Jonathan Trumbull. Born: Lebanon; October 10, 1710 Died: Lebanon; August 17, 1785

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1 Jonathan Trumbull Born: Lebanon; October 10, 1710 Died: Lebanon; August 17, 1785 Jonathan Trumbull was the governor of Connecticut during the Revolutionary War. He was the only colonial governor who supported the independence movement. George Washington often called upon him to help support the soldiers fighting in the Continental Army. Trumbull never backed down from Washington s requests and due to his efforts Connecticut provided the army with many needed supplies such as beef, flour, clothing, and ammunition. These efforts led Washington to refer to Connecticut as the provision state. Even today, Jonathan Trumbull is known as one of Connecticut s greatest leaders.

2 Joseph Webb Jr. Joseph Webb Jr. was the son of Joseph Webb and Mehitabel Nott. Joseph Jr. married Abigail Chester and he inherited his father's house in Wethersfield, CT. The couple entertained lavishly. In May, 1781, Gen. George Washington stayed with Joseph Jr. and his family while he met with the Comte de Rochambeau to plan the Yorktown Campaign of the American Revolution. Shortly after, Joseph Jr. was imprisoned for debt and the Webb house was sold to raise funds. However, it has been a landmark and museum ever since.

3 Silas Deane Silas Deane was born in Groton, Connecticut on December 24, He was one of the earliest advocates of Revolutionary methods to secure the rights of the colonists, and was a delegate from Connecticut to the Continental Congress, In 1776 he was sent by congress to France as special ambassador on a secret mission, which resulted in his securing substantial loans from French capitalists and in inducing Lafayette, De Kalb and other trained military officers of the French army, personally to take service in the Continental army in the war against Great Britain. With Franklin and Lee he negotiated the treaties of amity and commerce between the United Colonies and France, as signed at Paris, Feb He was required by congress to make a detailed statement of his financial transactions and in order to do so was obliged to return to France in 1782 to obtain the vouchers of his receipts and disbursements. In consequence of the unauthorized publication of certain of his private letters and dispatches to his brother which had been intercepted, the French government would not receive him and he was obliged to seek refuge in Holland. He then went to England where he died in poverty.

4 William Williams William Williams was born on April 18, 1731 in Lebanon. When Benedict Arnold attacked New London, Williams rode his horse twenty-three miles in an attempt to protect New London but arrived too late. The town was already in flames. Later he was a member of the State Convention of Connecticut credited with adopting the Constitution of the United States. Williams voted in favor of the Constitution. He died at the age of eighty-one years old on August 2, Two photographs of William Williams journal from his experiences in Philadelphia in 1778 are included. (Primary Source Document, Connecticut Historical Society)

5 Oliver Wolcott, Sr. Oliver Wolcott was born in Windsor, Connecticut on November 26, He supported a friendly compromise over a conflict between Connecticut and Pennsylvania concerning the Wyoming settlement. Had this conflict not been resolved, it would have really threatened the success of the confederacy. Later, as a commander of the Connecticut militia, he defended the southwestern border of Connecticut against the British Army. He was elected to be Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut and later became the Governor of the state. Oliver Wolcott died on December 1,

6 Roger Sherman Roger Sherman was born in Newton, Massachusetts on April 19, In 1744 Roger Sherman and his family moved to New Milford, Connecticut where he worked as a shoemaker. He was elected as a delegate from Connecticut to attend the Continental Congress in Sherman was a member of the committee that prepared a draft of the Declaration of Independence. He later signed this document after it was adopted by congress. Roger Sherman was the only person to sign all four founding articles (Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Articles of Confederation, and Articles of Association). Roger Sherman died at age seventy three on July 23,

7 Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut on January 14, He was initially recognized as a great military official, but he turned on the Continental army began to work with the British on a plan to overtake West Point. He was discovered and he fled to England. Benedict Arnold died in London, England on June 14, Today he is known as America s most infamous traitor. Link to primary document: spy letter (Decoded)

8 Sybil Ludington Sybil was born in Fredericksburg, Connecticut in Sybil helped stop to advance of the British while providing the American militia more time to organize an attack. At age 16, she rode about 40 miles alert to militia troops to gather. Thanks to Sybil s bravery, the Patriots were prepared and able to force the British back towards the Long Island Sound. Sybil s ride was twice as far as Paul Revere s. Sybil died in February of

