Thomas Chester (1721 - 1804)

Born 18 Aug 1721 in Groton, New London, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Eldredge — married 9 Sep 1742 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 6 Mar 1804 at age 82 in Groton, New London, Connecticut, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michael Byrd [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Chester performed Patriotic Service in Connecticut in the American Revolution.

Thomas Chester is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A021454.

Thomas Chester is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-132295
Rank: Patriotic Service

Thomas was born in 18 Aug 1721 in Groton, New London, Connecticut and died in 1804 in Connecticut.

Note: Alternate death date: Died about March 1804. See his Will below, written 7th June 1803 and proven 17th March 1804. Inventory Dated Groton, New London, Connecticut, March 19th, 1804. Find a Grave has headstone with death of 6 Mar 1804. Changing death from 1801 to March 19th, 1804.

Note: "Augustin] Chester...; son of Elisha of Groton, Ct,...; son of Thomas Chester of Groton Ct, born there Aug 18, 1721, d. there, farmer, held many trusts, interested in education, church and state, was selected to carry money to the army (m. 1743 Sarah Eldridge b. Mar 19th 1725, died January 19th, 1798). ^[1]

According to research by his granddaughter, he was involved in fending off British attack at Ft. Griswold, New London Connecticut on 31 December 1781. Two of his sons, Daniel and Eldridge, died in the battle and are listed on the Ft. Griswold Memorial. "Two of the sons of Samuel Chester were Thomas and Benajah. Thomas, who resided in the old Chester homestead in Shinnecosset, was paymaster for Connecticut troops during the Revolutionary War. On September 6th, 1781, he armed three of his sons for the defense of Fort Griswold. Two of them were massacred after they had surrendered, and the other was taken prisoner. The land on which the Fort Griswold house and adjacent cottages now stand was owned by Benajah Chester and his son Starr. Their house was burned by the enemy during the war. Starr Chester, son of Benajah, subsequently purchased a large tract of land, a part of which is now known as Long Point. His son Nicholas became the father of Fanny, wife of Thomas Chester, and mother of Mrs. Prest." ^[2]

"Daniel Chester - Killed, Age 27. Gravestone Inscription: Here Lies ye Body of Mr Daniel Chester son of Mr Thomas Chester Who was Killed in fort Griswould after he Surrendered sept 6th 1781 in ye 27th year of his Age. I for my Countrys Cause have fought, My blood was split upon ye Earth By Relentless Inhuman foes I fall a sacrifice to Death."

According to his nephew Augustin, "Daniel was one of the crew of the privateer Minerva, Captain Dukdley Saltonstall, which captured the prize ship Hannah, bound to New York, richly laden with cotton woollen, and silk goods, whose capture is thought to have incensed the British, and provoked the reprisal which resulted in the scenes of September 6." ^[3] "Sgt. Eldredge Chester - Wounded, later died of wounds, Age 24. Gravestone Inscription: 'Here Lies ye Body of Mr. Eldredge Chester son of Mr Thomas Chester who was wounded in fort Griswould sept 6th 1781 and died of his Wounds decr 31st in ye 24th year of his Age Relentless was my foe Deaths weapons through me went, Fell by ye Fatal blow, Linger'd till life was Spent.'^[4]

According to several WorldConnect databases, Thomas and Sarah had 14 children:

Thomas 1743-1781;

Sarah 1745-;

Bathsheba ~1760 m. Thomas Havens;

Zerviah 1749-1831 unmarried;

Abigail ~1751-aft 1803;

Catherine 1753-1820 unmarried;

Daniel, abt 1754-1781;

Charles 1757-1781 ;

Eldridge 1758-1781;

Mary 1761-;

Matilda 1763-;

Nathan 1765- , m. Abigail Walworth;

Elisha 1767- , m. Mary Chester;

and Frances 'Fanny', abt 1769, m. John Chester (son of John and Abigail Chester).

NOTE: in daughter Zerviah's Will she names a Nephew, Alexander Ingram, Jr - so one of her sister's must have married an Ingram.

"The name of this family, always honorable in Groton, derives additional honor from the memory of three brothers, Daniel, Eldridge and Charles, who were among the gallant defenders of Fort Griswold at the time of the battle. Only Charles escaped with his life. Two other brothers, Nathan and Elisha, married two sisters, Abigail and Mary, daughters of Elisha Walworth and Desire Packer." ^[5]

Ancestry.com Hints for Thomas Chester

Father: John Chester b: ABT 1691 in Groton, New London, Connecticut Mother: Mary Starr b: 29 Jun 1696 in New London, New London, Connecticut

Marriage 1 Sarah Eldridge b: 1725 in Connecticut Married: 9 Sep 1742 in Stonington, New London, Connecticut Note: "Extracted from History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, CT; Richard Wheeler, Norwich, 1875"; ^[6]

Children: Has Children Elisha Chester b: 12 Dec 1767 in Groton, New London, Connecticut

Research Notes

Named in Father's 1771 Will

Captain John Chester, of Groton, County of New London and Colony of Connecticut in New England.

Being old and in poor health

Wife Mary Chester

Daughter: Katharine Chester and her child (son not yet 21 named Daniel Williams)

Son: Thomas Chester

Son: Benajah Chester

Son: Simeon Chester

Son: John deceased "and I order Benajah to take care of his mother, and Katharine and her child and his brother, John's two little fatherless and motherless children"

Son: James Chester

Son: Joseph Chester

Grandson: John Chester (oldest son of son, John deceased)

Grandson: Simeon Chester (youngest son of son, John deceased)

Mentions Brother Abraham deceased

Mentions Brother Jonathan Chester

Exutrix: wife Mary

Excutor: Son Benajah

Witn: Thomas Starr, William Starr, Richard Starr Jr

Will written: 17th February 1770

Will proved: June 8th, 1771

Inventory taken

New London, Connecticut Wills

....

