Extracted from Historical Sketches of Andover Chapter IV “The Part of Andover
in the French and Indian War” pages 238-240.
In the wars with the Indians during the first century of Andover’s history,
the colony had received very little help from the mother country, but had
planned and carried forward expeditions according to its own pleasure and
largely at its own expense. But the series of wars which began with the second
century, and continued till near the Revolutionary disturbances, were carried on
by the joint operations of the British and the Provincial governments. The
possession of the country called by the French, Acadie (Nova Scotia), which,
they claimed, extended to the Kennebec River, was stoutly contested by the rival
nations in the war which occupied the five years from 1744 to 1749. This war was
conducted for the Providence by Governor Shirley; Louisburg and Annapolis as the
keys of Acadie, and Crown Point as the key of Canada, were the points aimed at.
The two former were taken by the English, the latter attempted, but not taken,
when the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle put an end to the hostilities, and by its
terms of mutual restoration of conquered territory, left the two nations in
America just where they were before the waste of blood and treasure. During this
war the captains in the militia at Andover were Capt. Timothy Johnson, Capt.
George Abbott, Capt. Joseph Sibson, Capt. Nathaniel Frye, Capt. James Stevens.
Capt. James Stevens commanded a company in the expedition to Cape Breton, in
which Louisburg was captured. James Frye, afterward Lieutenant-colonel at Crown
Point, 1756, and Colonel in the Revolution, was at the taking of Louisburg, and
he at the battle of Bunker Hill rallied his men by reminiscences of that
anniversary - the 17th of June, 1745: “This day thirty years I was at the
taking of Louisburg when it was surrendered to us : it was a fortunate day for
America, we shall certainly beat the enemy.” Colonel, afterward General,
Joseph Frye, also began (1) in this war his long and brilliant career of
military service.
The towns records present the following register of deaths “in the king’s
service:” -
“1745. June 14. Benj. son of John and Ruth Frie died at Lewisburg, in the king’s service. He was shot with a gun and died.
“Aug. 27. Samuel Farnum Jr. in the king’s service at Lewisburg.
“Sept. 12. Ephraim son of Joseph and Sarah Barker in the king’s service at Lewisburg.
“Oct 1. Andrew son of Andrew and Hannah Johnson at Lewisburg in the king’s service.
“Oct 25. Jonathan son of Joseph and Sarah Chandler at Lewisburg in the king’s service with sickness in the place.
“Nov 3. Isaac son of Thomas and Hannah Abbott with sickness in the king’s service aged 28 yrs. 8 mo. and 21 days.
“Nov 12. Francis son of John and Sarah Dane died with sickness in the king’s service at Lewisburg in the 20th yr of his age.
“Dec 15. Andrew Allen the son of Andrew and Mary Allen with sickness in the king’s service at Lewisburg.
“1746. Jan 4. Benj. son of Christopher and Martha Carlton died with sickness in the king’s service at Lewisburg in the 20th year of his age.
“Jan 29. Joseph son of Noah and Mary Marble died with sickness in the king’ service at Lewisburg. (2)
“Jan 31. Philip son of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Abbot died with sickness in the king’s service at Lewisburg.
“Feb 18. Isaac son of Philemon and Elizabeth Chandler died with sickness in the king’s service at Lewisburg in the 19th year of his age.
“Mar 21. Jonathan Darlin at Lewisburg with sickness.
“April 26. Jacob Martin, son of Joseph and Mary Martin who was in the king’s service at Lewisburg came sick from thence to Boston and died April 26, 1746.
“Dec 16. Timothy Johnson Jr. died with sickness in the king’s service at Lewisburg.”
(1) Mass Archives, vol. lxxiii., p. 737. (2) Rev. Samuel Chandler, of York, in his journal, May 12, 1745, alluding to a visit to his native town, speaks of this death : “ Went up to uncle Marble’s. They are mourning for their son who died at Louisburg; tarried there half an hour and got to father’s at 9 o’clock.”
All records transcribed and copyright by JAS 2004-2008. Any spelling errors occur in original record.
