As always, I
recommend to all readers and researchers to verify any information found here.
I have done my best to provide source information and verify it myself. If
errors are found, please forward them for editing. With this new format, I may
be editing often and will try and note any changes from previous research.
Check back often for updates.
I will try to
present here, a record of all the soldiers who fought in the American
Revolution of the Tufts family of Charlestown, Massachusetts. While no record
could ever be complete, I will do my best and hope that it serves as a good
reference for readers to find information on their ancestor or just to enjoy
the stories of these heroes. I will also add the soldiers of the name Tufts
that may not be from this family.
I am fortunate enough to be able to draw on
the research of historians before me. Herbert Adams compiled the most accurate
and thorough guide to the Tufts families in Tufts
Kinsmen. The family listings there have
short biographies that often list military service. I will do my best to quote that reference briefly as allowed by copywright and give credit to the book. The book is available in 2 volumes by sending an e-mail to tuftskinsmenbook@comcast.net and can be found in some libraries in the Boston area.
The internet allows great opportunities for research and often includes images of the actual records. I use ancestry.com and fold3 and quote them often here.
The internet allows great opportunities for research and often includes images of the actual records. I use ancestry.com and fold3 and quote them often here.
The family of Peter
Tufts the immigrant to Charlestown, Massachusetts before 1638 lived in Medford,
Malden, Somerville and other local towns so were in the heart of the turmoil in
Boston and every available man and boy answered the call in some manner. There
was a record of at least one Tufts Loyalist who decided against the Revolution.
His story will follow the list of Patriots. There is also the story of Ann Tufts
the nurse at Bunker Hill.
We know of at least
three Tufts who gave their life in the fight for independence: William Tufts
died in the Battle of Bennington in 1776. Aaron Tufts died in an English prison in 1781,
and Adam Tufts died in service in 1778. Ichabod Tufts may have died at the
battle of Bunker Hill.
I do not have a total number of Tufts
sons who served in the war. I may have that number by the end of this part of
the blog. There certainly could have been more than I have found but this
research accounts for the eligible sons of the families in the colonies at that
time and matches them to the records readily available. The story of William
Tuffs/Tufts suggests that some men could have served and not been
recorded. http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/03/william-tuffs-history-or-mystery.html Some young boys could have tagged along with their fathers and beat
the company drum, and some old timers could have supported the militia close to
home without serving in any unit.
The best way to
detail all these Tufts is alphabetically. I have added as much as I have on
each soldier. Because there were many repeated names and records it was often difficult
to assign the correct soldier to each record so there may be mistakes or
duplications. As always I strongly recommend researchers to seek out the actual
record when possible or contact me for source information.
Aaron
Tufts
Aaron Tufts born in
1761 in Medford was the son of William and Suzanna (Dix) Tufts. His male
ancestors from Peter the immigrant were Jonathan, James, William and his father
William Junior, who also served in the war. His Uncle Aaron was a soldier in
King Phillips war who never returned after serving. http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/11/tufts-military-history-part-one-before.html
Aaron may have turned out with the minutemen
for Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill in 1775 but he would have been only
14. The first record of his service is in 1777 for a three year term. He is
clearly shown in Colonel Jackson’s regiment from 1777 to 1780. In September of
1777 the regiment was in the thick of the fight at Saratoga where Francis Tufts
showed heroism and the Medford regiment was decisive in the victory. Medford
in the Revolution lists the names of several Medford soldiers who were in
the charge to take the fort at Stillwater and Aaron and George Tufts are among
them.
In 1780 he apparently signed up again for a
six month tour. Discharged in December 1780 he probably had enough of the army
and enlisted in the new US Navy. Tufts
Kinsmen does not assign these army
records to him. Instead, it states he enlisted in the Navy in 1778 and 1780. I
have not found the record of this first Navy enrollment. The Kinsmen note almost exactly copies the
wording in Medford in the Revolution
which does not state which enlistment is for army or navy. There was no other
Aaron who could have served the army enlistments that I am aware of. He was definitely
captured aboard the Essex and died in
Old Mill Prison, England. The privateer Essex
sailed from Salem, Massachusetts and was commanded by Capt John Cathcart in
May 1780, which took the Margaret Christiana, but lost her to recapture.
The owners were Job Prince and others of Boston. She was captured by the British
warship Queen Charlotte, in June 1781, with crew members brought to Mill
Prison in July 1781. This is clearly recorded in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 19,
1865 by the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the
American Revolution:
·
Tufts, Aaron, Medford, List of men raised to serve in the
Continental Army from 1st Middlesex Co. regt., as returned by Lieut. Stephen
Hall; residence, Medford; engaged for town of Medford; joined Capt. Bancroft's
co., Col. Jackson's regt.; term, 3 years; also, list of men mustered by
Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston, March 16, 1777;
Capt. Bancroft's co., Col. Jackson's regt.; reported received State bounty; also,
Private, Capt. James Bancroft's co., Col. Michael Jackson's regt.; Continental
Army pay accounts for service from March 4, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779; also,
Capt. Wade's co., Col. Michael Jackson's regt.; Continental Army pay accounts
for service from Jan. 1, 1780, to Feb. 28, 1780.
·
Tuffts, Aaron, List of 6 months men raised
agreeable to resolve of June 5, 1780, returned as received of Maj. Joseph
Hosmer, Superintendent for Middlesex Co., by Justin Ely, Commissioner, dated
Springfield; also, descriptive list of men raised to reinforce the
Continental Army for the term of 6 months, agreeable to resolve of June 5,
1780, returned as received of Justin Ely, Commissioner, by Brig. Gen. John
Glover, at Springfield, July 8, 1780; age, 19 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 7 in.; complexion,
dark; engaged for town of Medford; marched to camp July 8, 1780, under command
of Ebenezer Kent, Esq.
·
Tufts, Aaron. Pay roll for 6 months men raised by
the town of Medford for service in the Continental Army during 1780; marched to
camp July 4, 1780; discharged Dec. 12, 1780; service, 5 mos. 20 days, including
travel (220 miles) home
Mariners of the American Revolution:
Ancestry
Peter Tufts(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702) http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/tufts-ancestry-most-tufts-inamerica-can.html
JonathanTufts(1660-1722) Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca Waite (1662-1775)
James Tufts (1681-1783) Medford, Massachusetts and Ruth Grimes(1681-1721)
William Tufts(1713-1783) Charlestown, Massachusetts and Katherine Wyman (1717-1748/9) http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/11/tufts-military-history-part-one-before.html
William Tufts Jr. (1726-1782) Medford, Massachusetts and Susanna Dix(1734-1801)
Adam Tufts, as best I can
determine, may have been the servant of Stephen Tufts. The record below shows
his marriage interest to another Negro servant. Stephen Tufts of Malden was
either Stephen the son of John from Peter the immigrant or his son Stephen Jr. Adam
enlisted from Chelsea, so he could have been from an unknown family. No Adam
Tufts is found in any other record. More research needed.
