Naler Hatch Sr. (1748 - abt. 1777)

Born 8 Dec 1748 in Falmouth, Cumberland, District of Maine, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Sprague) Hatch — married 28 Mar 1773 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

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Biography

Naler Hatch I 1748-c 1775/6 Elizabeth Sprague 1752-?

There were several different Nailer/Naler/Naylor Hatches, but this is the first in our particular branch. Apparently, they were all named for their common ancestress [and this Naler’s grandmother] Tabitha Naylor Hatch. The civil records for Naler are few: we have his birth record, and the record of his marriage to Elizabeth Sprague (he 24, she 21).

After their marriage, the only surviving record that mentions Naler is from the History of the of Everett, MA. These are excerpts from:

Everett During the American Revolution

“Early in the morning of April 19, 1775, the inhabitants of Everett (the South Precinct of Malden) were awakened by the persistent far-away peal of church bells. Those living along the waterfront heard the urgent clap-clap of horses’ hoofs and the muffled, anguished cry …… “The Regulars are coming”. They threw open their windows, only to see the disappearing form of the crier, mounted on his horse, speeding off in the direction of Medford, the winds echoing his frightening message.”

“At the corner of the lane met the neighborhood militiaman at the present Everett Square. They were joined by David Bucknam, Ebenezzer Paine, Stephen Paine, Jr., and Nehemiah Oakes. Together they traveled to the top of the hill where they were joined by Ezra, Jacob, and Silas Sargeant. At the South Meeting House they waited for Amos Shute who had come from what is now Glendale Square, and soon Naler Hatch arrived. He lived where the Woodlawn Cemetery is now located. Robert Burditt and Benjamin Sprague, Jr. came into sight and, last of all, young Winslow Sargeant arrived, his drum swinging from side to side as he sped to join the group. By the time they were all assembled, there was a large crowd of women and children standing by; wives, sons and daughters of these militiamen, who felt that no matter what the day held for their husbands and fathers, they wanted to be nearby.

“These militiamen were a hardy, determined and brave group of men. They were part of a community (South Precinct) which had fought stubbornly for years for separation from Malden. They had not yet achieved total separation, but they had fostered a precinct and supported it, both financially and politically. They had violently disagreed with location of the new Meeting House in the North Precinct, and now had their own in a convenient location, with their own minister in their own small community. They were, indeed, rugged individualists.”

The account continues with quite a bit of detail; too long to reproduce here. It was, of course, the day the well-known marches on Lexington and Concord occurred; the first salvo being the famous “shot heard round the world”. Most of the Malden Company returned the same night and next day, for by the time they could reach Lexington, the battle was over. It must be said that without benefit of radio, television, social media, or transportation beyond a horse, within two days 15,000 men from across New England had assembled and surrounded Boston.

There were two Naler Hatches in Malden at that time, our Naler and his uncle. Uncle Naylor, or “Capt. Hatch” was a remarkable hero in the Revolution … commanding not only ground troops, but a Naval vessel as well … surely doing honor to the seamanship of the Hatch family.

This is the last we hear of our Naler Hatch. Surely, he returned that day with the rest of the Company, but it is believed he died sometime during the War years, about age 26. On the day of the march, his wife Elizabeth would have been about five months pregnant with their only child. After twelve years, Elizabeth remarried a William Burdett who died three years later. There are no more marriages, nor a death record for Elizabeth.

Naler I and Elizabeth Sprague Hatch had one child, Naler Hatch II, of whom further.

Naler was born about 1750. He passed away about 1777.

Sources

• Massachusetts, Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850

• Falmouth ME Town Records