Puffer Genealogy
FORBUSH, David
1739 - 1819 (79 years)
Generation: 1
1. FORBUSH, David was born on 24 Dec 1739 in MA (son of FORBUSH, David and Ruth Wood); died on 11 Apr 1819 in Peterborough, NH; was buried in Acton, MA. Other Events and Attributes:
- _COLOR: 11
Notes:
A soldier in the Revolutionary War, a member of Capt. Davis' company fr om Acton, that marched to Concord on the memorable 19th of April, 1775. * T he inhabitants of Acton took a prominent part in the struggle for indep endence, and in 1775 there were three companies of militia. The pride o f the town, however, was the company commanded by Capt. Isaac Davis, an d ineluded the young men of that place. The captain was only thirty yea rs of age, a young man in the flush ofearly manhood. This company, of w hich David Forbush was a member, was paid by the town for drilling twic e a week, and was to be ready for dutv upon a moment's notice, and was k nown as the company of minute-men. Week after week during the long wint er months, the company met in some barn and practiced the art of war, t o he ready to stand in the breach and do honor to (heir town if the awf ul arbitrament of arms should come; but probably having little thought t hat a tilt at arms with the troops of King George was really imminent. O n the morning of April 19, 1775, before the dawn of day, a messenger ar oused the inhabitants of Acton to arms. When the sun was half an hour h igh Capt. Davis' minute-men were on their way to Concord, where they ar rived at the North Bridge at 9 o'elock; the company took the left of th e line of the provincial troops-he being the youngest captain-which wer e marshaled on the heights overlooking that spot. A hurried debate ensued. What they ought to do seemed uncertain. There w as no sure knowledge that the British had committed hostile acts. To go f orward might precipitate civil war, most of the officers objected. Capt . Davis had not a man who was afraid to go. Finally the orders were giv en to march and it is said Davis' company led the line. Near the bridge t he British fired into the town; the Americans continued to advance, the n came a shot or two, finally a volley, and Capt. Davis and Aimer Hosme r of the Acton company fell; the Americans returned the fire, and three o f the redeoats were killed and nine wounded. The fight continued until t he British retreated. It was here "By the rude bridge- that arched the flood, Their flags to April breeze unfurled; Here once the embattled farmers stood. And fired the shot heard round the world." According to the inscription on the monument at Acton, erected by the t own and State in honor of Capt. Davis and men. is this: "On the morning o f that eventful day (Apr. 19, 1775), the Provincial officers held a cou ncil of war near the old North Bridge in Concord; and as they separated D avis exclaimed, 'I haven't a man that is afraid to go,' and immediately m arched his company from the left to the right of the line, and led in t he first organized attack upon the troops of George III in that memorab le war which, by the help of God, made the thirteen colonies independen t of Great Britain, and gave polictical being to the United States of A merica."
FindaGrave:
GRID=128626618David married HAYWARD, Sarah in Nov 1762 in MA. Sarah (daughter of HAYWARD, Josiah Hartwell and HOSMER, Mary) was born on 17 Jul 1742 in Acton, MA; died on 11 Jan 1826 in Sudbury, MA; was buried in Acton, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:- FORBUSH, Lucy was born on 1 Sep 1764 in Acton, MA; died on 10 Sep 1829 in Westminster, MA; was buried in Westminster, MA.
2. FORBUSH, David was born on 6 Jan 1718 in Marlboro, MA; died on 19 May 1803 in Acton, MA. Other Events and Attributes:
- _COLOR: 2
David married Ruth Wood on 14 May 1734 in Acton, MA. Ruth was born in CA 1720; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
3. Ruth Wood was born in CA 1720; and died. Children:
- 1. FORBUSH, David was born on 24 Dec 1739 in MA; died on 11 Apr 1819 in Peterborough, NH; was buried in Acton, MA.