Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-29
GEN,STARK
Park of Twenty-Eight Acres
Near Manchester.
NOTABLE WAR SERVICES
Made Major General for Winning tho
Made Major General for Winning the
Battle of Bennington.
INDUSTRIES OF THE MERRIMAC
Large Proportion Of Foreigners In the
Set
Ting Permanently.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
MANCHESTER, N. H, July "a. 1907.
The birthplace and home until his death
| OF Gen. John Stark, the revolutionary hero
| is now a park of twenty-eight acres on the
| banks of the Merrinlac. just above the city
of Manchester. The house In which he was
| born was burned down some years ago. and
its site is marked by a large boulder bear
! ing the following inscription:
This stone marks the homestead Of
Major General John Stark,
Hero Of Bennington.
He died here May :. 1922.
Daughters of American Revolution.
Molly Moi W st sGRt viii Mn be this a aEsss
Nearby Is old we'll inclosed by q high
granite curb and surmounted by q long old
fashioned sweep. The curb bears a tablet
inscribed:
Stark's well. I7e5.
In the rear Of the lot is an industrial
school for homeless and hayward children
OF Manchester.
foot of the blun below the school. His de-
scendants live in a modern house opposite
the park. which comprises the remainder of
the farm and is pleasure ground greatly
The present head Of the family, Charles
Morris Stark. Is not descendant, but his
wife is. His name was originally Charles
Morris. but when he married he added her
name to his own as Is frequently done in
Europe. that it might not become extinct
Gen. Stark and his wife lie in the old
family burying ground In the midst Of the
park. The generals tombstone Is a rude
shaft Of unpublished granite, which was
erected Immediately after his death. and Is
inscribed:
N. @. (Major GeneraD John Stark.
Ae. o.
The New Hampshire senator's and repre-
sentatives in Congress have for several
years been trying to get an appropriation
from Congress to erect suitable monu
ment to him, but have not been successful.
Congress Is willing to appropriate for a
monument In Washington, but not in Man
chester.
Stark's War Record.
sarcastic Yankee once declared that
vermonts greatest battle was fought in the
state of New York by Massachusetts, militia
under the command Of New Hampshire
man. who was guilty of mutiny and trea-
son by disobeying orders when he attacked
the enemy and was under censure from
Congress at the time. This statement Is
somewhat exaggerated. but, nevertheless.
comes pretty near to the truth
Stark's family were Scotch Presbyterans
His father was born In Glasgow and came
to this country in 172O. where he settled
near the falls of the Amoskeag, on the
town of Manchester now stands. There he
lived until his death in 1853, when he was
buried In the old churchyard in Manches-
ter. He had four sons, and they were all
engaged with him In cultivating the farm
and running a sawnill. one of the first, II
not actually the first. manufactures of the
kind upon that river.
When John Stark heard the news from
Lexington and Concord on the 10Th Of
April. 1775. he was busy in his sawmill. he
gave instructions to his men to finish the
his house. half a mile distant, changed
his clothes, made his wife good-by, mount
ed a horse and started for the scene of
hostilities. Along the route he was Joined
reached Medford they went into camp,
were organized the LIST New Hampshire
Regiment. and John Stark was elected
colonel. At Bunker Hill he deliberately
walked forty yards in advance Of his earth
works. drove a stake into the ground, and
told his men to hold their fire until the
enemy reached that point The order was
obeyed.
After the battle Of Trenton Stark accom-
panied Washington across the Delaware,
was with him at the battle of Princeton.
and held his men six weeks after their
term Of enlistment had expired. with prom
Uses to make up their arrears Of pay from
his own private means II Congress did not
do so. When the six weeks had expired
ana nOtnlnB naQ D6en QOn0 stark returned
to New Hampshire with his men, where he
raised another regiment. At Exeter he
learned that Congress had promoted a
long list of officers. in which his name did
not appear. which he regarded as an indig-
nifty and resigned his commission The leg
islature of New Hampshire, however,
passed a resolution thanking him for his
services. and placed him in command of
the state militia, with instructions to act
In cooperation with the troops of the
United States or of any other state should
1t appear expedient to him. Stark proceeded
at once to get his troops into good condi-
ton and drilled them frequently.
The Battle Of Bennington.
Learning that Gen. Burgoyne had dis
patched a force to seize a quantity OF
stores that had been placed at Bennington,
he summoned his men and started for that
point Gen. Schuyler, learning Of his move
ments. ordered him to report to head
quarters on the Hudson Stark refused
to do so and hurried toward Bennington
with about 1,750 men. where he arrived
just in time to rescue the stores and head
off Col. Baum, a soldier OF education and
experience. who In command of the
British. About o'clock in the afternoon
the two columns met. and Stark, turning to
his men, Is said to have shouted:
See there, men! There the red
coats; If we don't win this fight Molly
Stark will be a widow
III 20 vt nf t6o hnft 10 L.