Thomas, Daniel, 1757 - 1836
Daniel Thomas was born on November 16, 1757. As a young man, in 1775, he enlisted as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, serving first in Captain Edward Mott’s Company in the 6th Regiment under Colonel Holden Parsons. He next served in the 4thregiment Connecticut Line in Captain Stephen Brown’s Company under Colonel Durkee of Norwich. Over the course of his service, he participated in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, Battle of Germantown, wintering at Valley Forge, Battle of Monmouth, and the storming of Stony Point. He was discharged in April of 1780 and soon after returned home to Groton/Preston area.
He married Eunice Baker in Groton on January 11, 1781 and the couple began a family in 1783, ultimately having ten children. The Thomas’ resided in Preston until 1792 at which point, they moved to the North Society of Groton, what would later become Ledyard, Connecticut. The growing Thomas family was enumerated in the Federal Censuses for Groton from 1800-1830. Based on an 1829 veteran’s pension application, Daniel Thomas was a farmer with a home farm of 120 acres, a separate smaller farm of 29 acres, an acre of ledge bed, 6 acres of cedar swamp and livestock of various kinds.
In addition to the land that he owned, Daniel Thomas leased, for several years, lands owned by the Mashantucket Pequots. Records indicate that at least by April 1, 1820 and until April 1, 1823 he rented ¼ of what was known as the Avery Pasture.
Daniel Thomas died in Preston on July 29, 1836.
Findagrave.com; Ancestry.com. Connecticut, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1650-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011; Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011; Ancestry.com. Connecticut, U.S., Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006; Fold3.com; CHS, Ms 27960 Geer & Morgan Families Papers, 1717-1850, Folder 19
Sources for this biography also come from the Related Digital Heritage Items listed below.
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Born:
November 16, 1757Died:
July 29, 1836Ethnicity