Sinclair Fox (abt. 1759 - abt. 1836)

Born about Aug 1759 in Raymond, Rockingham, New Hampshire

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 17 Feb 1836 at about age 76 in Conneaut, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Phillip Ingmire [send private message], Judy Plumery [send private message], and Malissa Dingess [send private message]

Biography

Sinclair was born about 1759. Sinclair Fox ... He passed away about 1836. ^[1]

Can you add any information on Sinclair Fox? Please help grow his WikiTree profile. Everything you see here is a collaborative work-in-progress.

Sinclair was born about 1758. He passed away about 1836. ^[2]

Sinclair Fox served in the 3rd REGIMENT (KING'S), OHIO MILITIA. (Source 1) Note: Source 1 has his name as Sinclear Fox.

From Mary Beth Wheeler at http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mbwheeler&id=I080399:

I don't yet know the relationship, if any, of Sinclair Fox to the descendants of Thomas Fox of Concord. Because of his New Hampshire origins I want to do further research and have added him here until that is completed. It's been suggested to me that he may have been the son of an Edward Fox who settled Rockingham Co., NH, not a descendent of Thomas Fox of Concord.

Of Grafton Co., NH at the 1790 & 1800 censuses (1790-called "Saintclair"); of Grafton, Grafton Co., NH at the 1810 census. In both these NH census records he is called "Sinclair." At the 1820 census, Salem Twp., Ashtabula Co., OH, he is called "St. Clair" Fox. Of Salem Twp., Ashtabula Co., OH at the 1830 census, called "Sinkler." In 1832-35 he is called "Tinkeler Fox" in Selected Final Pension Payment Vouchers 1818-1864: Pennsylvania, VOLUME 1, pg. 193 when he received $26.28 March 1835, a resident of Conneaut formerly Salem for 20 years, formerly of Grafton, NH.

Revolutionary War Pension File of Sinkler [Sinclair] Fox, posted by Carol Page Tilson on the Ashtabula Co., OH genweb site: [1]:

S. 18404: Continental and N.H. Service September 25, 1832, Sinkler Fox of Salem, Ashtabula County, Ohio, 73 years of age, deposed: That he enlisted Jan. 1, 1776 for one year with Sergeant Rollins; and served under Capt. Moore, Col. Stark, until the middle of February, 1777 as when his term expired, he was requested to continue a short time longer; That August 1, 1777 he enlisted again and served until October 1, 1777 -- two months -- under Capt. Dearborn, Col. Stickney; That he resided in the town of Raymond, N.H. at the time of the two terms of enlistment; That he was in the battle of Trenton, N.J.; That at the time of the battle of Princeton, N.J. he witnessed an action between a Division under General Washington and the British army; but the Division in which he served under Gen. Sullivan did not come up with the detachment of British against who he was directed to move; That he was also engaged in a battle at Bennington, Vt. and was among the number that attacked and carried a Breastwork defended by a band of Tories; That in the first service he marched across the state of Massachusetts to Winter Hill, near Boston; then to New London, Connecticut by land, and then sailed to New York and afterwards to Albany; marched from there to Lake George, cross the lake to Ticonderoga; marched through St. Johns to Chamblee Falls, Upper Canada and sailed from there to Sorell; returned by water to Chamblee Falls; then marched by land to St. Johns, Crown Point and Mt. Independence; sailed from Mt. Independence to the head of Lake George; disembarked near an old French fort and marched to Albany; sailed from Albany between 50 and 100 miles down the Hudson river; landed and marched across the country to Newtown, N.J. where they met the army under General Washington, then to Trenton, Princeton and Morristown, where he was discharged; That during his second term he marched to Charlestown, N. H. then across the Green Mountains to Bennington, Vt. then to Stillwater, N. Y. where he was dismissed; That at New York when the troops with whom he marched were mustered, he was judged unfit for service from his size, but the Captain to whose company he belonged, would not discharge him but kept him on the roll until he was dismissed in February, 1777 and he performed the same service as the others; that when they were retreating from the British in Canada, almost one fourth of the army were infected with Small Pox; the sick were moved to Chimney Point, opposite Crown Point and the regiment to which he belonged and one other, remained there until all the soldiers who had not had the disease, were inoculated and had time to recover; That while stationed at Mt. Independence the American and British fleets met, and not one craft employed by the Americans escaped capture by the British, or being burnt by the Americans themselves, except one vessel on board of which the sick were placed before the action and the wounded, after the action commenced. That vessel came down to Ticonderoga; That at Trenton when his term expired, the troops were paraded and Gen. Sullivan addressed them. He told the troops that the British knew as well as the Americans themselves that their term of service was about to expire, and that no sooner would they commence their return home (if they left then) than the remnant of the army would be attacked, and it would be unable, probably, to effect anything against the enemy and perhaps unable to maintain a position in the vicinity; that his regiment did not agree to stay at the time of the address but Gen. Poor, who was very popular with the troops visited the soldiers in their tents and induced them to consent to stay; That he never received a written discharge; That he was born in Raymond, N. H. August, 1758; lived there until 1780; then moved to Grafton, N. H. where he lived until 1813, then to Salem, Ohio where he has resided ever since.

