Introduction: America 250 Celebration – Melissa Davenport Berry continues her series about the lives and service of Revolutionary War patriots. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.

Today I continue with my series “Soldiers of the American Revolutionary War,” focusing on three Massachusetts patriots.

Illustration credit: https://depositphotos.com/home.html

Captain Ebenezer Hart

Captain Ebenezer Hart (1762-1840), son of Revolutionary War soldier John Hart of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, fought in Capt. Sylvanus Smith’s company and Col. Timothy Bigelow’s 15th Regiment. He died on 26 March 1840 and his obituary was published in the Bay State Democrat.

This article reads:

Died, in Lynnfield, Capt. Ebenezer Hart, aged 77, a soldier of the revolution. Thus one after another of this invincible band of men pass off the stage of existence, and ere long there will be none left behind to tell the pains and woes our nation suffered under British thralldom, and none who saw the star spangled banner float, for the first time, over a land redeemed. The subject of this notice was a lad of only thirteen years of age at the time of the revolution, but urged on by the dominant spirit of the times, he left his father’s house and traveled to Cambridge, joined the American forces, and continued in the army till victory crowned their efforts, and peace was proclaimed throughout the land. He served under Washington and Lafayette, and bravely fought in eleven warmly contested battles. After the war was over, he returned to his native town, where he spent the remainder of his days, enjoying the confidence of his fellow townsmen, whom he represented in our State Legislature, and was honored with various other demonstrations of their confidence and trust. Let us honor the memory of the departed heroes, whose toils and blood purchased for us our liberties, and when called to defend the soil, let us imitate their examples of bravery and patriotism.

Hart is buried in West Burying Ground in Lynnfield. Below is a photo of his headstone which reads:

“In memory of Capt. Ebenezer Hart, who fought for the liberty & independence of his country during the war of the Revolution, & died March 26, 1840.”

In his book Lynn in the Revolution, Howard Kendall Sanderson notes the following about Ebenezer Hart:

“Mr. Henry Danforth remembered Mr. Hart well and said that it was the delight of the latter in his old age to come down to the tavern at the Centre, kept by his old comrade, Ebenezer Parsons, and there fight his battles over again. There was a constant flow of raillery between the two old veterans, each striving to make the record of the other appear at a disadvantage, to the great amusement of the small boys who happened to hear them.” (p. 294)

Ebenezer’s daughter Mary Hart married Ebenezer Parsons Jr., son of Ebenezer Parsons and Abigail (Smith) Parsons. One of the most famous descendants from this line is Estelle Parsons, born 20 November 1927 in Lynn, Massachusetts, who won an Oscar as Blanche Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde.

Moses Short

Moses Short, a Revolutionary patriot and carrier of the Newburyport Herald for nearly half a century, served in Capt. Silas Adam’s company and Col. Titcomb’s regiment.

Below is his obituary, published in the Salem Gazette.

Here is a photo of the gravestone for Moses Short and his family, First Parish Burial Ground, Newbury, Massachusetts.

Moses married Abigail Ilsley. Two of their daughters, Ruth and Abbey, were active in the Nathaniel Tracey Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and worked tirelessly to preserve their ancestor’s role in the fight for independence.

Moses Short was one of the attendees at the 50th anniversary jubilee of America’s Independence on 4 July 1826 in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

He raised his glass and spoke these words to his fellow comrades:

“The Tree of Liberty watered by the blood of the Revolution – may our children suffer no canker worms to injure its sacred leaves.”

A sentiment which undoubtably was inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s iconic Tree of Liberty metaphor that he wrote to William S. Smith in 1787: the tree must be refreshed from time to time with the “blood of patriots & tyrants.”

Jonathan Harrington

Cabinetmaker Jonathan Harrington Jr. (1758-1854) is the son of Revolutionary soldier Pvt. Jonathan Harrington and his wife Abigail (Moore) (Dunster) Harrington.

One of cabinetmaker Jonathan’s pieces, a block front desk, was featured in the Antiquarian with the headline: “Made by ‘The Man Who Opened the American Revolution.’”

Jonathan Jr. served as a fifer in Capt. Parker’s militia on 19 April 1775 in the Battle of Lexington. Jonathan married Sally Banks and left descendants.

I found this newsclip reporting on Jonathan, and some of his fellow Revolutionary War veterans, casting their votes in 1851.

This article reports:

A Voice from Lexington. – Hear this Boys! In Lexington, among the first who marched to the polls, on Monday last, to deposit their votes for the Hon. Benjamin Thompson, was Mr. Jonathan Harrington, the last survivor of Captain Parker’s company of minute men, who were under arms upon Lexington Common on the morning of April 19, 1775, aged 93; Abijah Harrington, who was likewise present on the same occasion, aged 90; Dr. Amariah Preston, who served during the revolution, aged 94; David Wood, Esq., aged 85; and Mr. Jonathan Cary, aged 84 years – “All good men and true.”

Jonathan died 26 March 1854 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Lexington. He was the only known witness to the first shots at Lexington Green to be photographed.

Below is a newsclip on Jonathan’s elaborate funeral service attended by thousands.

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Note on the header image: “The Spirit of ’76,” by Archibald Willard. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Related Articles:

• Soldiers of the American Revolutionary War (part 1)
• Soldiers of the American Revolutionary War (part 2)
• Soldiers of the American Revolutionary War (part 3)
• Earlier Pandemic Nearly Ends Hart Family Line
• Hart: Descendant of Old MA Family Line Treasures Portraits
• ‘Patriot to Passenger’: Revolutionary War Vet to Mayflower Passenger (part 1)
• ‘Patriot to Passenger’: Revolutionary War Vet to Mayflower Passenger (part 2)
• ‘Patriot to Passenger’: Revolutionary War Vet to Mayflower Passenger (part 3)
• Unsung Revolutionary War Heroes: The Corps of Artificers (part 1)
• Unsung Revolutionary War Heroes: The Corps of Artificers (part 2)