David Phipps, b. September 25, 1724  September 12, 2002

1745;  Served at the reduction of Louisburg.    (The Loyalists in Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims - E. Alfred Jones)

1760; Commander of a vessel on Lake Ontario.  (The Loyalists in Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims - E. Alfred Jones)

1764; High Sheriff of Middlesex County from 1764, the execution of which office made him very obnoxious.   (The Loyalists in Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims - E. Alfred Jones)

Residents on Arrow Street, side near Bow Street, Roger Shaw, 1638 - 1652, Daniel Gookin, James Oliver, Lieut. Governor Spencer Phips, Colonel David Phips, William Winthrop.  Bow Streeet, E. of, called the Neck,  land owners on N. side near Mount Auburn Street, John White, Nicholas Danforth, Thomas Danforth, Richard French, Edmond Angier, Rev. Samuel, Edmund Angier; S. side junction Arrow St., John Knight, Roger Shaw, S. side between Arrow and Mount Auburn Streets, "Winthrop Estate", Daniel Dennison, Daniel Gookin, Dr. James Oliver, Spencer Phips, David Phips, William Winthrop.  (History of Cambridge, Massachusetts)

3/15/1770;  David Phips and 71 others petitioned Council for hardship grants.  Passes council and signed same day by Governor Hutchinson.  (A History of Jay, Maine)  "Had not the Revolution broken out, Sir Charles Burdett would have obtained, upon petition to the General Assembly of Massachusetts, a grant of a township of 12,000 acres in right of his wife as grandaughter of Admiral Eldridge (Captain Joseph Eldridge, commander of the transport The American Merchant in the 1690 expedition), in conjunction with five other parties, descendants of the Admiral, which grant was voted by the General Assembly for his service in the expedition against Canada with Sir William Phips. His wife's share would have been 1,500 acres, valued or 9s an acre.
Captain David Phips had inherited a similar grant from his ancestor, Sir  William Phips."   (The Loyalists of Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims by E. Alfred Jones)

See the petition and learn more about the grant.

June 11, 1771; David Phips Esq., and others, granted township 6 miles and 3/4 square, to be laid out adjoining some former grant in the unappopriated lands in this province to the east of Saco River, Maine for hardships suffered by ancestors during the Quebec expedition.  Within 7 years grantees had to provide a church, Protestant minister, school, and research land for Harvard, with at least 80 families present.  A plan taken by a surveyor and chainmen must be provided within 12 months to the court.  Township to be called Phips Canada.  It contained 32,160 acres of land including 200 acres as an allownae for the river and ponds and one thousand acres for the swagg of chain protracted by a scale of forty chains to an inch bounded as follows beginning at a pine tree on the westerly side of Amaroscoggin River across said river (on the headline of a township granted to Samuel Livermore, Esq. and others) due east two hundred and thirty two chains to a heap of stones south 43 degrees W. on province land five hundred and thirty two chains to a stake and stones thence north on Province lands five hundred and thirty two chains to a pine tree then south 19 degrees east two hundred and sixty chains to a stake and stones thence on Province land in part and in part on the Township afore mentioned north 65 degrees east four hundred and thirty four chains to the Pine tree first mentioned Nov. 7, 1771.  Signed by Alexander Shepard Jr., surveyor.  Most settlers came from Charlestown, Newton, Cambridge, Watertown, Waltham, and Weston, Massachusetts.  The first meeting of the proprietors was held at the home of Bezaleed Leonard on 7/1/1771 in Watertown, and at this meeting a committee, consisting of Abijah Brown, Elisha Harrington, and Israel Whittemore, was chosen to lay out the township.  Alexander Shepard of Newton chosen proprietors clerk, and for his faithful service until 7/25/1787, he received a grant of 200 acres.  William Fisk suceeded him until proprietary dissolved.  (A History of Jay, Maine)

In 1690, Sir William Phips led a large ill-fated expedition against Canada.  The expedition was doomed from the start, with bad weather, small pox, and lack of reinforcements and supplies affecting the outcome. Many soldiers died.
A quote from  The Loyalists of Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims by E. Alfred Jones
"Had not the Revolution broken out, Sir Charles Burdett would have obtained, upon petition to the General Assembly of Massachusetts, a grant of a township of 12,000 acres in right of his wife as grandaughter of Admiral Eldridge (Captain Joseph Eldridge, commander of the transport The American
Merchant in the 1690 expedition), in conjunction with five other parties, descendants of the Admiral, which grant was voted by the General Assembly for his service in the expedition against Canada with Sir William Phips.   His wife's share would have been 1,500 acres, valued or 9s an acre. Captain David Phips had inherited a similar grant from his ancestor, Sir William Phips."

