Hi just sharing some information!
Sandra Harter
Nee:
BATTERSONELWOOD, STEPHEN AND BETTY (
BATTERSON)
(W 17757
Connecticut service and Agcy.; Cert. 3590 issued 18 Aug 1841, Act 4 July 1836, Sec 3, at $60 per an. from 4 March 1831).
Betty
Elwood applied 12 July 1841, age 80, as widow of Stephen
Elwood who enlisted at
Fairfield,
Connecticut, 1780; served 9 months as Private in
Capt Thomas Nash's Co., Shore Guards of Connecticut; in 1781 he enlisted and served 9 months in the same Company with service on the shores of Long Island. She was married to Stephen
Elwood 2 March 1780 or 1781 in
Parish of Greenfield,
Fairfield, Connecticut; name before marriage was Betty
BATTERSON. Stephen
Elwood died 14 April 1812. Their children were: Betty, Eliakin, Benjamin, Stephen, Huldah, Eliza, Elethia, and Joseph
Squire.
Dan C. Curtiss, Pastor Cong. Soc., Green Farms
Parish,
Fairfield,
Connecticut, certified that in the baptism records of that Church are found: Betty, daughter of Stephen and Betty
Elwood, baptized 30 June 1782; Eliakim, 11 Feb 1787; Benjamin, 1 March 1789; Stephen, 13 January 1793; Huldah, 8 October 1797; Eliza, 5 January 1800; Elethia, 18 April 1802; Joseph
Squire, 2 Febuary 1807.
Powel
BATTERSON, 10 June 1841, of
Wilton, Fairfield Co., Conn., age 75, declared that he was born in Green Farms
Parish and lived there until Revolutionary War was over, then removed to
Wilton, conn.; knew Stephen
Elwood well entire life; born and reared in same locality; later was married in Mar 1781 by Gershom Hubbell Esq., and was present at their wedding.
Stephen Allen of Ridgefield, Fairfield Co., Conn., age 76 in May 1841, dep. on 29 June 1841 that he was born and reared in Green Farms; livd there until the Revolutionary War was over, then moved to Ridgefield; enlisted in the Shore Guards under Captain
Nash in July 1780 with Benjamin Allen, William Allen,
Abraham Elwood, Isaac
Elwood and Nathaniel Johnson. All were taken and confined a few days by the enemy on Long Island; were then taken to
New York and put in prison (Sugar House); were exchanged some months later. Stephen
Elwood enlisted as Private in Shore Guards at same time and place and served for 9 months, for 2 seasons in each year.
Source: National Genealogical Society Quarterly, March, 1948, page 30.
Retrieved from NY State Library at Albany
New York, March 2000, by Anne Townsend's cousin, Barbara DeAngelo, PO Box 351, Chittenango, NY 13037.
Sent to Sandra Harter (nee:
BATTERSON) by Helen Conachan who received it from Anne Townsend,
----------------------------------------
Isaac
Elwood was baptized February 25, 1759, at
Greens Farms (P.O. Westport),
Fairfield County,
Connecticut. Of his early life we know but little. Like the other Northern Elwood's both those of
Connecticut and those of
New York State he was an early enthusiast for the cause of freedom. In his youth this writer chose as his motto, "Semper fidelis", not then aware that it was the motto of the U.S. Marines. Yet, in the light of this history, we gain a better right to its use. The Continental Congress officially established the Marine Corps June 25, 1776. At that time Isaac was already a marine, having enlisted on the previous March 15. He remained in that service until December of that same year. He served aboard the brig "Defense" under Captain Seth Harding and, more immediately under his older brother, then Sgt. Thomas
Elwood. Thomas remained in the marines and attained the rank of first lieutenant, serving on the battleships "Alliance" and "Bon Homme" under commandants Peter Landon John Barry and John Paul Jones, seeing active service in the historic engagement with the British frigates "Serapis" and "Countess of Scarborough". The early service of the two brothers is proved by the brig's pay list: "ISAAC
Elwood. Time of entry March 21, 1776. Time of payment Nov. 15." It would be interesting to know all that befell them while aboard, and their mental reactions as well. We do know that in March 1776 the Defense" was lying at anchor in New Haven Harbor. Sails wee soon unfurled and the vessel set sail on Long Island Sound bound for Plymouth harbor (where some eighteen of the writer's maternal ancestors disembarked from the "Mayflower" in 1620). Some weeks after the evacuation of
Boston, the "Defense" sailing Nantasket Roads in
Boston Bay, encountered the British ship, "George", and an enemy brig. After a desperate struggle, in which men were killed and wounded, both enemy vessels were captured. Laden as they were with troops and military stores, their seizure was a real achievement. The prisoner's taken- members of Col. Campbell's British Regiment were carried to
Boston and later exchanged. Despite this success the brig, "a dull sailor" was taken to New London and abandoned in favor of a better brig of the same name. In summer, later in 1776, the new "Defense", at sea near the West Indies, captured two more English ships, one laden with sugar, the other with guns. Later a Guinea ship, homeward bound after selling her slaves, was taken, also another British ship laden with fuel. These were taken to New England- doubtless to New London where the sturdy brig ended her victorious year. (See "Families of Old
Fairfield" by Jacabus v. 3, pp 67-68)
In December 1776, not later than the 5th, Isaac joined the coast guard company stationed at his homeport,
Greens Farms,
Connecticut, on Long Island Sound. The guard there was in command of Captain Daniel Godfrey and service under him continued until December 17th. Thereafter the command seems to have shifted to
Capt. Thomas
Nash, both under Col. Samuel Whiting and General Gold Selleck Silliman of the Fourth