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the American Revolution:
·
Tufts, Adam, Chelsea, List of men raised to
serve in the Continental Army, as returned by the Selectmen, Militia Officers,
and Committee of Correspondence of Chelsea, and sworn to in Suffolk Co. by
Capt. Samuel Clarke; residence, Chelsea; engaged for town of Chelsea; joined
Capt. Greenleaf's co., Col. Francis's regt.; term, 3 years; also, list
of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, Muster Master for Suffolk Co., dated
Boston, Feb. 16, 1777; Capt. Greenleaf's co., Col. Francis's regt.; reported
received State bounty; also, Private, Capt. Moses Greenleaf's co., Col.
Benjamin Tupper's regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from Feb. 4,
1777, to April 16, 1778; reported died April 16, 1778; also, Capt.
Greenleaf's co., Col. Ebenezer Francis's regt.; subsistence allowed from date
of enlistment, Feb. 4, 1777, to time of arrival at Bennington; credited with
52½ days allowance; 230 miles travel allowed said Tufts; also, Capt.
Greenleaf's co., Col. Tupper's regt.; return dated Jan. 25, 1778; mustered by
County and Continental Muster Masters; reported on command at Albany.
·
Reported died April 16, 1778 private with Tenth
Massachusetts.
·
Tufts, Adam, Malden, List of men raised to serve
in the Continental Army [year not given]; residence, Malden; engaged for town
of Malden.
Andrew Tufts
Andrew Tufts
Andrew Tufts was
born in 1761 in Medford, Massachusetts. He was the son of Joseph Tufts
descending from Peter through his sons Jonathan, Joseph and Joseph. His father was a Captain in the Revolution. Just sixteen years old in 1777, he served
three months and went to Saratoga but it is unclear if he was in the battle. He
married Mary Blake of Boston and had five children in Worcester and Mason NH.
His namesake son Andrew was a riverboat captain in Louisiana. I believe there
is an interesting story of his family for later.
- Tufts, Andrew. Private, Capt. Aaron Jewett's co., Col. Samuel Bullard's regt.; enlisted Aug. 15, 1777; discharged Nov. 29, 1777; service, 3 mos. 26 days, with Northern army, including 11 days (220 miles) travel home; company marched to Saratoga. Roll dated Littleton.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown,
Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan
Tufts
(1660-1722) Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca
Waite (1662-1775)
Joseph
Tufts (1704-1758)
Medford MA and Lydia Francis
(1703-1778)
Joseph
Tufts (1730/1-1778)
Medford MA and Hannah Cutter
(1723/4-1779)
Children
Hannah
Tufts married
George William Gould of Rhode Island and had a family in Pomfret
CT.
Sarah
Tufts (1798-1842)
died in Longmeadow, MA, single.
Andrew
William Tufts (1799-1855)
married Eunice Tozer and had 7 children in
Massachusetts before removing to
Louisiana, including Andrew William Tufts, a
confederate soldier.
Lucy
Williams Tufts (1800-1821) died in Lynn, MA, single.
Ammi
Augustus Tufts (1802-1805) born in Mason NH.
Mary
Ann Tufts (1805-1899)
born in Mason, she married John Webber of Malden MA
and had a family there.
Barnabas Tufts
Barnabas Tufts was
born in Medford, Massachusetts in 1743 and died in 1795 in Topsham Maine. He was the son of John Tufts from James,
Jonathan, and Peter. He served as a drummer in Colonel Wigglesworth’s regiment
in 1777, marching as far as Albany. He
married Susannah Tucker of Gloucester in 1766. He and his father joined the
tide of Gloucester families eager to settle the wilds of Maine in 1764.
According to The Gray and New Gloucester
Register 19O5 they lived between Gloucester and North Yarmouth or New
Gloucester, Maine (near Portland), settling in Topsham. His father was a mariner
and married 2 women named Sarah, named 2 of his son’s John (from different
mothers), and his son John married 2 wives both named Abigail. (Just to be confusing
for researchers).Tufts Kinsmen states
Barnabas was a brick maker and called “Barnaby”. It also says the children’s
birth records were unfound. Their children were all said to have been born in
Gloucester, but moved with the family, and most married into Maine families.
Barnabas’ youngest son, Richard, is called a Captain, was a master mariner and
lived in Rockport and Gloucester. This family left several Maine families of
Tufts daughters and a legacy in Gloucester of Richard’s family.
- Tufts, Barnabas, Gloucester, Drummer, Capt. Nicholas Blasdel's co., Col. Wigglesworth's regt.; pay abstract for travel allowance, etc., from Albany home; 360 miles travel allowed said Tufts; warrant allowed in Council Jan. 21, 1777.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan
Tufts
(1660-1722) Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca
Waite (1662-1775)
James
Tufts (1681-1733)
Medford, MA and Ruth Grimes (1681-1721)
John
Tufts
(1705/6-1761) Charlestown, MA and Sarah
Pierce (1709-1747)
Children
Sarah
Tufts (1766)
Gloucester, MA married James Walker
(1766-1830) of Lisbon Falls, ME and had a family in Poland, ME.
Lucinda
Tufts (1767-1857)
married Joseph Conant (1767-1833)of
Westbrook, ME and had a family in Topsham, ME.
Susannah
Tufts (1774)
married paul Ross of Bowdoinham and may have had 3 children in Jefferson ME (?)
Judith
Tufts (1778-1852)
married Nathaniel Jellison Pratt
(1776-1850) and had 6 children in Bowdoinham, ME.
Hannah
Tufts (1781)
married Ebenezer White of New
Gloucester, ME and may have had 3 children.
Richard
Tufts,
Captain, master mariner, (1787-1863) married Rhoda Goss (1794-1871) and had 13 children in Gloucester MA
including George Washington Tufts who died in the Civil War.
Spirit Of 76 By Archibald M. Willard
Benjamin Tufts
Benjamin Tufts was
born in 1731 in Medford MA and died there in 1804. He was the son of Benjamin
from John, and Peter. He also had a son Benjamin (1761-1826) who would have
been 14 years old for the Revolution. The only record of service must be for
the father. He would have been 44 for the war and less likely than others to
fight but was paid to recruit and served locally as a guard. Benjamin married
first in 1760 to Esther Lynde of Malden. And second, Lydia Francis of Medford,
having families with each.
·
Tufts, Benjamin. Account of money paid by persons
to hire men to go to Canada [year not given], examined and allowed by a
committee at Medford Oct. 8, 1776; also, account of money paid by
persons to hire men who went to New York in Sept., 1776, examined and allowed
by a committee at Medford Jan. 13, 1777; also, Private, Capt. Benjamin
Blaney's co., Col. Eleazer Brooks’ [p.132] regt. of guards; joined Jan 12,
1778; service to April 3, 1778, 82 days, at Cambridge.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
John
Tufts (1664-1728)
Malden, MA and Mary Putnam
(1668-1758)
Benjamin
Tufts (1699-1774)
Charlestown MA and Mary Hutchinson
(1708-1742/3)
Children:
With
Esther Lynde (1740/1-1778)
Benjamin
(1761)
Medford, MA married Hannah Turner
(1773-1841) and had 9 children in Medford.