5/10/1770;  "Know All Men by these presents that we David Phips Esq. and Sarah Boardman widow John Vassall Esq. Richard Lechmere Esq. and Mary his wife and Joseph Lee Esq. and Rebecca his wife, All of Cambridge in the County of Middlesex in consideration of Forty Pounds of Lawfull Money given by James Adams Jr. of the District of New Braintree in the County of Worcester Husbandman _______  __ ______ hereby Acknowledge do hereby give grant Sell and Convey unto this James Adams Jr. and his heirs The following Tract of land in New Braintree aforesaid one Lot number six bounded as follows  Beginning at a certain Stake and Stones in the Southeasterly Bounds of ____ _____ ____ the ____ N 23 in the first Range Granted unto John Jordon a Corner of the fifth lot - then East forty ____ hundred and Ninety five Rods by the Lot No 5 (?) a stake and stones in the westerly bound of George Abbotts lot Then Northerly in ________ bounds of said Abbotts lott About seventy nine rods to a stake and a heap of stones then Westerly forty degrees North ____ one hundred and eighty rods to a stake and heap of stones in the Easterly bounds of the _____  _____ Lott then South Forty Degrees west seventy eight rods Additional ______ to the first mentioned corner ----------  _________
the same to the said James Adams Jr. and his heirs and their sole use......
Signed Sealed and delivered by David Phips John Vassall Richard Lechmere and Mary his wife before us _____Oliver, Mary Phips Signed sealed and delivered by Sarah Boardman before us Aaron Boardman and David Osgood ---- Signed Sealed and delivered by Joseph Lee and Rebecca his wife before us Thomas Oliver R Lechmere --------
Middlesex Co. Cambridge June 8 1770 Personally appeared The within named...."
(Worcester Co. Deeds book 64 page 340)

1773; Commander of a troop of guards in Boston.  (200 Years Ago, or, A Brief History of Cambridgeport and East Cambridge)

Pledged not to alter the Constitution of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay.  (History of Cambridge, Massachusetts)

1774;  Named among 124 merchants and others, of Boston, who addressed Governor Hutchinson.  (Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution:  200 Years Ago, or, A Brief History of Cambridgeport and East Cambridge)

9/1/1774;  At 4:30 a.m. while the unsuspecting town slept 13 longboats carrying 260 hand picked Royal navy men left Long Wharf in Boston for a trip 6 miles northwest to the Provincial Powder House at Quarry Hill.  Much of he powder stored there for the individual towns had been removed and Gage did not want the rest of it to disappear into the countryside.  Colonel Maddison received the keys to the powder house from Colonel David Phips Sherriff of Middlesex Co..  The largest supply of gunpowder in Massachusetts -  250 half-barrels were taken away to Castle William in Boston Habor under the eye of the Navy.  2 brass field pieces were removed & brought out of Cambridge as well.  The colonists were furious. Thus began the Powder Alarm.  (Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer)
"In 1774, when distributing writs under a new Act of Parliament, a mob attacked him and extracted a promise from him that he would isue no more of these writs.  He removed 260 casks of gunpowder and two field pieces to Boston from the magazine at Cambridge."   (The Loyalists in Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims - E. Alfred Jones)

9/2/1774;  An angry mob of patriots appeared at David Phips Cambridge home and demanded he write a statement saying he would never enforce the coercive acts and would recall every writ issued "under the new establishment" as Sherriff of Middlesex Co..  (Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer)  "Colonel Phips, the very reputable and highly esteemed sheriff of the county of Middlesex, by a large mob was obliged to promise not to serve any processes of courts, and to retire to Boston for protection from further insults."  (Rivington's Gazette, March 9, 1775)

4/18/1775; "The Rebels began to throw up Works at Phipp's Farm, upon which the Scarborough began to fire on them; the Rebels in return fired at her from their last Work at Coblers Hill, and tho' at a great distance struck her twice out of 6 shots." (A British Officer in Boston in 1775)

