The Portland daily press., 1896-03-14
BUXTON PATRIOTS.
Capt. John Eden and His Family-Port-
land as Historic Locality of the Revo-
luton.


of the Revolutionary war was not three
years of age, but was very Jealous in it's
infancy. Up to July IA, 1772, it had been
plantation called Narragansett No. l..
1t was the home of the Lane family, who
sent three captains into the army and at
least two privates, the Elden family who
had captain and three privates, and
other families equally patriotic, who let
no obstacle prevent their assisting their
countrylnen in their struggle for indie
pendence.
The outlying towns displayed zeal
in the war for freedom that commands
the admiration of all students of their
history.
Capt. John EldeD came from Saoo in
1850, and was one Of the first settlers of
Buxton. He was the son of John Eden
OF Saco, who married Martha, daughter
of Nathan knight of Scarborough
Capt. Eden married, December II,
l747, Ruth Lands, and the following are
names of their children with the years
of their birth Martha 174S Polly 1850,
Nathan 1859, John 1854, Emma 1866,
Elizabeth 1859, Gideon 1861, Ruth 1853,
Lydia 1866, and Hannah 1852 His wife
Ruth, died in 1914. His son Nathan was
the first male child born in Buxton.
Capt John Eden was see ntinel"
In Capt Joseph Woodman's Company in
1857, and Later became the captain of the
town militia company. Besides his COM
ing to Falmouth to help fortify our town
inE1775, he raised a company about Feb
ruary 1, 1776, for two months to reinforce
Gen. Washington's army at the seige of
Boston where they served until April LIST.
A copy of the roll of this company was
published in the PRESS February 4,
1896, and the original is in possession of
the Maine Historical Society.
Nathan Elden, the Oldest son, came
with his father to Falmouth in 1775, and
served with him at the siege of Boston in
1776. He died November IA, 1911, aged SO
years.
John Eden Jr. enlisted as corporal
in Capt. jeremiah Hills Co. in Col.
James Scamman's Both Regt. of Foot,
was at Bunker Hill, but took no part in
the battle, and served until December
ITS at Cambridge in the same brigade
with Col. Edmund Phinney's Regiment.
Gideon Elden, the youngest son, was
also soldier of the Revoluti on. He
was paid in 1880, 1870 pounds for nine
months service in the army. He, after
the war, was captain in the militia,
justice, and representative to the Gen.
eral Court and died October 2, 1S41,
aged so years.
Capt. Eden left to his posterity the re-
cord of patriot, an active and enter
prising man, and a prominent citizen of
Buxton.
. The following account of Capt. Eden
for his service, with nine men, fortifying
Falmouth Neck, has nothing upon it to
indicate the date, but no doubt the SER
vice was performed in November ITS.
These men probably all lived at Buxton
and marched on an alarm that the Brit
ish had come to finish the destruction of
Falmouth Neck, Capt. Mowat having
burned most of the town but about two
weeks before.
"The Acct. of time that I, the Subscrib-
er, was at Falmouth | in ye County of
Cumberland assisting in Fortifying said
Town of Falmouth with Ninemen.'
Capt. John Eden, five days service.
Thomas Bradbury, five days service.
Nathan Elden, five days service.
John Mason, five days service.
Joseph Leavitt, four days service.
4 Humphrey Merrill, five days service
Nathaniel Hill, four days service.
Joseph Smith, four days service
Benjamin Donnell, four days service.
James Sand, four days service.
N. B. The Original Sworn to before
Mr.. Justice jordan
Turn back one hundred and twenty
years last November, and picture to your
self these ten brave patriots, dressed in
hUmespun Of their wives or mothers
make, at Buxton receiving tho news,
while about their work on the farm, of
the arrival of an enemy's ship, called the
Cerberus, with four hundred men on
board, bent on the total destruction of
Falmouth. They grasped tine old tried
f1int-lock and singing their pow der
horns, started to assist their coun trymen
in defending our town against an attack
from the British vessel Eager and anx-
ious they hurried along the rough high
way between Buxton and Falmouth re-
ceiving encouragement on their way from
the few people they met in their march
of eighteen miles. After the arrival of
these men at Falmouth Neck they were
engaged on the Notifications but Capt.
Symons, after little buster, sailed his
vessel away and the alarm was over.
The soldiers soon after returned to their
homes.
Capt. Eden must have been nearly
fifty five years Of age, and with him was
his Oldest son; his next son was with
Washington at Cambridge. He was the
first captain of the town militia, and
these men We're of the same stock as the
heroes of Lexington, Concord, and Bun
ker Hill. Buxton had several men in Col.
Soamman's Regt. in l775, who were then
engaged at Cambridge in the seige of
Boston.