Esther
(1763)
Medford, married Hezekiah Blanchard
(1758-1818) and had 5 children in Boston and Medford including Benjamin Tufts Blanchard (1790)
Jacob
(1765)
Medford, married Ruth Binford
(1768-1844) and had 5 children in Medford.
With
Lydia Francis
Mary
(1779-1795)
single.
Elizabeth
(1780-1795)
single. (Perhaps these 2 teenagers fell to one of the numerous epidemics)
Caleb Tufts
Caleb Tufts was
born September 1, 1762 in Medford Massachusetts and died October 21, 1852 in
Mystic Connecticut. He was the son of Samuel Tufts of Medford, the son of Joseph
from Jonathan and Peter. Caleb was just 14 in 1776 when he signed on with
Colonel Dike‘s Regiment. They were assigned guarding supplies around Boston. He
signed on again for the same duty in 1779 for another 3 months. His father
Samuel was one of the 9 minutemen from Medford and served around Boston and
Caleb’s brother Samuel also served. On December 2, 1786 Caleb married Rebecca
Burrows of Groton Connecticut. They had 4 children there and are recorded in 19th
century census. Tufts Kinsmen states
they were in Southampton (Long Island) NY in 1790 but that record was not
found. It also calls him a bricklayer and farmer. There is a long history of brick
making Tufts in Medford. He and some of the family are buried in the Old Packer
Burying Ground in Mystic CT.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)Jonathan Tufts (1660-1722) Malden. MA and Rebecca Waite (1662-1755)
Joseph Tufts (1704-1758) Medford, MA and Lydia Francis (1703-1778)
Samuel
Tufts
(1732-1818) Medford, MA and Hannah Tufts
(1735-1796) (his first cousin James’ daughter, only 3 years his junior)
Ezekiel Tufts (9 May 1790-28 July 1819) married Ann Chesebrough Williams (1792-1872). They had Abby and Caleb E Tufts. He died at sea aboard the Saranus.
Rebecca Burrows Tufts (11 October 1799- 15 April 1893) married James Reed (1783- ) CT, had at least 2 Reed children in Groton CT. She later may have married Edward Sands. She had the same name as her first cousin born in 1798 from Caleb’s brother Gershom. Information on this family is hard to find. Any help would be appreciated.
Hannah Tufts (18 May 1802-2 December 1882) New London, CT married William Thornton and ? Pailor (?). No children for her have been found. She is buried at Burrows cemetery in Mystic.
Caleb Burrows Tufts (1819-?) may have married Hannah E Lathrop (?). He had a first cousin with the same name born in 1800 in Medford MA from Caleb’s brother Gershom as well as his nephew from Ezekiel (Caleb E. Tufts above). More information needed.
Cato Tufts
Cato Tufts
apparently was an African American who must have taken the name of his owner.
He appears on different lists of African American soldiers in the war. His name
is often seen as Turfts and variations of the name. Those lists are often
referenced in many books one of which states he was from Londonderry. The
recently published (2003) "Strong
and Brave Fellows": New
Hampshire's Black Soldiers and Sailors of the American Revolution, 1775-1784 by
Glenn A. Knoblock (McFarland & Company Incorporated) states that he was
from Londonderry New Hampshire. He is credited from the town of Medford MA and
mentioned in Medford In the Revolution
but no more information is given. Soldiers signed on from many towns as any
Revolutionary researcher knows. There were Tufts families in Londonderry or
Windham NH prior to the Revolution but Deacon John Tufts, the immigrant
shipwreck mystery man, had moved his family to Belfast Maine by the war. http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/here-is-my-first-attempt-at-article-on.html
John’s daughters
Polly Pinkerton, Ann Moore and Margaret Senter were the only Tufts that
remained in New Hampshire when the others went to Maine. It is possible Cato
was a servant of one of these daughters, and could have even accompanied Margaret’s
husband Major Asa Senter or Polly’s husband Major Pinkerton when they went to
Bunker Hill as Senter is recorded there. I will hope to research this more and
would appreciate any help from other researchers. There’s
probably more to the story also as it appears Cato was drummed out early in the
war and no other record of him has been found (yet!).
·
Tufts, Cato, Medford, Capt. Ephraim Corey's co., Col. William
Prescott's regt.; order for bounty coat dated Camp at Cambridge, Oct. 31, 1775;
also, Matross, Capt. James Swan's (1st) co., Col. Thomas Crafts’ (Artillery)
regt.; abstract for advance pay, etc., sworn to at Boston, June 8, 1776; also,
same co. and regt.; service between Aug. 1, 1776, and Nov. 1, 1776; reported
drummed out; roll dated Boston. (A
Matross was a soldier of artillery, who ranked next below a gunner.) The duty
of a matross was to assist the gunners in loading, firing and sponging the
guns. They were provided with firelocks, and marched with the store-wagons,
acting as guards. In the American army a matross ranked as a private of
artillery. The word is probably derived from French matelot, a sailor.
Daniel Tufts
There were 2 Daniel
Tufts of age to fight in the Revolution. The first Daniel was born December 27,
1753 in Charlestown, Massachusetts, from Nathan, Peter, John, and Peter the
immigrant, and the second Daniel was born March 30, 1759 in Medford, MA from James,
James, James, Jonathan, and Peter. They were second cousins, once removed. There
are 2 records of service as well. This is from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolution:
·
Tufts, Daniel, Medford, Private, Capt. Isaac Hall's co., Col. Thomas
Gardner's regt., which assembled April 19, 1775; service, 5 days; also,
account of money paid by persons to hire men who went to New York in Sept.,
1776, examined and allowed by a committee at Medford Jan. 13, 1777; also,
Capt. Nathan Sargeant's co., Col. Jacob Gerrish's regt. of guards; detached
July 2, 1778; service to July 17, 1778, 15 days; regiment stationed at Winter
Hill.
The other record
from Medford in the Revolution does
not match that record. It does state he turned out for the alarm at Lexington and
it matches the 1776 loan or bounty.
·
Tufts, Daniel. Private, Lexington alarm, worked
with team at Dorchester Heights, March, 1776; 2d Lieut. of militia, 1781;
loaned money to pay bounty, Sept., 1776. Born, 1753; son of Nathan and Mary
(Adams) ; married Abigail Tufts, died in Charlestown, Mass., April 27, 1839;
buried in Phipps Street Cemetery, Charlestown ; lived near Powder House,
Somerville ; land where his house stood set off from Medford to Charlestown,
1811.
An application for membership in The Sons of the
American Revolution by Arthur Kidder in 1913 states that his Great Grandfather
Daniel Tufts the soldier, was the one born in 1753 from Charlestown, MA.
Tufts Kinsmen does not state that either served.