4/19/1775;  A large body of British troops - 1200 - 1500, from a secluded spot in Boston across the Back Bay to a lonely beach at Lechmere Point in Cambridge, inhabited only by a single isolated farmstead known as Phips farm.  (Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer)

July 20, 1775, he was appointed marshal of the Vice-Admiralty Court at Boston in sucession to Charles Howard, absent, and as such it was part of his duty to arrest and take possession of vessels libelled as prizes or forfeited under the Acts of Parliament and condemned.   (The Loyalists in Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims - E. Alfred Jones)

10/1775;  among the 97 gentlemen and principal inhabitants of that town; and among the 18 country gentlemen who were driven from their homes, and who addressed Gage.  (Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution:  200 Years Ago, or, A Brief History of Cambridgeport and East Cambridge)

3/2/1776;  "About 11 o'clock at night, upon a Signal being given at Cambridge, the Rebels began to bombard the Town of Boston from Phipp's Farm, Cobble's Hill, and the Heights of Roxbury; they continued throwing in Shot and Shells 'till daybreak; the same was returned them from the Lines and the Batteries at Barton's Point; Our Shells very bad, most of 'em bursting in the Air or not at all."  (A British Officer in Boston in 1775)

3/3/1776;  "At 10 this night the Rebels began again, and a warmer fire was kept up on both sides 'till daybreak; the Rebels had removed the Mortar from Phipp's Farm to Cobble's hill; at Roxbury they had....Very remarkable no hurt was done as the most of their Shot and Shells fell in the Town.  Our A-t-y a little mended, a few of our Shells answering."  (A British Officer in Boston in 1775)

6/13/1776;  4 days before the Battle of Bunker Hill he wrote to tenant of his farm in Maine at Phips Point (Jermisquam Neck).  The tenant replied but it is doubtful Phips received the letter as it is currently perserved in the Massachusetts archives.  The reply:
" Sir - I received your Leter of ye 13th of June but yesterday, and am glad to hear that you and your family are well for I hant heard from you since you wrote me by Captain Fullerton notwithstanding I have wrote to you three times, but I imagan they have all miscarried and never came to your hands.
This is to inform you that I sent up your wood by Captain Smith in Captain Fullerton's Sloop, but whn itgot to Casco Bay he heard of ye Battle at Lexington and that there was grate dainger of being taken if he went to Boston Therefore he returned home again and tarryed about a week and so came to sale again for Boston but when he came to Newbury he got discouriged of going any further and so was obliged to sell the wood for about 3 pounds per cord and Returned home again and now er are not alowed to send up any Cord-wood to Boston for our People Take all vessels that make any attempt at coasting & likewise they take all Gentlemen Toreys that come from Boston and send them up to ye Congress therefore it is Daingerous for Gentlemen to come down from Boston without a pass from the General Court we are well through Good Providence, though they times are Troublesome and we and our Cattle and Sheep we apprehend are in grate dainger of ye Regelers or Tenders, Therefore we have stasioned a Company of Soldirs at ye mouth of almost all our Rivers.  Your stock is all in good order at present, but what will become of them next winter I know not for we have had such a terrible drouth that I hant got half hay enuff to winter ye Stock upon and as I have bin deprived of writting to you for directions how to dispose of any part of the Stock, I am determined to use the best of my Discresion and fat as much beef and mutton as possible and Salt it down and keep it.
I have a fine prospect of a Crop of Rusty Coats Portators and winter Squashes this fall I don't know what will become of ye old mare for I am afraid she will rub very hardly through next winter This must surfise for ye present and I subscribe your Humle Servt.  Jonathan Fuller
                 To David Phips, Esqr.
                   (at Boston)

Bought Governor's orders to General Brattle.  (History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, p. 157)

1776;  With 1100 went to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was proscribed and banished under the Act of 1778.  His properties were confiscated by the Continental Congress.   The 500 acre Phips estate was taken by chairman Nathaniel Thwing in the name of the government with a yoke of oxen, steers, 6 cows, a heifer and calf, and 14 sheep.  It was leased out to Jonathan Fuller (the former tenant of Phips and a leading patriot of the town) for 4 pounds, 10 shillings a year. Through a technicality the farm was later restored to Phips only to be later lost to debt.  (Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution:  History of Woolwich, Maine:  200 Years Ago, or, A Brief History of Cambridgeport and East Cambridge)

