Jeffrey Hemenway

Quick Facts

Significance:

Patriot of Color at Battle Road and the Battle of Bunker Hill

Place of Birth:

Framingham, Massachusetts(?)

Date of Birth:

Circa 1737

Place of Death:

Worcester, Massachusetts

Date of Death:

August 15, 1819

Place of Burial:

Worcester, Massachusetts

Cemetery Name:

Hope Cemetery

The following is from the 2004 National Park Service study Patriots of Color researched and prepared by George Quintal:

Jeffrey Hemenway^I was born circa 1737.^II He was a foster child of Ebenezer Hemenway Jr. of Framingham.^III

During 1761 and 1762, the closing years of the French and Indian War, he served in Capt. John Nixon’s company.^IV

He marched on the Lexington Alarm on 19 April 1775 ‘to Concord and Cambridge’ as a minute man in Capt. Simon Edgell’s company, serving for four days.^V On 24 April 1775 he enlisted from Framingham into the eight months’ service in Capt. Thomas Drury’s company in Col. John Nixon’s regiment. His name appears on a 20 June 1775 receipt for advance pay dated Cambridge, on the 1 August 1775 muster roll and on a 30 September 1775 company return dated Winter Hill.^VI The obituary of a granddaughter claims that he fought at Bunker Hill.^VII

In September 1776 he enlisted in Capt. Micajah Gleason’s company in Lt. Col. Thomas Nixon’s regiment, serving in the New York campaign. His unit served at the Battle of White Plains where his Captain was killed. By November he was stationed at North Castle (NY). His last pay receipt was dated Peekskill (NY) on 27 December 1776.^VIII

There is no record of 1777 service. He removed to Worcester in 1778,^IX where he ‘bought a small place on … May street.’^X

On 1 April 1778 he enlisted in Capt. Ebenezer Belknap’s company in Col. Nathanial Wade’s regiment. His name appears on a 15 July 1778 roll dated North Kingston (RI),^XI at which time he reenlisted in the same unit which later fought at the Battle of Rhode Island. By the end of 1778 he was stationed at North Kingston and then at East Greenwich (RI), where he was discharged on 1 January 1779.^XII

On 26 October 1779 he enlisted in the Worcester County militia in Capt. Francis Wilson’s company in Col. Samuel Denny’s regiment. His unit was sent to Claverack (NY) to reinforce the Continental Army. He was discharged on 23 November 1779.^XIII

In 1780 another call went out for reinforcements for the Continental Army. He joined the company of Capt. Benjamin Warren, marching to camp at Springfield (MA) on 20 July 1780 where a descriptive roll was taken:^XIV

age: 40
stature: 5 ft. 4 in.
complexion: negro
eyes: black
engaged for: Worcester

On the same date as this roll he enlisted in Capt. Lt. Peter Clayes’ company in Col. Thomas Nixon’s 6^th regiment.^XV From August to December to served in Capt. Lt. Benjamin Pike’s company. On 25 October 1780 he was stationed at Camp Totoway (NJ).^XVI He served until 19 December 1780.^XVII

On 20 August 1781 he marched from his home in Worcester in Capt. John Cutler’s company in Col. Luke Drury’s regiment. His company joined their regiment at West Point on 28 August 1781. He was discharged on 28 November 1781, having served a term of three months.^XVIII

The 1790 census of Worcester lists him as head in a household of five free people of color.^XIX

‘His will was dated [Worcester] May 20, 1809, proved Sept. 7, 1819, bequeathed to wife Hepsibah and children …' his meager estate.^XX He applied for a U.S. Pension on 14 April 1818, stating his age as 81 and his length of service as 2 ½ years.^XXI The pension was awarded for $96.00 per year.^XXII A deponent described him as ‘a person of colour.’^XXIII

He died in Worcester^XXIV on 15 August 1819, at the age of 82, and is buried at Hope Cemetery in Worcester.^XXV

He married first Susanna Wright,^XXVI and they had two children:

• Thaddeus
  • b. 22 February 1761^XXVII
• Susanna
  • b. 15 January 1768^XXVIII

Mother and daughter died ‘in a small pox epidemic.’^XXIX

He filed intentions to marry Hepsibeth Crosman on 13 December 1788 in Worcester.^XXX He married second the same Hepsibeth Bowman/Crosman,^XXXI on 3 November 1792 in Worcester.^XXXII She applied for a widow’s pension on 7 July 1838, which was awarded at $80.00 per year.^XXXIII Jeffrey and Hepsibeth had eight children:

• Joseph
  • b. 4 May 1789 in Worcester^XXXIV
• Lydia
  • b. 31 July 1791 in Worcester^XXXV
  • m. James Johnson^XXXVI
  • d. 10 December 1850^XXXVII
• Hannah
  • b. 9 August 1793 in Worcester^XXXVIIII
  • d. unm. 2 December 1891^XXXIX
• Patta
  • b. 19 August 1795 in Worcester^XL
  • d. Before 9 April 1798 when Patta 2nd was born
• Adam
  • b. 20 November 1797 in Worcester^XLI
• Patta
  • b. 9 April 1798 in Worcester^XLII
  • d. Before 1807 as she is not mentioned in will
• Alexander
  • b. 1 April 1800 in Worcester^XLIII
• Ebenezer
  • b. 8 April 1804 in Worcester^XLIV
  • m. Betsey D___^XLV
  • d. 1878^XLVI

Footnotes:

1. Status assumed to be ‘free’ since soldier was a Minute Man. 
2. Birth date backwardly-computed, based on age at time of death.
3. Temple, J.H. History of Framingham, Massachusetts … (1887), 592.
4. Ibid, 232.
5. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908) 7:711, listed as ‘Heminway.’ Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
6. Ibid 7:702, listed as ‘Hemenway,’ from Framingham.
7. Obituary of Lucinda (Hemenway) Cummings in “PMF Hemenway, Hepsibeth (1763-1847)” file at Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester (MA).
8. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908) 7:702, under ‘Hemenway,’ from Framingham. Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
9. Temple, J.H. History of Framingham, Massachusetts … (1887), 592.
10. Nutt, Charles, A.B. History of Worcester and Its People (1919), 1:149.
11. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908) 7:712, listed as ‘Hemmenway.’ Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
12. Ibid 7:702, listed as ‘Hemenway,’ from Worcester.
13. Ibid 7:07, listed as ‘Hemingway.’
14. Ibid 7:713, listed as ‘Hemmingway.’
15. Ibid 7:702, listed as ‘Hemenway’ from Worcester.
16. Ibid 7:707-8, under ‘Hemingway.’
17. Ibid 7:702, under ‘Hemenway’ from Worcester.
18. Ibid 7:708, under ‘Hemingway.’
19. United States Census, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 29 (1790-1850). Index, 1790, Massachusetts, Worcester, 244.
20. Nutt, Charles, A.B. History of Worcester and Its People (1919), 1:148.
21. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Roll 1250, Pension# W19757, Frame 209.
22. Ibid, Frame 207.
23. Ibid, Frame 229; affidavit of Peter Clayes, also affidavit of Nathaniel Prime (Frame 216).
24. Ibid, Frame 214.
25. Gravestone record, Section 32, Lot 1245; visited on 5 February 2002.
26. Tempe, J.H. History of Framingham, Massachusetts … (1887), 592.
27. Ibid.
28. Ibid.
29. Izard, Holly V. “Image and Reality: Hepsibeth Bowman/Crosman Hemenway and her Portrait.” Manuscript at Worcester (MA) Historical Museum in “PMF Hemenway, Hepsibeth (1763-1847)” file at Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester (MA), 18, footnote 37; it is further stated, ‘It appears that Jeffrey’s first marriage was not common knowledge to his second family.’
30. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frame 215.
31. She died in Worcester on 17 February 1847 at age 84, being described as ‘Colored’ (per Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Worcester, Deaths, 485). She was a laundress and her portrait is in the collections of the Worcester Historical Museum.
32. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Worcester, Marriages, 361; he is listed as ‘Jeph’ and she is listed as ‘Hepshabeth Boman;’ in her pension affidavit (United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frame 212) she stated that ‘her maiden name was Hepsibah Crosman.’
33. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frame 221.
34. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Worcester, Births 132.
35. Ibid.
36. Izard, Holly V. “Image and Reality: Hepsibeth Bowman/Crosman Hemenway and Her Portrait. Manuscript at Worcester (MA) Historical Museum in “PMF Hemenway, Hepsibeth (1763-1847)” file at Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester (MA), 36.
37. Ibid.
38. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Worcester, Births, 131.
39. Izard, Holly V. “Image and Reality: Hepsibeth Bowman/Crosman Hemenway and Her Portrait. Manuscript at Worcester (MA) Historical Museum in “PMF Hemenway, Hepsibeth (1763-1847)” file at Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester (MA), 36.
40. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Worcester, Births, 132.
41. Ibid, 131.
42. Ibid, 132.
43. Ibid, 131.
44. Ibid.
45. Gravestone record, Hope Cemetery, Worcester (MA). Their son Alexander Freeman Hemenway served in the 54^th Massacusetts (Izard, Holly V. “Image and Reality: Hepsibeth Bowman/Crosman Hemenway and Her Portrait. Manuscript at Worcester (MA) Historical Museum in “PMF Hemenway, Hepsibeth (1763-1847)” file at Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester (MA), 33).
46. Izard, Holly V. “Image and Reality: Hepsibeth Bowman/Crosman Hemenway and Her Portrait. Manuscript at Worcester (MA) Historical Museum in “PMF Hemenway, Hepsibeth (1763-1847)” file at Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester (MA), 36.

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