RACCOON BRIGADE, SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION OF GEAUGA CO., OHIO, by Jeannette Grosvenor, 1990
ELIAB EGGLESTON OF MUNSON, GEAUGA CO., OHIO
Proof that the drummer boys of the Revolution unlike the modern bugler, got into the thick of the fighting is seen in the record of Eliab Eggleston whos body is supposed to be buried in an unmarked grave in Maple Hill Cemetery, Munson, Ohio.
Eggleston was wounded in the head at the Battle of Stony Point while serving in the New York militia. He was born at Stonington, Conn., (1) on Mar. 23, 1762. Lucy Ingraham became his wife on Feb. 20, 1798. They had nine children: Erastus, David, Darius, Almira, Eliab, Oliver, Reuben, William and Lucy Ann.
Eggleston settled in Auburn in 1829 coming to Geauge County from Middlesex, NY. He died in Newbury on Mar. 2, 1838.
Eliab Egglestone was was a resident of Spencertown, Albany, NY, when he entered the service as a substitute in the month of April. 1776 in the capacity of a private. The company was commanded by Capt. Bartlett and Lieut. Ellmore. They marched through Kline Hill, Kinderhook, and Greenbush to Albany where they were placed under the direction of Col. James Weston, who at that time commanded a regiment of regular troops at Albany. Eliab remained there about one month when he was attached to a regiment commanded by Col. Willis and marched to Stores Robby. There Eliab was taken sick with measles and sent back to Albany to a hospital where he remained until discharged in August. His term was about 4 months. He entered next on 1 May 1777 from Nobletown, Albany Co., NY, as a substitute and was marched to Landingburough. He spent two months on the island between two sprouts of the Mohawk. From there he marched to Bemis Heights. After skirmishes (Friday's Battle and Tuesday's Battle), the British retreated to Saratoga and were pursued by the regiment. Eliab was engaged in the Siege of Burgoyne's army. He was discharged 25 Oct 1777, having served about 5 months. (2)
Eliab was drafted at Nobletown, NY, in the early part of April 1778. He was inoculated for the small pox to no avail. A surgeon certified that he was not fit to go on the march to intercept the British on their way from Philadelphia to New York. Along with small pox, Eliab had yellow fever. He was taken to Yellow Springs in August and remained there until October when he marched to White Plains and joined the company ujnder the command of Capt. Jackson. After one month, he was again taken sick and sent to Albany where he remained until 1 Jan 1779 when he was discharged by Doctor Smith at the Hospital. This tour was 9 months. (3)
He was a volunteer from Nobletown between the 20th and 30th of March 1779. In April he went to Peekskill under the command of General Putnam. While there Lieut. Smith , a spy of the enemy was detected in the camp, was tried and suffered punishment. Previous to his execution Putnam declare in strong terms, that the enemy demanded Smith and that they should have him, but he would hang him first. Eliab was marched to West Point. In June, Washington asked for volunteers for a private expedition which led to the battle of Stony Point. Eliab received a wound in the head from a bayonet. He was discharged 1 Jan 1780, having served more than 9 months. (4)
Eliab Eggleston served four enlistments during the Revolution, enlisted Apr. 1776, at the age of fourteen, as Drummer Boy and served four months, enlisted in May 1777 and served till Oct. 25, 1777 in the Battles of Bemis Heights and Surrender of Burgoyne, enlisted in Apr. 1778 and served for nine months and last in Mar. 1779 serving for nine months, was in the Battle of Stony Point. (5)
Lucy Ingraham was born 27 Apr 1777, Goshen Society, Near Lebanon, Conn., daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Hill) Ingraham. They married on 20 Feb. 1798 in New York. (6)
On 14 Sep 1832, Eliab was a resident of Auburn Township, Geauga County, Ohio, and aged seventy years. He detailed his service; the account is quite remarkable. "The claimant further states that he was born at Stonington in Connecticut and that he has no record of his age. That since the revolution he has lived two years in Hancock, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, five years in Claverick, State of New York - three years in Hampstead, State of New York, two years in Coe___, New York, nineteen years in Granville, Washington County, New York, twelve years in Middlesex, State of New York, three years in Burton, Geauge County, Ohio, and that he now resides in Auburn in said county of Geauge where he has lived near three years." (7)
Eliab was creadited with two years as a private in the company commanded by Captain Bartlett of the Regiment command by Col. Watson in the New York Line, Continental Troops. He was inscribed on the Roll of Ohio Pittsburgh at the rate of 80 dollars per annum to his first payment to the 4th of Sep 1833 was $200. (8)
On 2 Apr 1851, Lucy was a resident of Springfield Township, Richland, Ohio, aged 73, and applied to obtain the benefit of the provisions of the Act of Congress passed 29 Jul 1848. She gives the date of Eliab's death as 2 Mar 1838 and the date of their marriage. The rate of $80 per annum was allowed and the Certificate issued 23 Apr 1852. This was sent to Eli Bruce in Chardon, Ohio. (9) She died 16 Sep 1853 at Brady, Williams Co., Ohio. (10)
Eliab was "buried in the cemetery adjoining the last farm he owned" which translated to Maple Hill Cemetery in Munson, Ohio. Jane Bushman, a Munson Township trustee, arranged for a government stone which was placed on Lot 52 of Sec. 1. (IN.g.425)
ELIAB EGGLESTONE
DRUMMER
NEW YORK MILITIA
WAR OF 1812
23 MAR 1762 - 2 MAR 1838
The stone arrived during the winter and was not unrapped until time to set it for Memorial Day. It was not until then that the mistake was realized. Efforts are underway to have the stone corrected.