It has no other information except to state that the Daniel from Charlestown (1753)
was a brick maker and butcher and details his family that includes his son
Charles who was the benefactor of Tufts University. Massachusetts records
available on line at ancestry.com confirm both Daniels exist with birth and
marriage records but the Daniel born in 1753 is listed as baptized in
Cambridge.
These records lead me to the conclusion that Daniel
born in 1753 was the soldier. The confusion of places could be attributed to
the changing of town lines and persons attending churches in different
parishes. The other Daniel (1759) could have served but he would have been only
16 years old. The details below are for Daniel the soldier (1753). He married
his first cousin once removed. She was Abigail Tufts from Benjamin, John, and
Peter. They had 4 children in Medford, MA.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
John
Tufts (1664-1728)
Malden, MA and Mary Putnam
(1668-1758)
Peter Tufts (1697-1776)
Charlestown MA and Lydia Bucknam
(1703/4-1776)
Peter lived at the top of Winter Hill [now
Broadway, Somerville] and it is believed his was the first door on which Paul
Revere knocked, in the night of April 18th 1775, after Revere had escaped from
the British guards. He warned Peter that
the British Regulars were on the march to Lexington and Concord. He answered
Revere’s call to arms and immediately prepared to hike to Lexington where he
fought the retreating Regulars returning from Concord. (From Tufts Kinsmen) He would have been 78
years old in 1775.
Nathan Tufts (1724-1771)
Charlestown MA and Mary Adams
(1733-1815)
Children
Daniel Tufts Jr. (31 December, 1776-21 September, 1767) married Martha Bradshaw (10 March, 1780-25 December, 1815) Daniel was a tanner. They had 4 children of which only 2 daughters lived to adulthood.
Gilbert Tufts (27 April, 1778-9 July,, 18850 married Mary Chickering (22 November, 1789-24 June, 1863) Gilbert was a grain merchant and tanner, as well as being elected representative to the general court. They had 8 children in Charlestown.
Charles Tufts (16 July, 1781-24 December 1876) married Hannah Robinson (25 April, 1795-24 November, 1878). Charles was the man who put the “light on the Hill” as Tufts University is called. He donated the land and money to bring about the school which is now Tufts University. They had no children.
Nathan Tufts (10 March, 1786-1 August, 1872) married Sarah Miller (8 October 1790-3 October, 1886). Nathan was in the family business of brick making, butchering, and grain dealing. This whole family inherited great land and money and were also successful businessmen. Nathan and Sarah had 8 children in Charlestown.
David Tufts
There were six David
Tufts born in the time frame that would make them eligible to be soldiers in
the Revolution. Three of these died young. The first David Tufts to appear in
Tufts records was born February 25, 1724/5 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He
was the son of Nathaniel Tufts from John and Peter. Tufts Kinsmen has the note “David died young” but no date or
record. The second David appears April 28, 1728 and was the son of Thomas from
Peter and Peter. Kinsmen has the
notation “David must have died young” and no date or record. The
third David was born in 1753 in Malden and was the son of Stephen from John
and Peter. There is a detailed history
of this ship’s Captain and Master Mariner who served in the Revolution in
Cambridge 17 days (Kinsmen) (see
below). The fourth David was born in 1756 in Portsmouth and died as an infant,
according to Kinsmen. This was the
family of James Tuffs/Tufts from James, James, and Peter that lived between
Medford and the woods of Portsmouth NH and spelled their name Tuffs at times. I
would like to know if he did die in New Hampshire and if he is buried in some
old graveyard in the Seacoast or the woods somewhere there. The fifth David was
born in 1758 to William from James, Jonathan and Peter. He is well recorded in
Massachusetts Vital records as dying in 1759. His parents named their next son
David who was born June 17, 1763. He
died July 6, 1823. This is the
soldier for whom I have found the records below. It is claimed David was present
at the Battle of Concord, April 19, 1775. As far as I know he would be the only
Tufts who made it there. Many others turned out and battled the British returning
to Boston, but he is the only Tufts I know of that was at the battle. He was
twelve years old at the time, so I am skeptical. The record comes from Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the
War of the Revolution. He could have turned out with the rest of the Tufts
from Medford that day. His brothers Samuel and Francis responded. All his
cousins listed here did and I would say his father William went out. William
died in service during the war and was over 60 years of age. Even David’s 2
brothers-in-law were credited with service that day. In some listings David
appears as Corporal David Tufts. His brother Francis was the hero at Saratoga
later in the war. His descendent Colonel Gardiner Tufts was a Civil war officer.
·
Tufts, David. Private; copy of a list of
men belonging to Lynn, now called Lynn, Lynnfield, and Saugus, who served at Concord battle and elsewhere
[year not given].
·
Tufts, David. Private, Capt. Benjamin
Blaney's co., Col. Eleazer Brooks’ regt. of guards; joined Jan. 16, 1778;
service to April 3, 1778, 78 days, at Cambridge. Tufts, David. Receipt dated
Billerica, June 18, 1781, for bounty paid said Tufts by the several classes of
the town of Billerica to serve in the Continental Army for the term of 3 years.
·
Tuffts, David. Descriptive list of men raised in
Middlesex Co., agreeable to resolve of Dec. 2, 1780, as returned by Joseph
Hosmer, Superintendent for said county; age,
18 yrs.; stature, 5 ft. 9 in.; complexion, light; hair, light; eyes, blue;
occupation, farmer; engaged for town of Billerica; engaged March 24, 1781;
term, 3 years.
·
Tufts, David. Served guarding troops of
convention, 1778; joined Continental Army at Clavarack, 1779. Enlisted for
Billerica for 3 years, 1781. Son of
William and Mary (Francis); born June 17, 1763; died July 6, 1823, in Lynn;
married, 1st, Mary Massey; 2d, Elizabeth Mansfield ; 3d, Eunice Hart. First
regular express driver in Lynn; kept a hotel coiner Federal street and Market
Square, Lynn. Ancestor of Col. Gardiner Tufts.
David married three
times and had three sets of children. He first married Jane Massey (January 30, 1757-November 16, 1795) and had 4
children. Then he married Elizabeth
Mansfield (May 29, 1769-August 22, 1801) and had at least 2 children.
Thirdly, he married Eunice Hart
(November 8, 1770-June 20, 1854) with whom he had 4 children. All the children
were born in Lynn.
Ancestry
Peter Tufts (the immigrant)
(1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan Tufts (1660-1722)
Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca Waite
(1662-1775)
James Tufts (1681-1733)
Medford, MA and Ruth Grimes
(1681-1721)
William Tufts (10 June, 1713-29 October, 1783) and Mary Francis (26 June, 1719-30
November, 1812)
Children with Jane
Massey:
JANE
TUFTS (1789-1837)
married Isaac Lewis, Richard Mansfield, and John Putnam.
DAVID TUFTS, Jr. (1791-1833) married Mary Ann Hill of Exeter NH.
SAMUEL
TUFTS
(1794-1853) married Anna Stone and
had William B, Henry, Samuel F, David B, and Mary J.