PROBATE March 27, 1778 Mary Phillips: Ex.: David Phips, Esq. Legatees: to Spencer Phips, the oldest son of Col. David Phips of Cambridge o6.13.4, to his sister, Elizabeth Hutchinson Phips, the youngest daughter of Col. Phips, o6.13.4, to my aunt Mary Stevens, one guinea, to Mary Scott the wife of Capt. Scott, and to Ann Loring, her sister, now a widow, and to Anne Horton who lives in the family of Stephen Greenleafe; to Joanna, daughter of my sister, the late Joanna Top, deceased, all the rest of my property after the above bequests are fufilled. (SPR 77:392) Inventory o184.4.5 (SPR 77:173) (Thwing database)  Who is this woman?

In 1779 he was appointed master and commander at New York under Admiral Collier, and commanded the Allegiance sloop, in which he served until that vessel was captured by the French fleet in August, 1782, when he was taken to Boston and later exchanged  (A. O. 13/48; A. O. 12/105, f. 146)   (The Loyalists in Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims - E. Alfred Jones)

February 20, 1779; 1st lieut. frigate "Boston" commanded by Capt. Sam Tucker. Eng.

PROBATE February 10, 1795; Stephen Greenleaf: Ex.: Rev. Samuel Parker, Jos. Greene (merchant) Wm. Scollay, and my daughter Abigail. Legatees: my daughters Mary Phips and Abigail Howard, all my family portraits, except that of my daughter Apthorp, which I give to her children. To my sd daughters, and to each of my grand-children, a piece of plate. I discharge my son-in-law David Phips, from the balance of all amounts due me except a small promissory note for the use of my grandson, John Trecothick Apthorp, a minor. My grandson Stephen Greenleaf Phips £.50. My sister Hannah Richards £.10. To my son Phips' children 2/5 of my personal estate. My daughter Abigail 2/5 of all my estate real and personal, and 1/5 to my grandchildren, Hannah, Francis, and John Trecothick Apthorp, children of my daughter Hannah, and no more, as they were well provided for by their father. (SPR 93:536) Inventory: House near the Common $15,000. House and land in Federal
St. $1,500. Land in Atkinson St. $2,400. Brick house in Proctor's Lane. $600. Total Inventory: $19,259.33 (SPR 93:546) (Thwing database)

PROBATE October 13, 1801; Abigail Howard (w. of Martin Howard, maiden name Greenleaf), widow: Ex.: Rev. Samuel Parker. Legatees: I authorize my Ex. to sell my house and land in Franklin Place for the most it will bring at public auction, or private sale. To my sister Mary
Phipps, wife of David Phipps, $1500 for her children. If my sister dies before me I give the children $200. I give to the daughters of my sister
Mary, viz: Mary Phipps a silver bowl and my gold thimble, to Sarah Thompson my silver sugar-basket and tongs. To Rebecca Brett my large silver soup ladle and to Elizabeth Phipps two pair silver salts and silver sugar tongs. (Thwing database)

"His claim was 3,258.3 pounds, and his grant 1,882 pounds.  (A.O. 12/109)  He was on half pay as master and commander in the Royal Navy in 1788 (A. O. 13/83) and received a pension until his death in October, 1811 (A.O. 459/70; t/ 50/8.)  A certified copy of the libel against his estates in 1780, signed by John Hancock and John Avery, junior, is in A.O. 12/82.....  He lived at Cambridge, a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, on half-pay... With his memorial in A. O. 13/48 are many documents relating to the seizure
of the schooner Peggy, owned by Elisha Thatcher and George Welch, condemned by him; and a schedule of his property, including the estate at Woolwich, Massachusetts (now in Maine), the birthplace of Sir William Phipps.  This loyalist graduated at Harvard College in 1741. He died in Bath, in England, aged 87.  (Stark, op. cit., pp. 420-1)    (The Loyalists in Massachusetts Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims - E. Alfred Jones)

According to Greenleaf Genealogy, one of his sons an Admiral in the British Navy.

His residence in Cambridge was on the site of the Winthrop house, between Arrow and Mt. Auburn Streets.  (200 Years Ago, or, A Brief History of Cambridgeport and East Cambridge)