Signed by mark.

Rev. Jacob Bailey of Kingsville, and Henry Smith of Salem, both of Ashtabula County, Ohio certified to their belief in soldier's veracity.

Claim allowed for 15 months, 23 days and Certificate 13419 Pittsburgh Agency for Ohio; was issued July 20, 1833, Act of June 7, 1832 ____________________ June 9, 1835 Isaac Bennet, David Niles, John Thayer, George Starkweather, Joslyn Ring, Almon King, John W. French and Hiram Niles wrote the Department stating that "Sinkler Fox has acknowledged that he absconded from the army the evening after the taking (of) the Hessians at Princeton" and asked that his pension be stopped.

December 16, 1835 Isaac Bennet, 46 years of age, testified that in 1828 or 1829 he was at the house of Sinkler Fox and was reading the History of the United States when Fox told him that in 1775-6 he lived with a Mr. Cram in New Hampshire "got somewhat irritated and left him and joined the army" in the spring of 1776; that "when they came to the North river a prominent old Dutchman who was wealthy, wanted to hire him to help him get his pay and harvest and offered to advance money to get him clear from the army; and offered him one of his daughters if he would marry and live with him but he declined saying that Cram would follow him and get his wages" . . . "that when it was proposed to go over the river to Trenton and take the Hessians, they were divided into three divisions and that the division that he was with was ordered to cross at Trenton Ferry a little below the village; that they never came up until the Hessians had given up so that he never had a chance to fire his gun and after the Battle, some time in the afternoon of the same day they went back to the ferry; he had to wait until very near dark when he cross over the river and he and another left the army and when home and never had his discharge"; that about a year afterwards Fox repeated the same story to him.

Claim suspended. ____________________ February 17, 1836 Sinkler Fox of Conneaut, Ashtabula County, Ohio wrote the Department asking to have his pension paid; stating that the affidavit was signed by persons who did not like his son, Samuel, and repeating his former testimony, and forwarded a number of papers for the Commissioner to read.

Signed by mark, in the presence of Diana Fox and Horace Fox.

The papers were returned to have the writers certify to their statements and were not sent back to the Department.

==================================================================== ==

Note: It is yet known when Sinclair Fox died, but if it was soon after 1836 returning any papers as requested would be a moot point. He is listed in Ashtabula County on the 1835 Revolutionary War Veterans Pension Roll but not on the regular 1840 Census or 1840 Census of Pensioners.

From Raymond, NH records: "Pay-roll of Capt. Stephen Dearborn's company, Thomas Stickney's regiment, in General Stark's brigade, which company marched from Chester, in the state of New Hampshire, and joined the Northern Continental army, 1777, from July 19th to September 18th:...Sinkler Fox; William Pattredge Fox..." "Recruits Furnished by Raymond.-Captain Mark's Company, Colonel Long's Regiment.-Benj. Fox...

==================================================================== ===

A number of researchers have done extensive work on this line of the Fox family, including Carol Page Tilson, Alan W. Benson and Teddy Browning. In attempting to link Sinclair and his extended family to that of Amos Fox, Jr and son Ziba who settled in Ashtabula Co., OH, I have reviewed much of their research, though have not been privy to wills and deeds. I cannot prove a relationship to the Fox descendants of Thomas of Concord, but there are several things that lead me to think there may be links, however tentative, including the marriage of Molly/Polly/Mary Niles to Amos Fox, she perhaps sister of David Niles, and who later settled with her son Ziba at Ashtabula Co., OH as a widow. David Niles and his son were living in Monroe and Salem Twp., Ashtabula Co., OH at the 1820 census, his son David Jr having married Betsey Fox, daughter of either Sinclair or John.