CHESTER Births in Groton, Connecticut- with a Thomas as father not necessarily do all belong to the same Thomas, but no dates overlap.

• Thomas, son of Thomas, bp Aug 28, 1743
• Sarah, daughter of Thomas, bp Apr 21 1745
• Bathsheba, daughter of Thomas, bp Mar 22, 1747
• Zerviah, daughter of Thomas, bp Nov 5, 1749
• Catherine, daughter of Thomas & Sarah bp May 20 1753
• Charles son of Thomas & Sarah bp June 12 1757
• Eldridge, son of Thomas & Sarah bp Aug 13 1758
• Mary daughter of Thomas, bp May 3 1761
• Metilda, daughter of Thomas, bp July 3, 1763
• Nathan, son of Thomas, bp June 9, 1765
• Elisha, son of Thomas, bp Oct 10 1768

Groton, Connecticut Church Records

..........

1790 US Census New London, Connecticut

Name: Thomas Chester

Males - 16 and over: 3

Females: 5

Number of Household Members: 8

.... next door to an Isaac Chester

Males - 16 and over: 2

Females: 2

Number of Household Members: 4

.... same place...

Giles Chester (1-1-4) and Simeon Chester (1-1-1)

1790 US Census

...

1800 US Census Groton, New London, Connecticut

Isaac Chester

Male to 10 - 2

Male to 16 - 1

Male to 45 - 1

Female to 26 -1

Female to 45 - 1

Female 45+ - 1

Total - 7

.... one name in between

Thomas Chester

Male 45+ - 1

Female to 16 - 1

Female 45+ - 3

Total - 5

...next door

Elisha Chester

Male to 10 - 2

Male to 16 - 1

Male to 45 - 1

Female to 10 - 2

Female to 45 - 1

Total - 7

1800 US Census

.......

1804 Estate Papers

Thomas Chester of the Town of Groton, County of New London, State of Connecticut

Being advanced in years and in a poor state of health

Son: Charles Chester

Son: Nathan Chester

Son: Elisha Chester

Suggests Four daughters not married::

Daughter: Sarah

Daughter: Zeviah

Daughter: Abigail

Daughter: Catharine

Suggests Four daughters married:

Daughter: Bathsheba Havens

Daughter: Mary Ingram

Daughter: Matilda Chester

Daughter: Fanny Chester

Stonington Probate District

Witn: Isaac Chester, Lovicy Chester, Frederick Bailey

Will written: in Groton, 7th June 1803

Will proven: 17th March 1804 - Starr Chester JP

Inventory Dated: Groton, March 19th, 1804

Hartford, Connecticut Wills

....

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 February 2021), memorial page for Thomas Chester (28 May 1721–6 Mar 1804), Find A Grave: Memorial #73535404, citing Colonel Ledyard Cemetery, Groton, New London County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by craig johnson (contributor 47135905) .

DAR

Mrs Mary Chester Findlay, daughter of

Melville Chester and Frances Harris, son of

Elisha Chester and Mary Walworth, son of

Thomas Chester and Sarah Eldredge.

Thomas Chester armed his three sons to defend Fort Griswold against the forces of Arnold who landed September 6, 1781, at Groton, Conn. Two were massacred after surrender. As soon as the English retired from the fort the aged father assisted in caring for the dead and dying; among the fallen martyrs in this cruel outrage he found his own boys.

Daughters of the American Revolution Vol 002 #1727

Same story about Thomas Chester - his oldest son, Thomas commanded the Privateer "Hancock" (from Conn), his three sons mentioned above were: Eldredge - mortally wounded; Daniel being killed; Charles taken prisoner. Their names are inscribed on the monument erected near the scene.

Sons of the American Revolution application

......

_Note_ Can access for free through Genealogy.com -- under 'Family Home Page'. Email lorichester@ hotmail.com. As of May 2009, page last updated in August 2003_

Caulkins, Frances Manwaring. The Stone Records of Groton (Free Academy Press, Norwich, Conn., 1903) Page 65

Research on the Different Thomas Chesters: .

List of Chesters buried in Colonel Ledyard Cemetery, Groton, New London, Connecticut^[7]

1) Thomas Chester 1721-1804

2) Thomas Chester 1725-1798 - same date for his wife Sarah??

3) Thomas Chester - 1743 - 1781

Sources

1. ↑ From "American Ancestry: Giving Name and Descent, in the Male Line, of Americans Whose Ancestors Settled in the United States Previous to the Declaration of Independence, A. D. 1776". By Thomas Patrick Hughes, Frank Munsell, 1889
2. ↑ Biographical Review of New London Connecticut, 'Edward Prest', 1898, Internet Archives of American Libraries, <http://www.archive.org/details/biographicalrevi00biogo>
3. ↑ {Battle of Groton Heights, by C. Allyn, 1882, <www.heritagequest.com>}
4. ↑ {Ft. Griswold, Known Defenders Resting Place, by Michael Meals, <http://www.revwar.com/ftgriswold/>, 22 Nov 2003}
5. ↑ {'Walworths in America' by Clarence Augustus Walworth, 1897, GoogleBookSearch, <http://books. google.com>}
6. ↑ Marriage Records of Stonington; <http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/>
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 05 September 2020), memorial page for Thomas Chester (28 May 1721–6 Mar 1804), Find A Grave: Memorial #73535404, citing Colonel Ledyard Cemetery, Groton, New London County, Connecticut, USA ; Maintained by craig johnson (contributor 47135905) .