CAPT. JABEZ AND HIS FAMILY IN THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS

 

When one thinks of Capt. Jabez and the French and Indian Wars, the first two things that come to mind are the Deerfield “scout” in Queen Anne’s War in 1709 (see Vol. 1, Issue 2 and Vol. 2, Issue 1 of this Newsletter) and the Louisburg campaign in 1745 (see Vol. 1, Issues 1 and 2). However, there must have been more, as one could not have been commissioned a Captain in the Massachusetts Militia with little previous military experience. In fact, there is some evidence of this in the records. In Vol. 1, Issue 2, we quoted from History of Ware Massachusetts, by Chase:

 

“In 1736, seven years after his removal from Brookfield to Ware, we find a petition of Jabez Omstead of Ware River praying for a grant of province land "in consideration for his good services in the late Wars against the French and Indians, and the Wounds he has received with the expense he has been at for the cure of them." It was ordered that 200 acres be granted him of the unappropriated lands, provided he returns a plot within twelve months for confirmation, and provided the petitioner, his heirs or assigns, " build on the premises within three years a house 18 feet square at the least, and 7 ft. stud, and break up or bring to English grass five acres, and fence the same." In 1738 Omstead prays for further time, "as through some disappointments he has not been able to lay out the same within the time limited." It was ordered "that the time be extended 12 months from the present, and two years to fulfill the conditions of the grant." I  (Chase) find no records to show that he ever located the grant.”  

 

Nathan HAMILTON, Capt. Jabez’s son-in-law (see p. 7) and his brother, Sergeant Joshua Hamilton, served in Capt. Andrew Dalrymple’s Petersham Company from August 9 to December 27, 1755 in the expedition against Crown Point. From February to December 1756, Nathan and two other brothers, Joseph and Eliphalet, were enlisted in Captain Edmund Bemis’ Spencer Company in the campaign against the forts at Crown Point and Niagara. From 1757, Sergeant Nathan, Eliphalet and Joshua Hamilton served in Captain Jabez Upham’s company in the campaigns planned against Crown Point and Ticonderoga. From 1759, Nathan Hamilton was in another Crown Point campaign with Capt. William Paige's Hardwick Co, again served from February to December 1760, with Captain Daniel McFarland of Worchester. In the spring of 1761, Nathan was commissioned Ensign under Captain John White of the First Company of the Brookfield Militia.

 

Reference: J. H. Temple’s “History of North Brookfield”, 1887, pp. 209-219.

 

Israel OLMSTEAD served as a Sergeant in a company, which marched in 1757 for the relief of Fort William.

 

Reference, “Genealogy of the Olmsted Family in America” by Olmsted and Ward, 1912, p. 395.