SOURCES:
(1,2,3,4) Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files (Washington; National Archives, 1969), Roll #906, Eggleson, Asa - Egolff, Henry, #W2774. (hereafter Pension #W2774)
(5,6) Willis Merrill Stebbins, GENEALOGY OF THE STEBBINS FAMILY, INCLUDING KINDRED LINES OF SWETLAND, WILCOX AND CHENEY FAMILIES (Lincoln, NE: Brown Printing Service, N.d.), p. 26; p. 44, (hereafter, Stebbins, STEBBINS GENEALOGY.)
(7,8) Pension #W2774.
(9) THE CRAFTS FAMILY BIBLE in possession of my uncle Kenneth G. Isbell of Batavia IL.. Correspondence from Herbert Hurtt, May 1987.
(10) Stebbins, STEBBINS GENEALOGY, p. 44.
(11) James M. Crafts & William M. Crafts, THE CRAFTS FAMILY - A GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF GRIFFIN AND ALICE CRAFT OF ROSBURY, MASS. 1630-1890, (Northampton, MA: Gazette Printing Co., 1893), p. 205.
GENEALOGICAL ABSTRACTS OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION FILES, VOL. I:A-E. Abstracted by Virgil D. White, The National Historical Publishing Co., Waynesboro, TN, 1990. page 1092
EGGLESTON, Eliab, Lucy, W2774, Cont & NY Line, sol appl 14 Sep 1832 Geauga Cty OH a res of Auburn Twnshp OH, sol was b at Stonington CT in Mar 1762, sol lived at Spencertown & at Nobletown both in Albany Cty NY at enl, sol m. Lucy Ingraham 20 Feb 1798, sol d. 2 Mar 1838, wid appl 2 Apr 1851 at Springfield Twnshp in Richland Cty OH aged 73, children were: Arastus b 7 Jan 1799, David b 24 Mar 1801, Darius b. 7 Nov 1803, Almira b. 21 Apr 1806 & she m a Stebbins, Eliab, Jr. b. 29 Jul 1808, Olive Jane b. 10 Dec 1810 & d. 10 Jun 1814, Reuben b. 12 Jun 1813, Wm. Nelson b. 2 Apr 1816 & Lucy Ann b. 28 Apr 1819, the daughter Almira Stebbins made affidt 20 Dec 1851 in Joe Davies Cty Il, after the Rev. War, sol lived at Hancock in Berkshire Cty MA for 2 years, the moved to Claverack NY for 5 years then moved to Coeymans NY for 2 years then to Granville in Washington Cty NY for 19 years then to Middlesex NY for 12 years then moved to Burton in Geauga Cty OH for 3 years then moved to Auburn Twnshp OH.
Lineage Book, NSDAR, pg. 25, NSDAR #33071 submitter: Lucy Ann GUMP.
ELIAB EGGLESTON FAMILY TREE, no author found.
Eliah Eggleston was born in Stonington, Conn, on March 23, 1762, and died at New Bery, Ohio on March 2, 1838. He married Lucy Ingraham on Sept. 16, 1853.
Eliab Eggleston was a Drummer Boy in the Revolutionary War, thereby entitling his descendents to membership in the DAR.
From the Bureau of Pensions, Dept. of the Interior, Washington, DC.
Dates of Enlistment or Application, April, 1776. Length of Service: Four months in Captain Bartlet's Co. Colonel James Weston Willis's Regiment.
Date of Second Enlistment: May 1777. Length of Service: Five months in Captain John Rouse's Company, Colonel Henry Livingston's Regiment.
Dates of Third Enlistment or Application: April 1778. Length of Service: Nine months in Captain William Jackson's Company, Colonel Courtland's Regiment.
Dates of Fourth Enlistment or Application: March 1779. Length of Service: Nine months in Captain Nathaniel Dixon Jackson's Company, Colonel Henry Jackson Meig's Regiment.
Battles engaged in: Bemis Heights, Surrender of Burgoyne, Stony Point, where wounded in head.
Residence at dates of Enlistment: Spencertown, Albany Co., NY. and Nobeltown, NY.
Date of Application for Pension: Sept. 14, 1932. His claim was allowed. His residence at time of application was Auborn Town, Grande Co., Ohio.
Age at date of Application: Born at Stonington, Conn., March 23, 1762.
Remarks: He married Lucy Ingraham. When he died on March 2, 1838, she was given a pension on an application, executed April 2, while a resident of Springfield Town, Richland County, Ohio in widows files 2774, Revolutionary War.
