand he was knocked down by a blow from the butt of a musket and while lying faint and half senseless a soldier covered him with his bayonet threatening to run him through At this moment a British officer hearing him beg for his life knocked the gun one side and said There you d d rebel I have saved your life In a moment of gratitude he on his knees thanked his preserver saying I thank you sir I thank you sir He was paroled and met his anxious wife on the road waiting for news from the battle field

A leading Baptist a member of Elder Wightman's church he took an active part in the struggle that divided every town in the State previous to the adoption of the present Constitution on the question of taxation for church uses being elected a member of the constitutional convention in opposition to the then established order

A justice of the peace he was otherwise a prominent man in the councils of the town until his death which occurred May 7 1825"

source: The Battle of Groton Heights: A Collection of Narratives, Official Reports ... By William Wallace Harris p 231-2

_____

Esquire John Daboll, 1803, was a survivor of the Fort Griswold massacre, although pierced with seven musket balls. He resided between Center Groton and the Bank and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1818. The Noank Dabolls are his descendants.

GROTON, CONN. 1705-1905 BY CHARLES R. STARK, Stonington, CT, 1922, p. 90