Stephen Trowbridge

Stephen was baptized at Wilton Congregational Church, Fairfield Co, CT on June 22, 1760. He married Isabel Frasier/Fraser on May 10, 1780 at Skenesborough (now Whitehall), NY.

Stephen Trowbridge and his father came to Ballston, NY shortly before the Revolutionary War. He became a soldier, served with the Green Mountain Boys under Col. Ethan Allen and General Arnold. He was in Major John Brown's detachment at Quebec in 1776. He enlisted again from Ballston, NY Jan. 3, 1777 "for the war in Capt. Wm. McEwns Co., Col. Seth Warner's regiment. He became a Sgt. shortly after enlistment and took part in battles of Hubbardton, Bennington, Saratoga and Fort George where he was taken prisoner Oct. 11, 1780. He was exchanged and joined Capt. Samuel Potter's Co. in Col. Heman Swift's 2nd Reg. Conn. line until end of war. Discharged honorably at Highlands, N.Y. June 8, 1783.

In application for pension Stephen says this, "In the year 1777, on the 2nd of Jan., I was engaged in a Reg. commanded by Col. Seth Warner, for during the war. I fought, and served my country faithfully through the war to the end without any impeachment through thick and thin, cold, wet and dry, sometimes half naked and half starved. Often glad to get raw hides to sew on our feet in cold winter weather to keep from freezing. When on duty or sentry, I suffered the fatigues and hardships of a long war, two years captivity, taken at Fort George, on Lake George, and when exchanged, I, with pleasure, returned to duty again, and served to the end of the war, and got an honourable discharge from Gen. Washington, specifying in it that I was entitled to the badges of honour for my faithful services to my country, it being six years and seven months; after I got from the war I got married and lived in Salisbury in Conn. but not getting any pay for the last part of the war we all had to come home poor."

His widow in her pension application says, "I was taken prisoner with my husband and so kept over two years, in the time of the Revolution. My mother was opposed to my marriage; my father dead. Trowbridge stole me away and married me with little form and in haste--my brother Captain Frasier, belonged to the British army, and my Uncle was General Frasier, killed at the battle of Saratoga. This Captain Frasier was in the habit of visiting me and happened to be there when my husband and I came back after the reconciliation with my mother, which was two or three weeks after the marriage. The next night Capt. Frasier came with some men and took us both prisoners and carried us to Montreal. Mr. Trowbridge was a great singer of songs, and knew many adapted to the times and situation and used to sing them in Montreal, for which he was frequently imprisoned, when Capt. Frasier was not there, but as soon as he found it out he was released through his influence on my account, as I insisted on and was permitted to share his close confinement."

After the war Stephen engaged in farming. He lived in Salisbury, Conn., then removed to Williston, Vermont. While clearing up some land he was injured by a rolling log and had to give up his farm. He was then engaged in the mercantile business for several years in Sullivan, NY. He left his family in that town and went to Canada where he was in business for several years. In 1817 he removed to Berkshire, Vermont for the remainder of his life.