NINTH GENERATION

488. Captain Samuel Whittemore ^(2)(31) was born on Jul 27 1696 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He died on Feb 3 1793 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Captain Samuel Whittemore was a prosperous farmer in the Cambridge area and held several local political posts, among them Assessor and Selectman of Cambridge and Deputy Sheriff of Middlesex County. He was a captain in the Royal Dragoons and later served on several important Revolutionary committees. His will has evidently been lost, but there can be no doubt that he left a substantial estate.

As one of the men who actually heard the "shot heard 'rpound the world', it was at the Battle of Lexington that Captain Whittemore earned his fame. His obituary, which appeared in the Columbian Centinel of February 6th, 1793, is worth quoting in full:

"Died--at Menotomy Feby. 2 Capt. Samuel Whittemore, AE 99 [he was in fact 96, and died at Cambridge]. The many and moral virtues, in all the various relations of Brother, Husband, Father and Friend, were invariably exhibited in this gentleman. He was not more remarkable for his longevity, than his number of descendants (his progeny being 185), one of which is the fifth generation.

"When the British troops marched to Lexington (Apr 19 1775), he was 81 years of age [he was 78], and one of the first on the parade; he was armed with a gun (king's arm) and horse pistols. After an animated exhortation to the collected militia, to the exertion of bravery and courage, he exclaimed:

"'If I can only be the instrument of killing one of my country's foes, I shall die in peace!'

"The prayer of this venerable old man was heard, for on the return of the troops (from Lexington) he lay behind a stone wall and discharged his gun.

"A soldier immediately fell. He then discharged his pistol and killed another; at which instant a ball struck his face and shot away part of his cheek bone; on which a number of soldiers ran up the wall and gorged their malice on his wounded head; they were heard to exclaim, 'we have killed this old man.' About 4 hours after, he was found in a mangled situation, his head was covered with blood, from the wounds of the bayonet, which were 6 or 8 [thirteen according to other sources] but providentially none penetrated so far as to destroy him. His hat and clothes were shot through in many places, yet he survived to see the complete overthrow of his enemies, and his country enjoy all the blessings of peace and independence."

In fact he survived another eighteen years, dying just before Washington's second inaugural.

His tombstone reads, "In memory of Capt. Samuel Whittemore, who departed this life Feb. 2, 1793. Aged 98 years [he was 96]."

On the bottom of the page of the Torrey family Bible where this was found, his great granddaughter wrote, "Where shall we find such devoted patriotism now[?]" This was evidently written just before the outbreak of the Civil War, so she soon had her answer. He was married to Elizabeth Spring about 1721.

489. Elizabeth Spring ⁽³¹⁾ was born on Apr 2 1702 in Watertown, Massachusetts. She died on Jun 5 1764. Children were:

i. Lieutenant Samuel Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born on Jan 19 1722 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He died on Mar 5 1800 in West Cambridge, Massachusetts.
ii. Elizabeth Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born on Feb 29 1724. She died on Dec 29 1770. According to "The Whittemore Family in America," as published in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Elizabeth Whittemore had "thirty-seven children, of whom only the last survived her, all the others having died in infancy."

One can only stand silent before such a fact.
iii. Sarah Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born on Mar 12 1726. She died on May 13 1777.
iv. Hannah Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born on Nov 15 1727. She died on Jan 22 1728.
244 v. Thomas Whittemore.
vi. Susannah Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born on Mar 22 1731. She died on Apr 5 1752.
vii. William Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born before Oct 29 1732.
viii. Catherine Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born before Mar 23 1735. She died on Dec 25 1790.
ix. Hannah Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born on Apr 2 1737. She died on Oct 8 1775.
x. Mary Whittemore⁽³¹⁾ was born on May 6 1741.

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