I also have some questions as to the family relationships as listed on my website which uses info developed principally by and cited to Carol Page Tilson. Some of my thoughts are indicated below:

1) The "Early History of the South Ridge" (South Conneaut Township) by Rev. Rufus Clark, pg. 5 of the reprint states: "John Fox who came to Ohio as a land looker, two yrs. before, moved his goods in the Spring of 1814. He brought a family of three daughters, Betsey, Ruth and Mary, and five sons, Lewis, Sinclair, Benjamin, Samuel and Eleazer." So, one ought to be able to go to the 1820 census and find John and his 5 sons, either at home or in their own homes. But comparing the 1820 censuses right up next to each other: a) the only man entitled to be called a Patriarch is St Clair/Sinclair of Salem, the only one over age 45 (@age 62) b) strangely, both John and John B are 26-45 years of age c) I think it likely that John is the elder of the two, given that John B's wife at 1820 is 16-26 while John's is 26-45 like he. In 1830 the age difference continues. Further, middle names tended to be given in later generations. So John was likely closer to 45, John B. closer to 26. If one of the Johns was he named by Clark, a man who'd had 8 children by 1814, I believe it was John, not John B. d) History of Old Chester : from 1719 to 1869, pg. 383 indicates that a John Fox enlisted for 2 months in 1779 from Raymond - this John is clearly not either of the Johns in Ashtabula Co., OH at 1820 - at 26-45, the earliest date of birth for them would have been @1775, much too young to have had Revolutionary War military service.

2) The "History of Raymond, NH" names Benjamin & Betsey (Fullonton) as parents of Benjamin Fox. The "Old Chester" text (above) also lists a Benjamin Fox as a recruit from Raymond. I suspect this man may not have been the father of Sinclair b. @1758, having been born prior to, say, 1735 - an old recruit at the very least. Perhaps another Benjamin - a brother to Sinclair??

3) So, if we assume that Clark was right and John's 5 sons at arrival in OH were as listed above (St Clair Jr being John's son Sinclair, called jr only to distinguish the younger man from the elder, possibly his uncle), then Benjamin B of Salem, 1830, Samuel of Millsford, 1830, Sinclair of Salem, 1830 were all sons of John, Eleazer and Lewis, also sons of John, were still at home and John had had 2 more since the 1814 move (John's 1830 census). John B, therefore, was likely son of Sinclair Sr.

3) The fact that Ruth Fox who md Warren Barret in 1822 named a daughter Candace suggests that Ruth was sister of Candace Fox; given that Candace's birth was @1810 and she was not named by Clark as daughter of John, perhaps they were both daughters of Sinclair, Sr - consistent with the 1820 census.

Father: Benjamin Fox Death: in of Raymond, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire

I don't yet know the relationship, if any, of this Benjamin Fox to Thomas Fox of Concord, the principal Fox family traced in this genealogy.

From Carol Page Tilson: [bobcartilson@cox.net] from the "History of Raymond, N.H." by Joseph Fullonton [1875?]:

"FOX. Benjamin Fox married Betty Fullonton, sister of Capt. John, lived north of Oak Hill. Two daughters married Samuel and John Bachelder. Sinclair moved to Ohio. David married Abigail Bachelder, lived in a house now gone, near the Widow John Tilton. Children (of David)-- Levi, Benjamin, who lived in Nottingham, John, David, Abigail, who married Ebenezer C. Osgood, Lucy, the second wife of James Bachelder, Affa B., who married Dean Smith, and Eleanor B., who married Benj. Bachelder."

Mother: Betty (Fullonton?) Death: in of Raymond, Rockingham Co., New Hampshire

Sinclair and Lois had 9 children:

Sinclair Fox , Jr b: ABT. 1781

John Fox b: ABT. 1788 in New Hampshire

Elizabeth "Betsey" Fox b: ABT. 1795 in New Hampshire

Lois Fox b: ABT. 1798 in New Hampshire

Ruth Fox b: ABT. 1802 in New Hampshire

Samuel Fox b: 1805 in Grafton, Grafton Co., New Hampshire

Eleazer Fox

Mary Fox (1810-1851) m. Nathan McCumber

Alias

Alias: Sinclair , Sinkler, SaintClair, St. Clair

Migration

Sinclair Fox moved first to Grafton Twp., Grafton Co., NH, and lived there for about 30 years before packing up his brood and heading west to Ashtabula Co., OH [1811-1812].

Sources

1. ↑ Entered by Missy Fox-Dingess, Wednesday, October 9, 2013.
2. ↑ Unsourced family tree handed down to Judy (Slifko) Plumery.

"The History of Raymond, N. H.," by Joseph Fullonton [Morning Star Job Printing House, Dover, N. H., 1875], Chapter XVI, Record of Mortality, p.p. 330, 331:

U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783

Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900

1790 United States Federal Census 1800 United States Federal Census 1810 United States Federal Census 1820 United States Federal Census 1830 United States Federal Census

No sources. The events of Sinclair's life were either witnessed by Missy Fox-Dingess or Missy plans to add sources here later. Source 1: Source Information: Direct Data Capture, comp. U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: National Archives and Records Administration. Index to the Compiled Military Service Records for the Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M602, 234 rolls.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Missy Fox-Dingess for creating Fox-3479 on 9 Oct 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Missy and others.