Thomas Waterman

Some sources give his birth date as 1752.

Thomas Waterman inherited the Waterman Tavern located north of Coventry, Rhode Island from his father James in 1777. The tavern was the location chosen by Comte de Rochambeau and his French army en route to and triumphantly back from the Battle of Yorktown. Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau was the commander of the French Expeditionary Force of about 5,500 men sent by the King of France to assist General Washington against the British. His army was camped on the land around the tavern, and Rochambeau and his officers were guests of the tavern.

Waterman's Tavern was built by Richard Waterman 1675-1744 who was either my eighth great-granduncle or my 1st cousin 8 times removed depending on which lineage you trace.

In 1974 the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It is now a restored private home at 468 Maple Valley, Coventry, Rhode Island

The plaque reads:

WATERMAN TAVERN
Used as Headquarters for the French Troops on their march to and from Yorktown 1781-1782.

MAJOR GENERAL NATHANAEL GREENE
GENERAL LAFAYETTE
GENERAL ROCHANBEAU

However, the Marquis de La Fayette was also known to have quartered his troops at the tavern built by my seventh great-granduncle Thomas Angell(1672-1744) in Scituate Rhode Island. At the time my second cousin Andrew Angell (1742-1792) was the third proprietor of Angel's Tavern.

Taverns weren't just a place to get a drink after work. 250 years ago they were where travelers stopped to get a meal and a place to sleep for the night. They were also where public meetings were held. It is likely that many of the events of the American Revolution were planned in the meeting rooms of taverns such as these.

George Washington is said to gave stayed at both locations but specific dates and occasions are not well known.