History of the town of Shirley, Massachusetts The names of those who served in the war of Independence, from Shirley, will be found in the foregoing genealogical record, with the exception of seven, whose family connections are not known. They are here entered from the army rolls: John Wason, Francis Williams, Titus Colburn, John Darling, John Kelley, Joseph Burkmer, John Dutch. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ History of the town of Shirley, Massachusetts Page 124 NAMES OF EIGHT-MONTHS MEN, 1775. The following list comprises the names of those who enlisted in the company under command of Capt. Robert Longley of Bolton, (Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment,)--with the dates of enlistment: Sylvanus Smith, Lieut., April 26.John Ivory, July 13. Ephraim Smith, 2d Lieut., April 26.Moses Jennison, April 26. Thomas Bennett, Sergt., April 26.John Longley, April 27. Benjamin Haskell, Sergt., May 2.John Moors, May 6. John Kelsy, Sergt., April 26.Abel Parker, Jr., April 26. Joseph Longley, Corpl., April 26.Charles Phipps, April 29. Edmund Longley, Corpl., May 3.David Pratt, May 10. Timothy Bolton, April 29.John Parker, July 13. Jonathan Davis, April 26.Simon Page, Jr., July 15. Phinehas Farwell, April 29.Ezra Smith, April 26. Scripture Frost, April 29.William Sampson, April 26. Seth Harrington, April 26.David Sloan, April 29. Zachariah Holden, April 26.David Sloan, Jr., April 29. Asa Holden, April 29.Obadiah Sawtell, Jr., May 7. Abel Holden, May 9.William Williams, Jr., April 29. Lemuel Holden, July 14.John Williams, June 14. Simeon Harrington, July 15.John Woodbury, May 9. Amos Holden, April 26. The following persons were in the company of eight-months men under Lieut. Nathaniel Sartell, in Col. William Prescott's regiment: Titus Colburn, enlisted May 6. John Whitney, enlisted May 2. Abner Whitney, enlisted May 2. The following persons performed service for a short time during the summer of 1776: Silas Davis, corporal, enlisted May 17, 1776; served 76 days. Ephraim Warren, corporal, enlisted May 18, 1776; served 75 days. Daniel Kezar, enlisted May 17, 1776; served 76 days. Daniel Page, enlisted May 19, 1776; served 74 days. David Wilson, enlisted May 25, 1776; served 68 days. SOLDIERS IN THE CONTINENTAL SERVICE. A return made to the Secretary of State under date of December 2, 1777, by Col. Jonathan Reed, contains the following names of Shirley men who had enlisted for three years into the Continental army, from the regiment under his command. All but the three last named were in Capt. Smith's company in the Fifteenth Continental Regiment, under the command of Col. Timothy Bigelow of Worcester. The last three entered the regiments under Cols. Putnam and Graton: John Davis,Solomon Peirce,David Sloan, John Davis, Jr.,John Haskell,Morris Kelley, Cornelius Davis,Jonathan Davis,John Darling, Seth Harrington,William Bartlett,John Kelley, John Jupp,Ezra Smith,Joseph Burkmer. John Moors,Amos Dole, Jr., David Wilson,John Moors, Jr., The fifteenth regiment, in which most of the men above named served, was recruited from Worcester and Middlesex counties in the early part of the year 1777, and was distinguished both for its good discipline and for valor upon many of the hardest-fought fields of the Revolution. The regiment assisted in the capture of Burgoyne at Saratoga, endured the trials and sufferings of Valley Forge, fought on the plains of Monmouth, and participated in the crowning glories of Yorktown. "A braver band," says Lincoln in his History of Worcester, "never took the field or mustered to battle. High character for intrepidity and discipline, early acquired, was maintained unsullied to the close of the service." The following list, though comprising only a part of the Continental soldiers from Shirley, is given to show the time of service as credited to each on the rolls at the State House. Some of these, perhaps all, served for other periods of time during the war. Amos Atherton, 12 months,John Dutch, 10 months, 23 days, William Bartlett, 36 months,Seth Harrington, 36 months, Amos Dole, 42 months,Morris Kelley, 36 months, Jonathan Davis, 43 months,John Moors, 36 months, John Davis, 30 months,John Moors, Jr., 38 months, 6 days, John Davis, Jr., 36 months,Ezra Smith, 36 months, Cornelius Davis, 36 months,John Jupp, 33 months, 22 days. Josiah Dodge, 8 months, ATHERTON. Atherton, Amos, born at Lancaster, Mass., Oct. 5, 1731; married Lydia Gould of Shirley, May 4, 1758. He then became a resident of Shirley, and lived on a farm in a northerly section of the town, the same now owned and occupied by Orsamus Andrews. He was engaged in the continental service for one year. He had nine children, and died in Shirley, Feb. 19, 1801. His children were all born at Shirley, and were I. LYDIA, born Jan. 22, 1759, married John Darling of Shirley, published July 20, 1780. II. AMOS, born Oct. 31, 1760, married Hannah Emmons, and had two children: 1. AMOS. 2. SAMUEL. III. BETSEY, born Oct. 27, 1762, married Nathaniel Holden of Shirley, Mar. 17, 1794, died in Shirley, Jan. 21, 1829. IV. JONATHAN, born Jan. 17, 1765, married Rhoda Heald of Shirley, March 17, 1793. He had six children, and died at Shirley, Sept., 1803.