Connecticut militia. After a scant month's service Isaac was released by militia for service in the Continental Army. Along with many others he and his cousin, Nathan
Elwood, enlisted on New Years day 1777 for a term of three years and continued together throughout their service. They were assigned to the Second
Connecticut Regiment in General Washington's brigade as part of a company under another
Fairfield County man,
Capt. John Mills- Col, Charles
Webb (of Stamford). They were ordered to assemble at Danbury, Conn., and from there marched to Peekskill on the
Hudson. There they were General MacDougall until July when General
Putnam took command. During the summer and early autumn their activities were along the
Hudson. On Nov. 14, 1777 they were ordered to join General Washington's army in Pennsylvania and on December 8th were engaged in the sharp action at Whitemarsh in which a number of officers and men were killed or wounded. Later at Valley Forge they endured all the suffering of that terrible historic winter. With their company they fought at Chestnut Hill and on June 28th assisted in winning the partial victory over Clinton at Monmouth, New Jersey. Colonel
Webb in the mean time had been retired (March 13) because of war disabilities, while Col. Mills followed him into retirement in May. Col. Zebulon Butler succeeded to the command of the Second Regiment, with General Huntington in command of the brigade. It was in the summer of 1778, when much of their army was stationed at West Point and along the
Hudson, that Washington gathered them into camp at White Plains in Westchester County,
New York the largest most powerful force gathered in a single encampment during the war. Both the first and second
Connecticut Regiments were in the Second line under General Lincoln. The division finally wintered at Redding,
Connecticut, which lies somewhat to the north of
Greens Farms. There mutiny broke out on Dec. 28th because of the General shortage of clothing, blankets and pay. But General
Putnam addressed the troops and succeeded in quieting the mutineers. In May 1779 Isaac's regiment went into the field on the East bank of the
Hudson and early in June encamped in the Highlands opposite West Point as part of General Heath's wing. In July Tryon and his English raiders ravaged the
Fairfield, Norwalk and Greenwich areas, causing severe losses to many among the early family. Though the
Connecticut regiments were ordered to the rescue, they arrived too late. Tyron had sailed away. In October they were back in camp at Peekskill, but by December they had move don to winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey where huts and been erected for the men. Despite their shelter that winter proved the most trying of the entire Revolution, wherein hunger, cold and lack of clothing, shoes and stockings spelled unbelievable suffering. When Isaac's period of enlistment ended on New Year's 1780 his regiment was serving on the out posts. And, hardships not with standing, both Isaac and his brother
Abraham promptly reenlisted in
Capt. Isaac Jarvis' company under Col. Jonathan Deming. Yet, by early summer they were back in the Coast Guard at
Greens Farms under Captain Thomas
Nash of the
Connecticut militia. Thus it was that Isaac was among those taken prisoner on July 5, 1780. Captured with him were his Brother
Abraham, William Allen and various others. First taken to Long Island, they were held there five days then taken to
New York City where they were kept until exchanged in the fall. With him in the guard at the time of capture, though not sharing his fate, were his youngest brother Stephen, his cousins Nathan and Abijah
Elwood (sons of his Uncle Hezekiah), Samuel
BATTERSON and several of the More house Family. He was still in active service in 1781 when the fall of Cornwallis brought victory for the new republic which he and helped bring into being. His brothers Abraham's second reenlistment ended in March 1782. It seems very probable that his term ended similarly.
Like many other ex-soldiers he joined the migration into
New York State which began soon after the war. His frequent service in that state doubtless proved it inviting. The last
Connecticut record of him and his individual family was that of the baptism of his third child Isaac, Jr., on March 11, 1787. Though one wonders about the years between, he and his brother
Abraham were definitely of
Scipio,
Cayuga County,
New York on April 11, 1818, when the matter of pensions first came up. Then, beside the brother's testimony, Isaac's wife, Elizabeth (
BATTERSON)
Elwood of
Scipio, also testified. Both men were put on the pension rolls on July 29th, Isaac's annual pension of $96 being retroactive to April 11. Up to the time of his death he received a total of $1430.36. At the time of the grant Isaac was "of Aurelius" (twp.) in
Cayuga Countyy. When pensions were first allowed pensioners to be not only had to prove their service but also that they were in difficult financial circumstances and at the time he requested his pension Isaac was reported as a farmer, unable to work, living alone with his wife, Elizabeth (then 61). Though the couple very apparently began 1820 in Aurelius Twp., Isaac's brother
Abraham and his family were in Galen Township of Seneca County (later Wayne) though not record there when 1830 rolled around. One wonders about them and their destiny. Later that year (1820) Isaac seems to have followed his son Isaac, Jr., to Livingston County for the 1820 Census places him at Sparta (then part of Ontario County). With him was his wife and a boy not yet ten.