SARAH
TUFTS,
Sally (1795-1795)
Children
with Elizabeth Mansfield:
RICHARD
TUFTS,
(1797-1880) married Susanna Newhall,
had Richard S, married Rebecca Brooks
and had Susan, Gardiner, Eliza E, Lydia A, and Richard.
ELIZA
TUFTS (1799-1869)
married Aaron Blanchard and had 6
children in Medford.
baby TUFTS (1801)
Children
with Eunice Hart:
MARY
FRANCES TUFTS (1803-1803)
JOSEPH
HART TUFTS (1805-1806)
WILLIAM FRANCIS TUFTS, (1807-1884)
married Mercy Jane Babcock and had
William F, Luther G, Charles H, George F, Mary E, and Ida.
MARY
FRANCIS TUFTS (1809-1811)
JOSEPH
HART TUFTS (1812-1813)
This
David Tufts born August 28, 1753 who
died November 28, 1804 is the third
David mentioned above. He was a ship’s Captain and Master Mariner and according
to Tufts Kinsmen served 17 days at Cambridge
in the Revolution. It would be hard to imagine he didn’t serve with some unit
when the war began unless he was at sea. He likely was more involved in
privateering and fighting or dodging the mighty British Navy. I have found no
record of his service but will add it if I find it later. He was the son of
Stephen from John and Peter. He married Elizabeth Pratt of Malden, MA and had 8
children there.
Ebenezer
Tufts (3)
1)
Ebenezer Tufts (Eben)
Ebenezer Tufts born
March 18, 1737 in Medford was the son of James from James, Jonathan and Peter
the immigrant. His family is full of
soldiers and Patriots and he was one of the Medford “Minutemen” who turned out
for Lexington April 19, 1775 and saw service around Boston. He was 38 years old
with a young family in Medford. We know he also paid money for men to go to New
York in 1776, so he did his part. He was in business with others of his family
making bricks.
·
Tufts, Ebenezer,
Medford, private, Capt. Isaac
Hall's co., Col. Thomas Gardner's regt., which assembled April 19, 1775;
service, 5 days. List dated Medford, Dec. 9, 1776, of men drafted from town of
Medford Dec. 9, 1776, to march to Cambridge and join Capt. John Walton's co.
and go to Noddle's Island; name of said Tufts appears after that of Benjamin
Hall, Jr., which is crossed out on list; also, Private, Capt. Walton's
co.; enlisted Dec. 9, 1776; discharged Dec. 12, 1776; company detached for
service at Noddle's Island.
·
Tufts, Ebenezer, account of money paid by persons
to hire men to go to Canada [year not given], examined and allowed by a
committee at Medford Oct. 8, 1776.
·
Tufts, Ebenezer, private, Capt. Caleb Brooks'
co., Col. Brooks' regt. of guards; joined Nov. 3, 1777; service to April 3,
1778, 5 mos., at Cambridge, also private, Capt. Benjamin Blaney's co., Col.
Eleazer Brooks’ regt. of guards; joined Jan. 19, 1778; service to April 3,
1778, 75 days, at Cambridge.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan
Tufts
(1660-1722) Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca
Waite (1662-1775)
James
Tufts (1681-1733)
Medford, MA and Ruth Grimes
(1681-1721)
James
Tufts
(1703/4-1769) Medford, MA and Lydia Hall
(1705-1753)
Children
with Abigail Cook b. 18 March 1735 in Medford, d. 22 Nov. 1797
ABIGAIL
TUFTS (1760-1778)
unmarried
EBENEZER
TUFTS,
distiller (1761-1826) married Elizabeth
Tarbox and had Ebenezer, Abigail, and Ephraim.
SARAH
TUFTS,
Sally (1765-1843) unmarried
RUTH
TUFTS (1776-1786)
unmarried
EPHRAIM
TUFTS,
distiller, (1769-1853) married Abigail
Ingersoll and had Ephraim, Elizabeth, Benjamin I, Abigail C, and Ebenezer.
LYDIA
HALL TUFTS (1772-1772)
MARY
CLARK TUFTS (1772-1772)
FITCH TUFTS, distiller (1782-1852) married Mary Hyde and had Mary, Ebenezer F, and Martha.
2)
Ebenezer Tufts
Ebenezer Tufts born April 19, 1761 in Medford was
the son of William from John, James, Jonathan and Peter. Ebenezer’s father
William was the first cousin of the Ebenezer above (1737), the father of Zachariah Tufts of Morgan’s
sharpshooters, and hero at Louisburg in 1745. This Ebenezer was 14 in 1775 so
may not have turned out in the early battles, but we find the records below for
which he would have been 15. While these records are confusing, I have
confidence they are correct for this soldier. The first record below is from
Medford in the Revolution which assigns his parents and details his Rhode
Island service. The second details the service in Colonel Baldwin’s Regiment
which he swore to in his pension application.
Ebenezer married twice and had families with both
wives. The family moved often as the children were born Billerica, Pepperell,
and New Hampshire. By 1810 he settled in Marlborough, NH and at least one child
was born in Keene.
·
Tufts, Ebenezer Enlisted for 1 yr., 1776; was in
battle of Trenton; also served in R. I., 1780, in Col. Cyprian How's Regt. Son
of William (noted for bravery at siege of Louisburg), and Catherine (Tufts);
born, 1761 ; married, 1st, Hannah Levistone, 1781 ; 2d, Elizabeth Traverse,
1802. He was a nephew of Lieut. Moses Tufts, his mother's brother, pensioner.
·
Tufts, Ebenezer, Woburn Private, Capt. John
Wood's (5th) co., Lieut. Col. Loammi Baldwin's (late Col. Samuel Gerrish's)
38th (also given 37th) regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted May 28,
1775; service, 65 days; also, list of men who were in need of blankets,
dated Medford, Aug. 9, 1775; also, abstract for wages from Aug. 1, 1775,
dated Camp at Medford, Sept. 1, 1775; also, pay abstract for Sept.,
1775; receipt for amount of abstract dated Chelsea, Oct. 30, 1775, and signed
by Capt. Wood; also, company return [probably Oct., 1775]; also,
receipt for money in lieu of bounty coat dated Medford, Dec. 28, 1775; also,
Capt. Wood's co.; list of recruits for the new establishment in Col. Baldwin's
regt., approved by Brig. Gen. W. Heath in Camp at Cambridge, Dec. 30, 1775; also,
Private, Capt. Wood's co., Col. Baldwin's (26th) regt.; pay abstracts for Feb.
and March, 1776; also, same co. and regt.; pay abstract for April, 1776,
dated New York; also, same co. and regt.; pay abstract for May, 1776; also,
same co. and regt.; pay abstract for June, 1776, dated New York; also,
order dated Trenton, Jan. 2, 1777, signed by said [p.133] Tufts, for wages for
service and allowance for equipments, etc., taken at Trenton Dec. 26, 1776,
payable to Corporal Caleb Simonds; also, Capt. Wood's co., Col.
