The Portland daily press., 1895-06-01
PORTLAND MAINE, SATURDAY MORNING, 1895.


CAPTAIN BENJAMIN HOOTERS
COMPANY.
Biddeford and Saco Patriots in the
Revolution.
Interesting Facts about the Troub1ous
Early Days of the Twin Cities on the
saco-Muster Roll of the Company.
Capt. Benjamin Hooper raised sea
coast company at Biddeford and Pepper
rellborough (now Saco) in 1775, and they
entered the service July II. Their service
was on the coast of the towns of Bidde-
ford, Pepperrellborough, and Arundel
(now Kennebunkport), where they served
until Dec. 31st, 1775 and were then
discharged.
Capt. Hooper belonged in Biddeford,
and was elected a Committee of Safety
as early as Dec %, 1774, and also on a
committee to provide u town stock of am
munition to consist of six half barrels
of powder, five hundred pounds of lead
for bullets and "a sufficiency of fints. "
He was a selectman and was the first
postmaster of Biddeford, 1889, and re-
signed in 179S He died in 1902.
His service in the army was about six
months in 1775 about eleven months in
1776 at Falmouth, and may have had
other service later in the war.
The following is the roll of his sea coast
company in 1775:
"a Muster Roll of the Company Raised
to Defend the Sea Coast in the Colony of
the Massachusetts, Bay under the Com
mand of Capt. Benjamin Hooper - En-
tered service July 18th, 1775, and served
to Dec 81, 1775.
Capt. Benjamin Hooper,
1st Lieut.. Pike,
End Lieut.. t.-John Lord,
Sergt.-David King.
Sergt. gt.-Josiah Davis
Sergt. -Ephraim Bryant.
Sergt. David Dufre1L
Corp. Benjamin. Mason,
Corp. Israel Pike,
Corp. Robert Cole,
Corp. Matthew Lassell.
Drummer -Edgcomb Mason,
Fifer-Noah Hooper.
Privates-Samuel Tarbox, Dodivah
Bickford, Nathaniel Perkins, Jr., John
Bradford, Benz. Gillpatrick, Theops
Smith, Jr., Thomas rownson, John Win
gate, Daniel Tarbox, Joseph Haley, Jr,
Robert Haley, Haven Tarbox, Jr., Jona-
than Emery, Jr, Thomas Sheppard,
Thomas Drinkwater, Samuel Giflpat-
| rick, David Clark, Robert Bond, Nicho-
las Edgcomb, Stephen Bryant, Jr., Rob
ert Tapley, Gatesby Witham, Jeremiah
Ridlon, James Edgcomb, Samuel Lowell,
Thomas Durrell, John Dorman, James
Goold, Jr., Jonathan Thompson, Daniel
Lord, William Fairfield, Benz. Thompson
David Fletcher, Simon Staples, Daniel
Ridlon.
"Benja. Hooper, Capt. "
James Sullivan paid them off.
The following endorsement appears in
the back of this roll
This may certify that the officers and
soldiers mentioned in the within muster
roll have supplied Themselves with Provi-
Slons for their Support During the Time
they have Continued in the Colony S
Service for the Defence of the Sea Coast
in the County of York without any assis-
tance from the Selectmen in the Town of
Biddeford or District of Pepperellborough
(Saco) in Said County where the Said
Officers and Soldiers have Been Sta
toned. :"
Biddeford 1st January, 1776.
RISWORTH JORDAN,
JOSIAH STIMSON,
ALLASON SMITH,
"Selectmen of Biddeford. -
TRISTRAM JORDAN,
Ws,5 AMOS CHASE,
SAMUEL SCAMMAN,
"Selectmen of Pepperrellborough.
York S., Jan. 13, 1776, then Person
min Hooper and made Solemn Oath that
the within Roll is Just and True Accord
ing to the Best Of his. knowledge. ~
"TRISTRAM JORDAN, Justis Peace. y
The following certificate is attached to
the above roll. 1Eo l 49,.
"These may Sartifyjwhom it may Con-
sarn that the Solgers Unlisted to Gard
the Cost (coast) in Arundel has Not
Recvd ane perveshons Nor any other Sur
plyes Excepting half pound of powder
man, Dated Arundel, Jeny ye 3rd,
1776 ~
"MOSES FOSTER,
TOBIA SLORD,
"Selectlnen of Arundel
Mass. Archives, Vol So, Page 1.
Capt Hooper's time expired in the
above company Dec. 81, ITS, and he was
commissioned captain of a company, to
serve on Falmouth Neck, Jan 1, 1776, part
of the men belonging in York, and the
balance in Cumberland county.
At this time Gen. Washington was
calling for men to reinforce his army be-
| fore Boston, and with the men in the sea
coast service, took all the able bodied
men, SO much SO that James Sullivan,
writing to Samuel Freeman, the delegate
from Falmouth to the Provincial Con-
gress at Watertown, under date of Jan.
81, 1776, said, !" If the General should or