Prince Hull

Quick Facts

Significance:

Patriot of Color at the Battle of Bunker Hill

Place of Birth:

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Date of Birth:

Circa 1750

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

Prince Hull was born circa 1750.^I

He joined the eight month’s service from Pittsfield (MA) on 15 May 1775, in the company of Capt. Oliver Parker in Col. Willian Prescott’s regiment. This company served in the Battle of Bunker Hill in the redoubt. He was listed on the 1 August 1775 muster roll and on the 7 October 1775 company return. On 31 October 1775, he was in Capt. Ephraim Corey’s company in receipt of an ‘order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Cambridge.’^II

On 1 January 1776, he reenlisted serving in Capt. James Perry’s company, in Col. Paul Dudley Sargent’s regiment, for three months. He was ‘reported deserted’ on 19 April 1776. At this point is name drops off the Massachusetts rolls.^III

His 28 March 1818 application for a U.S. Pension expands the knowledge of his service:

that he first enlisted in April AD 1775 for eight months in Capt [Oliver] Parker’s company & Col^o [William] Prescott’s Reg^t of Mass^ts troops & served through that campaign, was engaged in the Battle of Bunker Hill & at the expiration of his eight months viz in December 1775 he enlisted for one year at Cambridge in the Con^t line, in Capt [William] Hull’s company & Col^o [Charles] Webb’s Regt & at the expiration thereof he was enlisted again at Fishkill N. York for three years by Lieut. Smith but on account of his sickness he was about six months afterwards discharged from the service. In August 1777 he again enlisted into Capt [Jonathan] Wadsworth’s company & Col [Thaddeus] Cook’s Regt for three months & was wounded at the battle of Saratoga & having faithfully served out his time was honorably discharged...^IV

Prince was probably wounded in the first Battle of Saratoga on 19 September 1777, as his Captain was killed in that engagement.

The 1790 census of Hartford lists him as head in a household of three free people of color.^V

On 26 August 1820, he had to reapply for his pension in order to prove need:

Prince Hulls Inventory

1 horse $5
1 Waggon $1.50
1 trunk 25 cents
1 chest 25 cents
2 tables 25 cents
4 chairs 25 cents
1 dish kettle 17 cents
1 tea kettle 17 cents
1 pot 25 cents
1 spade 25 cents
1 shovel 12 cents
1 hoe 6 cents
1 hammer 6 cents
1 pair tongs 6 cents
1 andiron 6 cents
1 saw 12 cents
pots & mugs & dishes 15 cents
1 jug & stone pot 10 cents
-------------
$8.57

I am by occupation a laborer but unable to labor by reason of infirmity. I have a daughter who keeps my house.... I must be carried to the poor house of the town of Hartford.^VI

He was able to retain his pension of $96.00 a year.^VII

It was probably he who married Tryphosa Limbo, ‘free negro’ of Glastonbury (CT), at Middletown (CT) on 17 July 1794.^VIII

He had one daughter, undoubtedly also the child of Tryphosa:

• Mary
  • bca. 1795^IX

Footnotes:

1. Birth date backwardly-computed, based on age in pension application.
2. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908) 8:481. Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.” After the Battle of Bunker Hill, Capt. Parker left the service and command of the company fell to Lt. Nathaniel Sartwell.
3. Ibid.
4. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Roll 1364, Pension# S36596, Frame 568; he resided in Hartford.
5. United States Census, National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 29 (1790-1850). Index, 1790, Connecticut, Hartford, 47.
6. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frames 565-6; he still resided in Hartford and was age 70.
7. Ibid, Frame 563.
8. Bailey, Frederic W,, Rev., B.D. Early Connecticut Marriages as found on Ancient Church Records prior to 1800 (1904) 6(1904):113; he is listed as ‘(free negro) of Hartford.’
9. United States Revolutionary War Pensions, NARA, Record Group 15, Series M804. 2670 rolls, Frame 565.

Learn more about Quintal's study.