Baldwin's regt.; pay abstract for travel allowance, etc., for the year 1776,
sworn to in Middlesex Co., April 21, 1777; reported discharged 320 miles from home;
amount due said Tufts receipted for by Caleb Simonds.
·
Tufts,
Ebenezer Private, Capt. Stephen Frost's co., Col. Cyprian How's regt.;
entered service July 31, 1780, 3 days preceding march; discharged Nov. 1, 1780;
service, 3 mos. 5 days (also given 97 days), at Rhode Island, including travel
(60 miles) home; regiment raised for 3 months.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan
Tufts
(1660-1722) Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca
Waite (1662-1775)
James
Tufts
(1681-1733) Medford, MA and Ruth Grimes
(1681-1721)
John
Tufts
(1706/7-1761 Charlestown MA and Sarah
Pierce (1709-1747)
William
Tufts
(1727-1771) Medford MA and Katherine
Tufts (1734-1785)
Children With
Hannah Livingston (or Levistone) b. 22, Feb.
1760 in Billerica, MA d. 20, May 1802 in Marlborough. N. H.
HANNAH
TUFTS (1781-?)
married John Pierce.
CATHERINE
TUFTS,
Katherine (1783-1783)
WILLIAM
TUFTS (1785-1814)
married Anna Cutter and had Anna R
and Hannah L.
EBENEZER
TUFTS (1787-1809)
BETSEY
TUFTS (1790-?)
married Moses Greenfield.
ELIAKIM
TUFTS (1794-1860)
LYDIA
TUFTS (1795-1874)
married Rufus Chapin.
CATHERINE
TUFTS (1796-?)
married Reuben Clark.
PHEBE
TUFTS (1799-1863)
married William Sayles, died in
Detroit MI
WITH
Elizabeth Travis b. 19, July 1765 in Holliston, MA d. after 1820
in Detroit, Mich.
ABIGAIL
TUFTS (1803-1836)
married Joel Fairbanks and had 7
children in New Boston, NH
ELIAKIM
TUFTS (1806-?)
Marlborough, N. H.
3)Ebenezer
Tufts
Ebenezer Tufts born
February 16, 1761 was the son of Ebenezer (1) above. He was old enough to have
served in the war as many others his age did, including his cousin above who
was born 6 months prior in the same year. Tufts Kinsmen does not list any
service and the other records seem to match his father and cousin above. There
is however, the additional record:
·
Tufts, Ebenezer Return of men raised in Essex Co.
for Continental service, agreeable to resolve of Dec. 2, 1780; engaged for town
of Danvers; engaged Aug. 6, 1781; also, Private, Capt. Seth Banister's
co., Col. William Shepard's (4th) regt.; muster roll for Sept., 1781, dated
Continental Village; enlisted Aug. 6, 1781; enlistment, 6 months; also,
muster rolls for Oct., 1781-Feb., 1782, dated York Hutts; reported deserted
Feb. 26, 1782.
This record may not
be for him or may be for an unknown Ebenezer, or one of the above. It was not
uncommon for soldiers to be listed as deserted when they returned during lulls in
the fighting or to tend to farms and families. There are no other corresponding
records.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan
Tufts
(1660-1722) Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca
Waite (1662-1775)
James
Tufts (1681-1733)
Medford, MA and Ruth Grimes
(1681-1721)
James
Tufts
(1703/4-1769) Medford, MA and Lydia Hall
(1705-1753)
Ebenezer
Tufts (1737-1809)
Medford, MA and Abigail Cook
(1735-1797)
Children
with Elizabeth Tarbox b. Mar. 1763 in Saco, ME, d. 8, Dec. 1843 in Milton, MA
EBENEZER
TUFTS (1790-1809)
ABIGAIL
TUFTS (1795-1821)
married George Revere, son of Paul
and Sally Revere
EPHRAIM
TUFTS (1797-1863)
married Mary Whiting (1800-1872) and
had 3 children.
There is also a
record of other Ebenezer’s born in the time frame to have served. William (above),
the hero at Louisburg and father of Ebenezer (2), had an Ebenezer in 1753. He died in 1760. The child is well recorded in
vital records and Tufts Kinsmen. There is now a record from ancestry.com “MA
town vital records”/Vital records of
Medford which list a son born to William Jr. named Ebenzir Tuffts in 1756. When
I present all the William Tufts we will see this issue again but for now it
remains labeled “more research needed”. Someday I may discover the truth of all
these Tuffs/Tuffts and find out if their Scots-Irish
heritage is myth or fact. http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/07/william-tuffs-part-2-who-are-you.html
Please forward any
information to align these Ebenezer’s with their appropriate records. The families
they left seem to be complete.
Elias
Tufts
Elias Tufts was
born July 13, 1751 in Charlestown Massachusetts. He was the son of Jonathan
from Jonathan, Jonathan, and Peter the immigrant. He had a brief service in the
Revolution. He turned out for the Lexington alarm April 19, 1775 and served as
fifer in Rhode Island 21 days in 1777. (If that record is correct. It states
“Ellis Tuft”.) He married Sarah Fillebrown of Arlington and lived in Watertown.
His death record has not been found. Tufts Kinsmen states he and his wife died
in Pembroke NH with no reference. His brother in-law, Dr. Thomas Adams, and his
sister Sarah raised a family in Pembroke from 1783-1797. Elias and Sarah had
only one daughter, Sally who was born in Pembroke NH in 1774 (NH Vital records).
She died in 1784 but her death record is missing and Tufts Kinsmen gives no
reference. Sarah’s father Edward Fillebrown was a second generation farmer
around Charlestown and Menotomy (Arlington). He served in Canada in the French
wars and in the Revolution. A good history of this family can be found on line:
Genealogy of the Fillebrown family: with biographical sketches. Boston,
Mass.: Charles Bowdoin, c1910. That reference does show the old Fillebrown home
and says Sarah died there.
(There were 2 other Elias Tufts; Elias born in
1776 to John from Benjamin, John and Peter who died in 1843 unmarried and confirmed
in Malden vital records, and Elias born in 1791 to Peter from Peter, Peter,
John and Peter. He died in 1852 in West Cambridge/Arlington. There is a
marriage record which probably belongs to one of these men to Nabby Symmes in
1813. There is also an Ebenezer Tufts who married a Sarah Fillebrown in 1843
which is not accounted for in Tufts Kinsmen.)
·
Tuffts, Elias, Private, Capt. Samuel Barnard's
co. of militia, Col. Thomas Gardner's regt., which marched on the alarm of
April 19, 1775; service, 2 days. Roll endorsed “Watertown.”
·
Tuft, Ellis, Fifer, Capt. Peter Penniman's
co., Col. Wood's regt.; service from April 18, 1777, to May 7, 1777, 21 days;
company marched for defence of Rhode Island
Eliakim
Tufts
Eliakim Tufts was
born September 4, 1767 in Medford Massachusetts. He was the son of William from
John, James, Jonathan and Peter. His father was the hero at Louisburg in 1745.
