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| Daniel
Martin (c1751-1838) The Gaspee Days Committee at www.gaspee.COM is a civic-minded nonprofit organization that operates many community events in and around Pawtuxet Village, including the famous Gaspee Days Parade each June. These events are all designed to commemorate the 1772 burning of the hated British revenue schooner, HMS Gaspee, by Rhode Island patriots as America's 'First Blow for Freedom' TM. Our historical research center, the Gaspee Virtual Archives at www.gaspee.ORG , has presented these research notes as an attempt to gather further information on one who has been suspected of being associated with the the burning of the Gaspee. Please e-mail your comments or further questions to webmaster@gaspee.org. |
| Evidence
implicating Daniel Martin: Herald
of
the Times. (Newport, R.I.) February 22,
1838, Vol
8, No 48, Page 3, column 4 (available through the
Library of Congress)
Like
many of his compatriots, at the time he helped attack
the Gaspee in 1772, he was only 21 and may
have worked on the dockyard areas of Providence or
Warren-Bristol, RI when called to join in the action. |
 Biographical and
Genealogical notesThe application for pension cites his birthplace as Rehoboth, MA in 1751. 1818 Pension rolls (W.17104) indicate that Daniel Martin entered service in May 1775 in a RI regiment in the Continental Line in the Company of Capt. John Field in Col. Hitchcock's Regiment for eight months during which he saw action in Boston and Bunker Hill and was attached to General Washington's staff as a sergeant in Cambridge from where he received a regular dismissal in April 1776. After this he removed to the Providence area where he served one month in Capt. Briggs Company at Howland's Ferry (between Tiverton and Portsmouth, RI), dismissed, then (still in 1776) served in a governmental role in Providence then Capt Benjamin Holloman's Company and then served 5 months in governmental service at a cannon foundry, regularly dismissed, then served under Major Angel in Col. Hitchcock's Regiment, along with Col. Varnum, and Col. Chiswick. One probably relative, Aaron Martin, and an Asa Briggs both entered into service alonside Daniel Martin, all 3 were from Providence, and all three belonged to Col. Hitchcock's Regiment. Aaron Martin and Asa Briggs both gave testimony about the accuracy of Daniel Martin's pension application. He was living in Vermont when he received a veteran's pension of $66 per year from Sept 1833 until he passed in December 1837. The pension funds were forwarded to a P. White. His heir was listed as Rufus I. Lillie. LDS and Pension records records list his spouse as Bethiah Martin (c1754-1843) who received a RevWar widow's pension of $60 per year. Bethiah (Briggs) Martin was born in Dighton, MA and married Daniel Martin then of Providence, RI on 4 September 1774. Dighton is the next town east of Rehoboth. From the Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Vol V: Windham County by Carrie Page, 1891 it appears that Daniel Martin was in 1780, a Representative from the town of Putney to the General Legislature. Vermont was not yet a recognized State until 1790, it was before then considered an 'independent republic.' From the same source we learn he was a farmer and identified his sheep with a square crop and slit to the right ear. There may have been a nefarious reason for Martin's relatively short term in the Assembly. One source indicated he may have been accused of speculating in counterfeit currency. We also note that there was a neighbor with the name Aaron Martin.
His
obituary cites his birthplace as Providence, RI and
his death age of 86 would calculate to a birth year of
1751. Daniel
Martin died on 15 December 1837 and is buried
next to his wife in the Old North Burial Ground,
Putney, (Windham Co), VT https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143989332/daniel-martin Nothing else solid is returned in a search of LDS, Whipple, Ancestry.com, and RIHistSoc sites. . |
| The Gaspee Days Committee recognizes Daniel Martin as a Gaspee burner, and therefore, a true American patriot. |
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