From the research of Linda Farr Welch:
"Nathaniel Farr and Abigail his wife and Abigail and Martha their children, warned out of Westford, Mass., 5 March, 1770." They removed to New Ipswich, NH, from Westford ca. 1770, and settled alongside his brother, Levi, where Nathaniel entered Revolutionary Service. (What was Nathaniel doing in New Bedford, Mass (that part of Dartmouth that became New Bedford) in 1790?
Around the end of March, 1799, the family removed to Chester, Vermont. Nathaniel, like so many soldiers before him who had marched on the Crown Point Military road during the Revolution, was impressed with the scenery and potential of Vermont. He determined that after the war was over, he would move his family and settle them in the Black River Valley.
They came with one ox team consisting of one yoke of oxen and a large sled, and a two yoke sled of steers with a milch cow with a sled tied up and hooked to her back. All the household possessions had been loaded in the cart, consisting of beds and bedding, cooking utensils, and other necessities. They arrived at Townshend, Massachusetts, spent the night there, and then proceeded on to Rindge, NH. They traveled from Rindge northward on an old stagecoach path which was still hard covered with snow and almost impassable. It was very rough going, but the family was in need of getting to their destination soon in order to start building their home and beginning the planting season. The younger children and Abigail stayed with friends in Chester, while Nathaniel went on to the town of Cavendish to his land. He had purchased from William Chaplin of Cavendish, 50 acres of land, being the SW corner of John Webster's Right #73, on 26 Dec., 1799. The land was described as "beginning at a large beach tree, it being the southwest corner of land laid out on John Webster's Right No. 73; thence south, 80 degrees east, 100 rods to a stake and stones; thence north 8 degrees east, 80 rods to a stake & stones; thence north 80 degrees west, 100 rods to a stake and stones; thence south, 8 degrees west, 80 rods to the bounds first mentioned." The deed was witnessed by Salmon Dutton and Asa Wheeler.
Nathaniel removed his family to Cavendish from Chester around 1801. It is believe he first built his log home on land, off the Twenty-Mile Stream Road near the old Timothy Adams Farm. This place was historically the home of grist-mill owner and operator, Moses Smith, an early settler and Revolutionary soldier who had lost one of his limbs in the war. Later Robert Upton who had married Anna Wheelock lived here and operated the mill but left later for the state of Maine.
Nathaniel Farr lived close to Capt. John Coffeen and must have been present at that gentlemen's funeral. He was a well-liked citizen of the town, and it is said that he often told many colorful stories of the Revolution and the early days in Cavendish. He applied for a survivor's pension on 8 Aug., 1832 in order to receive benefit of the Act of Congress of June 7, 1832. He was granted a pension on 22 Aug., 1833 of $32.31 a year. Why he did not apply for a pension before that date, we can't be certain. He could have applied as early as 1818.
He died at Proctorsville on 22 July, 1840 (age 95 years). "May the warrior whose spirit has fled, Reach the mansions prepared for the blest, For his country he suffered and bled, Heaven's Angels conduct him to rest."
Nathaniel is buried in the Farr Family Plot, in back of the Farr homestead in Proctorsville. Abigail died before him, ca. 1810, and is buried in the plot. (There are some 13 graves there with fieldstone markers).
(Notes: "Montpelier, Vt., Public Records: "Nathaniel Farr Estate, pg. 318; 30 Dec., 1840, Levi Farr appointed administrator of the estate, gives bond, one year allowed to settle estate.)
Declaration of Nathaniel Farr
National Archives Revolutionary Pension Number S.16111
On this 8th day of August, 1832, at his own dwelling house, not being able to attend in open Court, by reason of age and bodily infirmity, personally appeared before the Judge of Probate Court within and for the District of Windsor, in the State of Vermont, Nathaniel Farr, a resident of Cavendish in the County (and District) of said Windsor, aged eighty-six years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 1st, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated viz:
That the declarant lived in New Ipswich, in the County of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire in the year 1775, and that he turned out as a volunteer, and marched to Concord, Massachusetts, at the time the British left Boston and marched to said Concord, and on arriving at Concord and finding the enemy had returned to Boston, declarant proceeded to Cambridge, near Boston, and then returned back to said New Ipswich, having been absent about a week.
