Ezra Knowlton (abt. 1739 - 1814)

Born about 1739 in The Hamlet, Ipswich, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Abigail (Dodge) Knowlton — married 11 Feb 1762 in Ipswich, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died 24 Aug 1814 at about age 75 in Hamilton, Essex, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Ezra Knowlton served with the Massachusetts Militia during the French and Indian War.
Unit(s): Massachusetts Militia

Private Ezra Knowlton served with Essex County, Massachusetts Militia during the American Revolution.

Ezra was baptized on July 29, 1739, in Ipswich, Essex, Province of Massachusetts Bay, the son of Benjamin Knowlton^[1] and Susanna Potter. He passed away August 24, 1814 aged 76 years in Hamilton, Essex, Massachusetts, USA,^[2]

In his will dated 11 February 1808, proved 2 January 1815, Ezra Knowlton of Hamilton made bequests to his (unnamed) wife, son Levi (to care for his mother), daughters Susanna, Tammy, Abigail, Ame, and Nancy. Son Levi to be sole executor. Proved 2 January 1815. Levi Knowlton, mariner of Hamilton, made bond on 2 January 1815, on the administration of the estate of his father, a yeoman of Hamilton. The estate was inventoried on 07 Jan 1815, totaled at $830, and consisted of a homestead with 12 1/2 acres, 3 acres of woodland, and 14 acres in Wenham known by the name of henery.^[3][4]

In the French and Indian War Ezra served in the Massachusetts militia in the 1758 Lake George, New York Expedition. (Mayflower Families Fifth Generation Descendants, Vol. 15, Page 175. and Ipswich in the Massachusetts Bay Colony Vol. 2, Page 189)

In the Revolutionary War Ezra was a Private in the Massachusetts Militia. He served:

• Nov. 11, 1777 – Apr. 3, 1778 Capt. Miles Greenwood Co.; Col. Jacob Gerrish's Regiment of guards; Camp at Winter Hill
• July 20, 1778 – Jan 1, 1779 Capt. Simeon Brown's Co.; Col. Nathaniel Wade's Rgt.; Service at Providence, R.I.
• Aug. 31, 1779 – Sep. 30, 1779 Capt. John Kettel's Co.; Major Nathaniel Heath's Rgt. detached from militia for service around Boston.
• Dec 29, 1779 Capt. Simeon Brown's Co.; Col. Nathaniel Wade's Rgt.; Served as boatmen 26 days expedition against Newport, R.I.
• June 22, 1780 – Dec. 8, 1780 - Service in the Continental army. Ezra's enlistment record for his service in 1780 is under "Ezra Noble". In that enlistment record he is described as 41 yrs, 5'8" and light complexion. (Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, Volume 9, Page 366 and 383 and Volume 11, Page 489)

The birth records of the children show that Ezra and his family were living in Wenham from 1763 through 1768 but were living in The Hamlet by 1771.

Ezra is found in the 1790 U.S. Census of The Hamlet, Ipswich, MA. and the 1800 and 1810 U.S. Census of Hamilton, Massachusetts. The Hamlet of Ipswich became the town of Hamilton, Massachusetts.

In various records Ezra is described as a fisherman or mariner.

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records of Ipswich, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849 (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1910-19), 3 vols, 1:225; digital images, Hathi Trust; "Knolton, Ezra, s. Benja[min], jr., bp. July 29, 1739. C. R. 5."
2. ↑ Vital Records of Hamilton, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1849 (Salem, Mass.: The Essex Institute, 1908), 96; digital images, Hathi Trust. for "Knolton, Ezra [casuality. C. R.], Aug. 24, 1814, a. 76 y."
3. ↑ Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638-1881, probate file #16070 Ezra Knowlton (1815)
4. ↑ Essex County, MA, probate records 1638-1916, Vol. 386:416

See also:

• Mayflower Families Through Five Generations Vol. 15 p. 163, 175-176
• Massachusetts Marriage Record: "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH87-QH7 : 6 November 2017), Ezra Knowlton and Abigail Dodge, 11 Feb 1762; citing Marriage, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 777,636.
• 1790 US Census: "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKL-ZRJ : accessed 22 May 2019), Ezra Knowlton, Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; citing p. 296, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 4; FHL microfilm 568,144.
• Charles Henry Wright Stocking, The History and Genealogy of the Knowltons of England and America ..., (New York: The Knickerbocker Press, 1897), 2 vols., 1:44 (for ID 159, Benjamin [Knowlton] and Abigail Dodge), 1:67 (for ID 332, Ezra [Knowlton] and Abigail Dodge); digital images, InternetArchive.
• George Henry Knowlton, Errata and Addenda to Dr. Stocking's History and Genealogy of the Knowlton's of England and America ... (Boston: The Everett Press, 1903), 29 (for corrections to p. 44, ID 159 and p. 44, ID 332) and 40- 41 (for corrections to p. 67, ID 332 and family); digital images, Hathi Trust.

• "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSFF-L94F-Y?cc=2546162&wc=WD6Q-R9K%3A1597372303 : 29 August 2019), Massachusetts, Soldiers and Sailors, Kable, Jacob-Lsubon, Pierre > image 385 of 1048; citing various published state rosters, United States.