On September 4, 1832, while a resident of Mount Morris Livingston County, NY he testified relative to the pension application of his friend and fellow soldier Abijah
BATTERSON (his wife's nephew), reciting their service together in 1779, 1780, and 1781. At the time of his testimony Isaac was 74 and Abijah
BATTERSON was 68, a resident of Chemung,
New York (then in Tioga County), his home since 1787. We can than the pension evidence quoted mostly from volume 3 of Jacobus' "Families of Old
Fairfield" for much of what we know of Isaac and his family, earlier volumes giving considerable data on the first
Connecticut Elwood and related families. Ours is quite another family than that of Richard
Elwood who settled at Fort Klock, near Conajoharie, NY in or about 1748 and whose descendants have been well recorded in the 1922 volume of the "
New York Genealogical and Biographical Record." One suspects a common ancestry however thru probalb descent thru the Joseph-2 that I have mentioned.
The younger Isaac, perhaps the oldest surviving son, was in Mt. Morris in 1820 (census records) and in 1830 both he and his brother James were recorded there with their families. The latter, however seems more closely identified with the town of Nunda and perhaps and perhaps lived close to the boundary between the two. In the latter year Isaac, Sr., at the home of his son James. This is borne out by the census record which shows a couple 70-80 as members of the household. The aged Revolutionary War pensioner did not long survive his wife Elizabeth. That she died first seems indicated by the fact that no pension was continued to his widow after his decease. Under date of August 18, 1832, (1833) according to a petition for administration on his estate. He left him surviving a son James C. ELWOOD who was named administrator of his estate. The estate was never settled hence no papers were filed. He did not leave a will. " the day and month of hid death check with the Pension records (
Connecticut Enlistment S.44804) but the year would be 1833 as his Abijah
BATTERSON testimony was given in September 1832 while the NY pension office under date of April 16, 1853 (according with a new law extending the adjustment period) states, "The administrators of Isaac
Elwood, deceased, a pensioner on the roll of the Albany Agency at $96 per annum under the law has been paid at this department from March 4, 1833, to June 26, 1833," That period prior to his demise when the pension was unclaimed. Isaac ELWOODSr., thus in his 75th year when he was called and his faithful wife, born the same year as he must have attained much the same age.
Married March 7, 1781, (Church Record) at
Greens Farms,
Fairfield County,
Connecticut ELIZABETH
BATTERSON bp. G.F. church June 24, 1759; d. 1832-1833), daughter of James and Elizabeth (?BEERS)
BATTERSONWhen testifying at
Scipio,
Cayuga County, NY upon the pension request of her brother in law,
Abraham Elwood (then at
Scipio), she stated that she lived at
Fairfield (
Greens Farm Society) where he was stationed and lived at the house where his provision was cooked and dressed. Remebers details perfectly as his brother (Isaac) was then courtin her. (Pension evidence of August 21, 1818.) She was living in 1830 when the Mount Morris, NY census was taken.
Children: (1st 3 born
Greens Farms; no deaths for them recorded there)
John bp August 25, 1782
Pamelia bp July 18, 1784
IsaacJr., March 11, 1787, married
BetseyRecord in Mt. Morris, NY census 1820 and 1830 but not thereafter. In house hold 1830: Isaac, Jr. 40-50 (then 43); wife 30-40 (thus b bf. 1800); a boy 5-10; one under 5; a girl 10-15; two 5-10; and one under 5. Deeds in County Clerk's office show a transfer of land in 1837 by
Betsey and Isaac J. ELWOOD.: Evidently they were selling out and moving elsewhere. Thereafter we find no record of them. In 1820 Isaac, Jr. and wife were 26-45 and with them were a couple over 45 perhaps his wife's parents as well as a youth 16-26, a boy 10-16, one under 10, and 2 girls under 10. It would be interesting to know who his wife was, his children's names and what became of them.
? Francis abt 1793
Only
Elwood recorded at Mt. Morris 1840; 40-50; wife 20-30; no ch.
James Chapman (seeNo.6)
Were there others?
Note: In the "History of
Cayuga County, NY: STorke, P.XVI is record in Springport Twp. a "c.P.Elwood, Res. Lots 71, 79181-farmer course of events he was probably a grandson of either Isaac Sr. or his brother
Abraham. Which> Was he perhaps a son of the record son John of whom we know nothing beyond his baptism at Green Farms?