Declarant then, immediately, to wit, in the latter part of April or for a part of May, 1775, enlisted for eight months into Capt. Mann's Company of Mason, N.H., the name of the Colonel who commanded the Regiment to which he belonged, declarant has forgotten - marched immediately to Cambridge, at which place and vicinity, he was stationed during the 8 months for which he enlisted. Declarant was in the Battle of Bunker Hill. At the expiration of 8 months he returned being discharged to New Ipswich, N.H.
Declarant further states that in the Month of May, as he thinks, 1777, he enlisted into Capt. Josiah Brown's Company of said New Ipswich, marched to Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain, for the purpose of opposing General Burgoyne who was coming up the Lake from Canada with his army, returned back to New Ipswich, N.H., having been absent 6 weeks. Declarant did not enlist for any specified term of time, the object of the expedition was to keep the posts, and oppose the enemy til our regular forces should arrive.
Declarant also states that the time Royalton in Vermont was burned, he volunteered to go to said Royalton, but on arriving at Keene, N.H., information was received that the enemy had left he place; consequently declarant returned home, having been absent but three days. Declarant does not recall what year Royalton was burnt, has not written discharges, and thinks he never had any.
Declarant resided in New Ipswich, N.H., til the year 1803 when he moved to Chester, Vermont, when he stayed a year and a half, thence he moved to Cavendish in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont, where he as lived ever since.
Declarant does not recollect that the name of the Lieutenant was in Capt. Josiah Brown's Company, in which Company he marched to Ticonderoga in 1777, but the name of the Ensign was Benjamin Williams of New Ipswich, NH.
On this 20th day of May, 1833, at his own dwelling house, personally appeared, Nathaniel Farr, aged eighty seven years on the 15th day of February, last, does hereby make the following supplementary declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
That in respect to the first weeks service at Concord and Cambridge in April, 1775, the declarant was out six days certain, and he thinks some days more, but cannot say positively.
With regard to the 8 months service in 1775, the declarant is yet unable to recollect the name of the Colonel, or other field officers, he recollects that Colonel Prescott had some command during he battle of Bunker Hill and further states that he saw General Washington several times during the eight months service and also says that General Warren was killed on the day of the battle at Bunker Hill.
In respect to the 3rd enlistment the declarant cannot tell the Colonel's name, but thinks the General's name who commanded at Ticonderoga was Schuyler.
As respects the 4th campaign of three days, the declarant can recollect nothing further being more infirm and imperfect as to memory than when he testified to his first declaration the services in the war appearing in many respects "like a dream". In all the campaigns, the declarant served as a private. He has no written discharges or documentary witnesses, and knows of no one who can testify to his services except Martha Atwood, whose affidavit is hereunto annexed.
SWORN and SUBSCRIBED the day and year aforesaid, viz: Nathaniel Farr, ss; Jabez Proctor, Judge of Probate
Affidavit of Martha Atwood, Cavendish, 17th July, 1832:
"I, Martha Atwood, of Cavendish in Windsor County in the State of Vermont, formerly of New Ipswich, NH, in Hillsborough County, being 62 years of age of rational mind and memory, do testify and say that in the Spring of the year 1775, my father, Nathaniel Farr, then an inhabitant of said New Ipswich and now an inhabitant of said Cavendish, went to Cambridge on account of the regulars coming from Boston to Lexington and Concord. He was gone a week or more, and then immediately, enlisted into 8 months service and was gone until the snow covered the ground for the next winter."
PENSION RECORD: Microfilm Copy No. M-804, Roll #956, "Revolution War Pension & Bounty Land Warrant Application Files"
Nathaniel Farr, S1611 - Service: N.H.; Nathaniel Farr of Windsor County, in the State of Vermont, who was a private in the Company commanded under Capt. Mann , in the N.H. militia for 9 months and 12 days. Inscribed on the Roll of Vt., at the rate of $32.31 per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831., certification of Pension issued Aug. 22, 1833, and sent to R. Washburn, Ludlow, Vermont; Arrears to the 4th of March, 1833 - $64.62, semiannual allowance ending - $16.15, total , $80.77, recorded by W.L. Williams, Clerk, Book "E', Vol. 3, pg. 64, Revolutionary Claim Act of June 7, 1832.