9 Private Moses Tuttle Eye-witness account (Connecticut History. Volume 45, Number 2, Pages ) Entered Service early part of December Company formed in Cheshire as volunteers. Officers of this unit were Captain Stephen Rowe Bradley, afterward U.S. Senator; Lieut. Enoch Thomas; and Ensign Lemuel Hitchcock. The pay was 40 shillings a month, with no bounty. Marched to New York. Ordered to return to Milford. Again marched to New York. Crossed Kingsbridge. Again ordered back but order was countermanded and marched to New York where we engaged in cutting post lines. Barricaded some of the streets...and remained until the first of April, when I was verbally discharged. There was a company from Hartford. I do not know if I belonged to any regular regiment. In May, 1776 I enlisted into a company commanded by Capt. Bunnel. This Battalion was a part of Col. Douglas's Regiment which was raised to reinforce Washington 's army at New York. I went down to New York previous to the rest of the company as a guard to baggage the only soldier on this duty. I was in New York near the North River, just above what was called Tea Water Point. Afterwards, I was moved across the East River and was quartered until my regiment was ordered across to Long Island during the battle there that turned out to be an American disaster. I, being in charge of the sick, was ordered to remain in the city. I was ordered to go to the Island the same morning that Washington's army was floated back to New York on a makeshift fleet of vessels to save themselves from total destruction. I and others would have gone over sooner, had it not been for a dreadful rain which lasted three or four days. After the regiment got back to New York they were marched up to the stores at Turtle Bay. Here, the flour and cannon balls were carted off as fast as possible we did not get much of the cannon balls off- but did considerable of the flour. The rest of the flour we dashed and threw into the river. Into this service we pressed all the wagons we could raise. When we got to Turtle Bay there was one of the enemy's vessels lying off in the East River. We had not remained here long when the enemy's boats from the Island put off for our shore. I was in the entrenchment thrown up by the American Army south of the stores. As soon as these boats came within the British shipping and the entrenchments, the shipping opened a tremendous fire upon us, with likewise the boats. We were commanded to retreat and we did not stop until we got to Harlem Heights. This retreat was made in great confusion, people huddling out of the city, the flying army, wagons with the sick, etc... The next day, the army having encamped the night before on Harlem Heights, the enemy attacked us. Our regiment engaged and we drove them back and up a long hill. While we were pursuing them up the hill they took off the drag ropes from one of their cannon and let it roll back upon us. We opened to the right and left, and it went through us without doing any damage, and we took the cannon. Here we stayed for some time. A man was brought up to be shot. From here we were marched after a few halts to White Plains. When we were encamped here the British came up upon us from eastward. We met them on the plains but were repulsed, a part of our men having been driven through the river, and among the rest the chaplain of our regiment, Dr. Trumbel, lost his wig in the river and never afterward wore one. I think the Americans would have been more successful here if the reserve came on to the assistance of that part engaged. But, they hung back in such confusion that the men could not be reformed. The battle was fought in the morning. I got back to camp after noon. We here lost considerable artillery. From here we marched

10 to North Castle and I was taken sick and was in the hospital. My father came here after me and got written permission to take me home. I cannot say whether I had verbal or written discharge, as my father managed all the business. It was about the last of November. The other men got home near a month later, said they were discharged Christmas day. I was born in Cheshire, about five miles from where I now live on November 15, I was living in Cheshire when called into service. I now live where I have been for forty years? Questions: - Was 40 shillings a month considered good pay in 1776? - - Why were the British interested in capturing New York City? What would good conditions have been like in the hospital that Tuttle mentions?

11 JOHN BARKER, MD John Barker was born in New London, CT on August 18, 1754 to Joshua and Mary (Throop) Barker. With this heritage and the total immersion in the New England colonies in the fight for Independence, it is understandable why in June of 1777, John Barker requested that his Yale professors allow him to leave college and enlist in the Continental Army. Dr. John Barker is buried in Grove St. Cemetery Cypress Ave. W. New Haven as stated in the Charles R. Hale Collection of Headstone Inscriptions copied on 13 November A copy of this record can be found in the New Haven Historical Society Library. No legible monument currently marks his grave in the plot where other members of his family and his wife Huldah s family now lay. For years the resting place of this patriot, who carried a wound, the lifetime badge of his sacrifice for American Independence, was unacknowledged. This omission was rectified however, in a public ceremony on 4 July 2001, when a patriot s marker was placed on the grave site of Dr. John Barker, MD, acknowledging and honoring his service in the founding of this country.

