David Pulsifer, (Which one died at bunker Hill?)

David Pulsifer, born in 1716 in Ipswich MA to Jonathan and Sarah Loude Pulsifer, married Hannah Brown Pulsifer around 1740. The family lived in Boston MA (I think), then they moved to Connecticut, where he served in the Militia in 1758. [see correction below]

Given Name	David
Surname	Pulsipher
Page #	58
Location	Connecticut
Regiment	Third
Regt.Command	Fitch, Eleazer Colonel & Captain
Company	Third
Co.Command	Putnam, Israel Major & Captain
Campaign Year	1758
Source List	Muster Roll

Source: Connecticut Soldiers, French and Indian War, 1755-62

This David Pulsifer (b. 1716) was my ancestor through his son, Ebenezer Pulsifer (b.1744)...on the Ada Swasey Rogers family tree.  David (b.1716) was my 6th great grandfather.

He had 3 children with Hannah Brown and she died between daughter Hannah's birth in 1745 and 1756 when David married another woman, Elizabeth Stowell, and had 2 more children. (*See below) For the first (?) time I have difficulty with some historic records, because the dates given of his marriage to Elizabeth Stowell are similar to those given for Hannah Brown, the same year, but in Pomfret CT, rather than Ipswich MA.  And Hannah was the mother of the first 3 children, all born in Ipswich MA.

It may be that another David Pulsifer was marrying in CT?  It may also be that another David Pulsifer died in the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775.  At least 3 of them on the tree say they were the one. OH, I just realized the Connecticut David who married Elizabeth Stowell might have been the one whose record shows he fought for Connecticut in the French and Indian War [above.]

Since our David (b. 1716) had an Uncle David Pulsifer, his father's brother, born in 1685, it might be a mix up between them.  OR, there was also a son, David (b. 1708) born to this Uncle David (b. 1685) as well as my David Pulsifer's (b. 1716) own son David (b. 1740.)

I'd guess the most likely ones to fight would have been son 1740 or our 1716 David, and then maybe nephew David b. 1708.  The eldest, b. 1685 would have been very unlikely.
 
How can I figure it out?  I am not sure I can.  People in the DAR are confusing some of them on their family trees.  Another wife is also possible, Abigail Hodgkiss.

If I had more time...ah there's the rub.  These three related men all lived at the same time, in about the same area.  The records don't make clear which one was which....especially when listing a marriage.  Perhaps if I had the wills or probate records, I could find out better information.  But having the 3 of them dying at Bunker Hill, is pretty unbelievable!

And then another David Pulsifer wrote a book about the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1872.  He was a hisoric records clerk in Ipswich MA.  I have skimmed it, but it doesn't list a David Pulsifer's death...but rather the various skirmishes, and generals and lieutenants, especially those officers who died in battle.

It might take a few weeks, but I shall at least learn about the Battle for Bunker Hill, which the Colonials lost, but it changed the British attitude toward them, even before the Declaration of Independence. Remember Lexington had taken place in April of 1775.  And the Boston Tea Party way back in Dec of 73.  This slowly burning fuse eventually turned into a revolution. But the years leading up to it meant neighbors looking distrustfully at each other to see who would uphold the Crown, and who were more interested in the colonial attitudes of independence.

I'd almost bet that I had some ancestors who were Loyalists.  I wonder how I can find out which ones they were...not everyone would favor fighting for independence, after all. 

OK, the fortunate ancestry touch has happened again. One of these Davids (1708) was an ancestor of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Latter Day Saints, (which also runs Ancestry DOT com)  and now I see he was Elizabeth Stowell's husband, not my David (1716). (I've crossed out the misinformation about that wedding above.)

It's time to do some changes on my ancestry tree, first.

But you can be reading the LDS info while I do that:

"David, the sixth child of Benedict, is the one we are especially concerned about, and his wife Susanna. Their children were all born in Boston, namely: David (ours), born May 7, 1708; Susanna, born November 19, 1710; Margaret, born July 6, 1712; Joseph, born December 27, 1713; Elizabeth, born February 11, 1717, and Abigail, born November 27, 1720.

This David was a sailor of Boston. His wife, Susanna, was licensed to sell strong drinks in Boston in 1727, according to the “Boston Selectmen’s Minutes, 1716 to 1736.” So, if this is our David, born 1708, and Susanna was his mother, he would only be 19 years old when his mother sold strong drinks.

Probably that accounts for his going into Connecticut. Records show that he was a resident of Pomfret Windham County, Connecticut. He married in Pomfret, October 2, 1740. Elizabeth Stoel (Stowell), daughter of David Stowell and Patience Herrington, born August 21, 1719, in Newton, Massachusetts.

Their children born in Pomfret were: (Information from Pro. Ct. Record 9): Mary Pulsipher, born June 29, 1744, married John Harwood and died in 1786; Ester Pulsipher, born March 13, 1747; John Pulsipher, born July 8, 1749, and married Elizabeth Dutton; David Pulsipher, born October 6, 1751, died November 6, 1754; Elizabeth Pulsipher, born June 12, 1754, married Captain John H. Fuller; David Pulsipher, born September 29, 1756, died January 14, 1835; Ebenezer Pulsipher, born in 1758, first wife Priscilla Russell, second wife, Unity Reed.

David and Elizabeth moved to Ware River, Massachusetts, then in 1766 to Rockingham, Windham County, Vermont. The history of Rockingham states that he came “with wife” Elizabeth and five children. He settled on the Meadows opposite South Charleson, New Hampshire, and later moved to Rockingham village.

He built the first log cabin “Inn” in the town, located on the site of the dwelling now standing next, west of the old church. Town meetings were held in his home, also church meetings previous to the building of the first meeting or “town” house.

When the first church was organized in October, 1773, David and Elizabeth Pulsipher were among the first nineteen members and later David joined with others in presenting the town with the land which, for a century and a third”, has been occupied by the old meeting house and the burying ground adjoining.

Directly after the battle of Lexington, tidings of the event were sent to Rockingham, as wall as all surrounding towns and David with his son John, joined a band of Patriots gathered on both sides of the Connecticut River, and the morning of April 21, 1775. they were assigned to Captain John Maroy’s Company in Colonel James Reed’s Regiment which took an active part in the battle of Bunker Hill. It was believed that David was killed at this battle as he never returned home and his fate was never known. He nay [sic] have died of disease in the war. His wife and family remained in the old log cabin several years keeping it as a Public Tavern.

After the first church, organized in 1773, was discontinued in 1839, the Record Book as well as the Communion Service, the table cloth and one napkin were preserved by members of the Pulsipher family to whom much credit is given for their faithful care."

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[Interesting note: the 1708 David was the grandson of Benedict Pulsifer the immigrant, not the direct son. So sayeth ancestry trees at least.]

So, going back to my own ancestor (uncle of this one of LDS fame above) my 6th great grandmother, Hannah Brown Pulsifer, may have died after her 3rd child, Hannah was born in 1745.  If there's no data to substantiate the second wife in 1756, then my 6th great grandmom Hannah Brown Pulsifer, didn't have to have died by then.  We now have an unknown death date for her. And until I see an official document about the other wife, I'm not even adding her onto the tree.  At least now I know Elizabeth Stowell wasn't on my tree, except as an Aunt by marriage.

Wasn't this fun? How many hours do you think it took me to come to this place?  Over 3 days, maybe 16 total.  I am glad the studio is closed for the holiday break, so I have time to spend doing this, not to mention my having bronchitis and being homebound more than usual.