The flag displayed on this page is the Bedford Flag of 1775. It was flown during the Battle of Concord on April 19, 1775 by members of the Bedford Company of Minutemen. This famous flag was the first flown during the War for Independence. The Bedford Flag is still proudly on display in its hometown of Bedford, MA. Replicas can be purchased from the Flags America Co. in Fall River, MA.
http://www.flagsamerica.com/histoflags.html Also displayed are the Gadsden Flag, the Betsy Ross Flag, and the Bennington Flag. (Top to Bottom)
The following men of Natick, though English, African American, and Native American; all served in the Lexington Alarm against the British Regulars on April 19th, 1775; under the command of Colonel Samuel Bullard, 5th Middlesex County Regiment. The Natick company responding was made up of the 18 man strong Minuteman company plus militia.
For a more detailed account of events see Natick in the Lexington Alarm. Additional names of Natick Militiamen who fought with Aaron Smith's Needham West Company include men of the Bacon, Gay, Drury, and Jenison farms in the Needham Leg section of Natick. Natick men Lt. John Bacon, Isaac Underwood, and Daniel Gould fought under Capt. Caleb Kingsbury. Contemporary Wellesley and North Natick formerly made up West Needham.
- Capt. Joseph Morse, (1739 - 1779) Commanded under Regimental Col. Samuel Bullard of Sherborn on April 19, 1775, later under Regimental Colonel Joseph Paterson. Capt. Morse commanded the the company of mixedMinutemen and Militia from Natick in the Lexington Alarm.
- Capt. James Mann - (1726-1785) commanded a company of militia from Natick in Col.
Samuel Bullard's regiment at Lexington. Marched on the alarm of the battle of Bunker Hill. In 1778 went with his company to Rhode Island. He was born in Holliston; died in Natick, Mass.
- Capt. Thomas Sawin - He later married Abigail Bacon of Natick, widow of John Bacon who was killed at the Jason Russell Farm in Menotmomy on April 19, 1775. *
- Lieut. Abel Perry - A Natick town clerk, (b. 1736 - d.1808), served as lieutenant at the Lexington Alarm. He was a member of the Provincial Congress and of the
Committee of Correspondence. He was born in Natick, Mass., where he died. *
- Lieut. William Boden, A Natick Selectman, later became Maj. Boden *
- Ensn. William Bacon
- Segt. Timothy Morse
- Segt. Hezekiah Broad -Later Capt. Hezekiah Broad, Col. PATTERSON's Regiment, Canada Expedition, June 7, 1776. *
- Segt. Ephraim Dana
- Segt. Joshua Fisk - Later a Captain with his own company *
- Corpe. William Hammond *
- Corpe. John Reed *
- Corpe. Asa Drury *
- Corpe. Ephraim Bullard
- Fifer William Goodenow
- Capt. John Felch
- Lieut. Ephraim Jennings *
- Lieut. Timothy Smith - Brother of Capt. Aaron Smith of West Company in Needham.
- Ensn. Daniel Morse
- John Sawin
- Oliver Bacon - He later paid Natick Praying Indian Jacob Speen to serve from 1782 to 1785 in the Continental Army. *
- Ephraim Whitney
- Samuel Perry - (1740-1831) at the Lexington Alarm under Capt. Jo. Morse. b. Natick; d. Sherborn, Mass
- Thomas Broad
- J. Coolidge
- Henry Logen
- J. Smith
- David Flaven
- Jeremiah Fisher *
- Benjamin Smith
- Jason Whitney (1729-1807), who served in the early wars, was a minute man at the Lexington Alarm. He was born and died in Natick, Mass. *
- Enoch Parker *
- Amos Morse
- Samuel Morse, Jr.
- John Mcgrath
- Moses Mann
- Ezekiel Sawin, Jr.
- Moses Fisk (of Needham)
- Henry Smith
- Thomas Sawin, Jr.
- Thomas Emes
- Eleazer Bacon
- David Morse
- John Keith
- William Warren
- Thomas Coolidge
- John Frost
- Samuel Learned
- Ezekiel Sawin
- Mark Parker
- Richard Sanford
- Samuel Stratton
- Isaac Dunten
- John Badger
- Isaac Jennings
- B. Flagg
- Samuel Washburn
- Noah Bayley
- Daniel Travis
- William Cary
- Jacob Hemingway
- Ebenezer Man
- Moses Stamford
- Elijah Bacon - turned out at the Lexington Alarm in Capt. James Mann's company. He was born, 1736, in Needham; died in Sudbury, Mass.