12 CAPTAIN NATHAN HALE ( ) Nathan Hale was born in Coventry on June 6, He graduated from Yale and took a job as a teacher at Union School. He quickly volunteered his service to the patriots at the start of the Revolutionary War. After the Continental Army was pushed out of Long Island information was needed about the British Army s actions in New York City. In September of 1776 Nathan Hale quickly volunteered to become a spy. He left the Continental Army and made a plan to travel to New York City. Once he reached New York he disguised himself as a Dutch schoolmaster. He spent a few weeks gathering information and made his plan to escape back to Connecticut. However, he was captured on September 21 st. The drawings and notes that he had taken were found hidden inside his jacket. He readily admitted to being a Patriot spy and was hung the following day. His last words were believed to have been, I regret that I have but one life to give for my country. Today he is known as the state hero of Connecticut.

13 COMMANDER DAVID HAWLEY David Hawley was born in Stratford, Connecticut. His "Instructions" are also of the same date. Captain Hawley was prominent in naval service during the entire conflict. He was taken prisoner several times, and after being taken with the State sloop "Schuyler" in 1777, he was again exchanged, and continued his service as a privateersman in Long Island Sound, in command of the "Guilford", until she fell prey to the British in New Haven harbor in July 1779, when he escaped capture and fitted out a flotilla of armed boats by warrant authority, before being commissioned as above.

14 GENERAL DAVID HUMPHREYS David Humphreys was born in Derby, Connecticut, the son of the Reverend Daniel Humphreys and Sarah Riggs Bowers Humphreys. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Yale University in 1771 and a Masters degree in He taught school briefly from 1771 to 1773 in Wethersfield, Connecticut and then became a tutor in New York from 1773 to With the outbreak of the Revolution, David Humphreys joined a New York Militia regiment in 1776, and later rose in the 6th Connecticut Regiment to the rank of Brigade Major. He successively became an aide to General Putnam (in 1778), General Nathaniel Greene (in 1780), and General George Washington (from June of 1780 to the end of the hostilities), attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

15 GOVERNOR AND FIRST PRESIDENT SAMUEL HUNTINGTON Born into a moderately prosperous Puritan family, Samuel Huntington undoubtedly grew up working on the family farm. A self-taught youth, he was encouraged by the local minister, the Reverend Ebenezer Devotion ( ), whose daughter Martha he later married, to use his library. Although nothing is known about his legal training, he was admitted to the bar in March 1754, at first practicing in Windham but soon moving to the larger and wealthier town of Norwich with its more numerous economic and political opportunities.

16 LT. COL. THOMAS KNOWLTON, CONNECTICUT'S FORGOTTEN HERO Thomas Knowlton was born November 22, 1740 in West Boxford, MA. When Knowlton was eight years old his father moved the family to Ashford, CT. where they lived on a farm of 400 acres. In 1755 the War with France started (French & Indian War). In 1757 Knowlton first appears as a Private on the muster rolls of Captain John Slapp s 8th Co, First Connecticut Regiment. In Captain Jedediah Fay s 10th Co., Third Connecticut Regiment along with his brother Daniel from May 1, 1758 to November 20, In 1759 he s listed as a Sergeant in Major John Slapp s 3rd Co, First Connecticut Regiment listed as an Ensign in Major John Slapp s 3rd Co, First Connecticut Regiment. Listed as an Ensign in Captain Robert Durkee s 10th Co., First Connecticut Regiment from April 1, 1761 to December 3, 1761, and listed as a Lieutenant in Captain Hugh Ledlie s 10th Co., First Connecticut Regiment from March 15, 1762 to December 10, In 1762 he participated in the Battle of Havana, Cuba and was lucky enough to survive and return to Ashford. (Of Israel Putnam's Company of 107 men, only 20 returned home, due mostly to tropical diseases). On April 5, 1759 Knowlton married Anna Keyes of Ashford and bought a farm on the present site of the Norcross Webster Boy Scout Reservation. Knowlton and his wife raised a family of nine children, Frederick his sixteen-year-old son would accompany his father to fight in the American Revolution. Knowlton at the age of 33 was appointed as one of the Selectmen of the town.

17 ISRAEL BISSELL Israel Bissell was born in East Windsor, CT in He was a post rider who alerted colonists of the British attack at Lexington and Concord on April 19, He rode for four days and six hours covering the 345 miles from Watertown, MA to Philadelphia along the Old Post Road, shouting "To arms, to arms, the war has begun," and carrying a message from General Joseph Palmer which was copied at each of his stops and redistributed.