His brothers were Zachariah, Ebenezer (above), and William who was killed at
the Battle of Bennington. There is no record of his service in Massachusetts Sailors and Soldiers but
his pension application states he served from 1781-1783 in Colonel Newhall’s 5th
Regiment of the Massachusetts line and Col. Vose’ 1st MA Regiment.
It goes on to state he served in New York until 1783 and was discharged by
Colonel Knox. He was credited to Billerica and it appears this was his
residence. He later removed to Groton, where the application was made.
He married Sarah
Ross in 1788 in Billerica. They are enumerated in census records in Billerica,
Bedford, and Groton Massachusetts where most of their 13 children were born. He
apparently was a farmer and had moved to Littleton before he died February 19,
1825 1825. I did not find the grave of this hero online.
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan
Tufts
(1660-1722) Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca
Waite (1662-1775)
James
Tufts
(1681-1733) Medford, MA and Ruth Grimes
(1681-1721)
John
Tufts
(1706/7-1761 Charlestown MA and Sarah
Pierce (1709-1747)
William
Tufts (1727-1771)
Medford MA and Katherine Tufts
(1734-1785)
Children
with Sarah Ross (21 Jan. 1765-1 July 1822)
Sarah
Tufts (1788-?)
m. Asa Lowell and had 8 children in
Groton MA
Catherine
Tufts (1791-1791)
William
Tufts (1794-1811)
Catherine
Tufts (1796-1859)
m. William Dupee and had 8 children
in Westford MA.
Eliakim
Tufts (1797-?)
Mary
Tufts (1798-?)
m. Benjamin Brown and had 2 children
in Charlestown MA.
Lucy
Tufts (1800-1825)
m. Brooks Bowman.
Eliakim
Ross Tufts (1801-1821)
Levi
Tufts (1804-1854)
m. Betsey Fletcher and had 6
children, only one male who died single.
Achsah
Tufts (1804-1979)
m. Brooks Bowman (above) her sister’s
widower.
Dorinda
Tufts
(1806-?) m. Leonard Foster, also Drake, Cushing.
George
Tufts
(1808-1809)
Ebenezer
Tufts
( 1810-1823)
Eliphalet
Tufts
Eliphalet Tufts was
born in 1759 in Lee New Hampshire. He was the son of Henry from Thomas, Peter
and Peter the immigrant. His brother was the infamous horse thief from NH. http://tuftsgenealogy.blogspot.com/2012/10/henry-tufts-blacksheep-of-otherwise.html
ELIPHALET fought in
the Revolutionary War, appearing on the Muster Roll of men raised as recruits
for three New Hampshire regiments in the Continental Army till the last day of
Dec. 1780, having been mustered at Kingston by Josiah Bartlett. He started his
engagement July 4, 1780 and was discharged the following Dec. 6 having served 5
months, 15 days, and was paid £60 12d extra for travel of 100 miles to Worcester.
[RWNH 4:67, 78 & 97]. In 1781 (according to Pension Bureau records) he is
on the muster roll of Company A commanded by Capt. Joshua Woodman in Col.
Daniel Reynolds’ Regiment of the New Hampshire Militia. [RWNH 4:435]. He was
again mustered by Col. Wentworth for service at Portsmouth, N. H. as a Private
in Capt. Sias’ Company on Sep. 29, 1779 and served in Capt. George Tuttle’s
Company, Col. Stephen Evans’ Regiment. of New Hampshire Militia and joined the
Continental Army under Gen. Horatio Gates at Saratoga 1777, [RWNH 2:698, 699
& 312] serving at Soldiers Fortune near West Point, N. Y. in 1778 [HNFS
662]. He was discharged Nov. 11, 1781 [RWNH 4:435].
Quote from Tufts Kinsmen 2010
I did find records
at fold3 that match this listing. Kinsmen states he died in 1807 in Lee, NH
unmarried. No other records have been found for him that indicates otherwise.
The records of Lee were destroyed in a fire years ago.
I have looked for
his grave and believe it is probably in the cemetery that is located behind the
old farm on Lee Hook Road in Lee. There are newer graves of the later occupants
and probably old fieldstones under the ground cover. I hope someday to find a
way to discover if the grave of this Revolutionary War hero is there and can be
recognized. The current owners of the
home have been there for many years and continue farming. They were friends of
mine when I was a young man. They welcomed a discovery visit from me and my
fellow Tufts researchers a few years ago. They also said an old hatchet was
found in the walls when some work was done years ago.
Francis
Tufts (2)
1) Francis Tufts born July 21, 1744 was the son of
Benjamin from John and Peter. He was a Free Will Baptist minister, farmer,
early settler in Farmington Maine and one of those who moved from Maine to Ohio
along with many of his family and others. He wanted to join his family that had preceded
him in what was called Ohio fever. Following the eruption of Tambora in
Indonesia in 1816 much of the northern continent was burdened by long hard
winters so many moved west. There is over a full page in Tufts Kinsmen describing his life starting in his log cabin in
Farmington ME and trip to Ohio at age 87 (1000 miles mostly on horseback in 39
days). He is also mentioned frequently in history books of Maine including A
history of Farmington, Franklin County, Maine: from the earliest explorations to
the present time, 1776-1885 by
Francis Gould Butler.
He served in the
Revolution as a private in Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. His service
is detailed in his pension application from Ohio in 1832.
·
He enlisted in 1775 from Lincoln County in Maine
where he was living and went to Tiverton Rhode Island. After the he was engaged
around Boston for the siege of Boston and helped build defenses at Dorchester
Heights.
·
In 1777 he was part of a militia band from Maine
who went to Penobscot bay to an Island where someone was selling cattle to the
British.
Ancestry
Peter
Tufts
(the immigrant) (1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
John
Tufts (1664-1728)
Malden, MA and Mary Putnam
(1668-1758)
Benjamin
Tufts (1699-1774)
Medford MA and (2nd wife) Hannah
Johnson (1716-1796)
Children With
Sarah Blunt 1)
Francis, 2) John, 3) Benjamin, 4) Josiah, 5) Sarah, 6) Hannah, 7) Ebenezer
With
Lydia (Blunt) Blackstone 1) Samuel, 2) William
2) Francis Tufts born May
8, 1756 in Lancaster, Massachusetts was the son of William from James,
Jonathan, and Peter. His father William died in the war and brothers all served
and are detailed here. He is best known for his heroic act at the Battle of
Saratoga when he picked up the fallen flag and led the men in the battle. His
act being noticed by General Gates prompted him to promote him on the spot. His
promotion was reported to have been written out on a stump. He later was
promoted to Adjutant and his name is found in many records as a result.
There
is no explanation why Francis was born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, as the family
lived mostly in Medford. His mother Mary Francis Tufts was from a family of
Patriots, as well. Col. Ebenezer Francis was the son of Ebenezer Francis and
Rachael Tufts and commanded a Massachusetts regiment in 1777. He was killed at
the battle of Hubbardston, VT. See Sketch of the life of the late Ebenezer
Francis by Robert Means Mason and History of Beverly for more
information.