- Elijah Esty - (1736-1824) private, b. in Canton; died in Natick. *
- Nathaniel Baille
- Richard Bacon (of Ashburnham), He died in Natick, Sept. 2, 1810. He was a private in Col. Samuel Bullard's Regiment from Natick at Lexington and Bunker Hill.
- Jacob Marshall
- Daniel Stratton
- Oliver Whitney - Private, service, 5 days; *
- Joseph Fisher *
- Aaron Moulion
- Elijah Fisk
- Elijah Morse
- John Sawin *
- Nathan Stone
The men below were of Natick, but fought with Capt. Aaron Smith's West Needham Company or Capt. Caleb Kingsbury's Minuteman Company at Menotomy. There were 70 men in Smith's Company and 40 in Kingsbury's company. These men were from both Natick and Wellesley, with 1 man from Needham proper. The eight men below had known homes in 1775 Natick. The rest of Smith's and Kingsbury's Companies lived in either Natick or Wellesley. (ref. 6 & 10)
- Lieut. John Bacon served in C. Kingsbury's Minuteman Company. He was shot and killed by Col. Smith's Regulars at Menotomy. The Bacon Home still stands in Natick on N. Main St. which was formerly part of Needham.
- Silas Bacon
- Moses Bacon
- Abel Smith
- Cpl. Joseph Drury ref. 10 & 11
- Jeremiah Gay ref. 10 & 11
- Sgt. Isaac Underwood served in C. Kingsbury's Minuteman Company. ref. 10 & 11
- Sgt. Daniel Gould served in C. Kingsbury's Minuteman Company. ref. 10 & 11
The men below were Native American and African Americans from Natick who served in the War of Revolution. They were members of the Natick Praying Indians Some, including the Ferrit family, were Praying Indians of partial African descent.
- Solomon Wamsquam ** Reached the rank of corporal in the 2nd Mass. Regiment, Capt. Henry Sewall's Company. Also noted as a drummer, fifer, and private during 1777 and 1778. Married Sarah Jones, April 17, 1759 in Sherborn. See also Wamsquam Association Memorial, Pond St. in Natick, MA.
- Jonas Obscow ** 1775 - ? Son or nephew of Jonas Obscow, d. Aug. 1745, married to mary Obscow. Sold two acres of his land (now part of Wellesley College) to Capt. Aaron Smith of West Company in Needham.
- Ephraim Sooduck, pvt. ** 1775 - ?, b. 1745. married Hannah Speen April 12, 1767; served 3 months.
- Jacob Speen ** 1780 and 1782 to 1785. Paid an enlistment bounty by Oliver Bacon.
- Ceaser Circum 1776 -1777 (1776 battle of Benington, Vt.)
- Caesar Ferrit - Caesar Ferrit and his son John Ferrit were Mulatto but also numbered among the Natick Praying Indians. Both men fought alongside better-known African American Peter Salem at the North Bridge in Concord. They are also known to have fired on Regulars returing to Lexington from Concord, but they escaped British search parties after firing on the column from a house. They were each paid enlistment bounties of 15 pounds for three years service later in the war.
- John Ferrit, Son of Caesar Ferrit - At Lexington (ref. 13)
- Thomas Ferrit - At Lexington/Menotomy with Capt. Eben. Battle's Springfield (Dover/Dedham) Company. (ref. 10,13)
- Eleazer Ferrit - At Lexington (ref. 13, possible misp. of Caesar)
- Charleston Harden, Black (ref. 9)
- Caesar Thompson, Black (ref. 9)
- Peter Dago, Black (ref. 9)
- Isaac Comecho, Natick Praying Indian resident of Dedham, baptized in Natick on 27 October 1745, served in Capt. William Ellis' company at Lexington. (ref. 13)
- Samuel Comecho - served at Bunker Hill, Cananda, and Fort Ticonderoga. Born in Natick, resided in Sherborn, died March 14, 1776, most likely of smallpox. (ref. 13)
- Alexander Quapish - At Bunker Hill with Capt. Daniel Whiting's Springfield (Dover/Dedham) Company. Buried in Natick Indian burial ground (now on Pond St., ref.12)
- Benjamin Thomas
- Simon Ephraim
- Ebenezer Ephraim - baptized in Natick 26 July 1747, resided in Worcester (ref. 13)
- Joseph Pegan, Jr. - fought in the Connecticut line at White Plains, NY and near Monmouth, NJ.
The spelling of the names on this list comes from period muster roles. Information regarding any inaccuracies should be sent to Marco Kaltofen (kaltofen@aol.com).