He
married Hannah Greenleaf in 1785 and
was a distiller in Boston. His distillery was on Essex near Kingston Street and
became Tufts street. He is buried in the Old Granary Burying ground in Boston
on Tremont Street. They had 4 children listed below.
·
Tufts, Francis. Enlisted for Canada, July, 1776;
went as far at Ticonderoga. (Town records) Served in Continental Army 3 yrs. ;
promoted several times; distinguished himself at Saratoga; his orderly book was
forwarded to the Pension Department, but never returned. He was born in Lancaster,
Mass., son of William and Mary (Francis) of Medford, 1756; married Hannah
Greenleaf, June 12, 1775; died Aug. 18, 1823; occupation, distiller. His
distillery was on Tufts Street Boston. (Medford
in the Revolution)
·
Francis Tufts, Mystic (also given Medford).,March,
1776 Private in Capt. Isaac Hall's co.; service, 4 days; company marched from
Medford by order of Gen. Washington at the time of taking Dorchester Heights. Oct. 11, 1776, Sergeant, Col. Ephraim
Wheelock's regt.; return of officers, dated Ticonderoga, March 16, 1777 list of men raised to serve in
the Continental Army from 1st Middlesex Co. regt., as returned by Lieut.
Stephen Hall Joined Capt. Bancroft's co., Col. Jackson's regt.; term, 3 years
·
List of men mustered by Nathaniel Barber, Muster
Master for Suffolk Co., dated Boston,
Jan. 1, 1777, to
Oct. 7, 1777 Capt. Bancroft's co., Col. Jackson's regt.; reported received
State bounty Sergeant Major, Capt. Wiley's co., Col. Michael Jackson's
regt. Reported promoted to Ensign Oct.
7, 1777, to Dec. 31, 1779 Ensign, same
regt.; Continental Army pay accounts for service from; also,
communication addressed to the Board of War, dated Boston, April 28, 1778,
signed by Col. Jackson, stating that said Tufts, Ensign in his regiment, had
been appointed by Maj. Gen. Gates while with the Northern army “the year past,”
though said Jackson had not received information of the fact until the date
above given, and as said Tufts had not been included in the list of officers
presented to the Board of War for the State donations, requesting that the same
quantity of donations allowed to other Ensigns might be delivered Lieut.
William Story for him. Nov. 20, 1778
Ensign, Col. Jackson's regt.; return of officers for clothing, Boston,
·
Probably in 1779 Ensign, Capt. Ephraim
Cleveland's co.; list of officers and men belonging to Col. Jackson's (Mass.
Line) regt.
·
Nov. 8, 1779 Lieutenant, Col. Jackson's (8th)
regt.; list of officers, West Point
·
Jan. 1, 1780, to Dec. 31, 1780 Lieutenant and
Adjutant, Col. Jackson's regt.; Continental Army
pay accounts for service
·
Lieutenant, same regt.; list of officers promoted
in the Continental Army and for whom warrants were made out; warrant issued
July 4, 1780
·
July 18, 1781,
Lieutenant; return dated Phillipsburg, made by Ezra Badlam, Lieutenant
Colonel Commandant, 8th Mass. regt., of officers of said regiment doing duty
upon warrants; warrant dated Aug. 12, 1779.
This record and that of the 8th
Massachusetts regiment parallels the major conflicts of the war from Boston to
New York to the New Jersey and Pennsylvania campaigns and then to the Hudson
River conflicts.
This following excerpt is from History
of the Town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, From it’s First
Settlement in 1630 to 1855 by
Charles Brooks:
Different
variations of this story exist. In Medford in the
Revolution: Military History of Medford, Massachusetts, 1765 - 1783; also a
List of Soldiers and Civil Officers with Genealogical and Biographical Notes.
67 p. by Wild 1903, it states that he was
promoted to Ensign for this action at Stillwater at Ticonderoga by General
Gates, not Washington. He was eventually promoted to Adjutant (Senior
Regimental staff) in 1780.
“Just here a Medford tradition must
be modified. Brooks'
History of Medford says that Sergeant
Francis Tufts was promoted
to adjutant on the field at White
Plains. This cannot be true,
for at that time he was at
Ticonderoga. On October 7, 1777,
he was promoted to ensign, so we can
save the story, but change
the scene.”
He is
also credited with being part of the regiment that stormed the British fort
along with George and Aaron Tufts:
“On the twenty-fifth of September
news of the first day's battle
at Saratoga came to Medford. It had
been fought on the seventeenth. Nearly every man who was in service from the
town was in Gates' army. Lieut. Col. Brooks' regiment was in the thick of the
fight. During the evening it kept Breyman's riflemen at bay. October 7,
Burgoyne was obliged to fight or retreat. When the battle was at its height,
Brooks again distinguished himself. He has been called the "Hero of
Stillwater." His regiment was ordered to take a redoubt occupied by
Breyman. He commanded Capt. Bancroft of Reading, Massachusetts, to lead the
charge. He knew personally almost every man in the captain's company ; they
were old friends and neighbors of Medford and Reading. Not hesitating an instant,
Bancroft waved the sword and cried, "Come on, boys, and enter that fort!”
Then, leading his men, went over the parapet. Surprised at the suddenness of
the assault, the enemy wavered, and the whole regiment rushed into the fort.
The Medford men who made that charge were William Cutter, Francis Tufts, Aaron
Tufts, George Tufts, Daniel Bailey, John LeBosquet, Henry LeBosquet, and John
LeBosquet, Jr.”
There
was a diary of Francis’ in existence but of unknown whereabouts. It was found
by a junk dealer in a lot of materials destined for trash. An old knapsack
possibly dating to the 18th century was found with old books of
illegible handwriting containing records of the Eighth Massachusetts regiment
under a Colonel Michael Jackson and Adjutant Francis Tufts. We can only hope
that it eventually made its way into a library or historical repository. It was
reported to have been detailed in a Boston Herald article on March 19, 1905.
Tufts
Family History by Jay Franklin Tufts shares a short
story of the Redcoats ransacking the towns on their way back from Concord. A
man named Miller, whose wife was a Tufts, surprised several of the enemy in his
home and, shooting through the window, drove them off. In doing so, he struck
his old high boy, which was then in the possession of a descendent of the war
hero Francis Tufts.
Ancestry
Peter Tufts (the immigrant)
(1617-1700) Tibenham, England, Charlestown, Massachusetts and Mary Pierce (1626-1702)
Jonathan Tufts (1660-1722)
Malden, Massachusetts and Rebecca Waite
(1662-1775)
James Tufts (1681-1733)
Medford, MA and Ruth Grimes
(1681-1721)
William
Tufts
(10 June, 1713-29 October, 1783) and Mary
Francis (26 June, 1719-30 November, 1812)
Children
With
Hannah Greenleaf (1758-1844)
1) Francis, 2) Gardner, 3) William, 4) Eliza A
