The lists of Rochester’s Revolutionary soldiers contain the names of Elnathan Haskell, Elnathan Haskell, Jr., James Haskell, and Nathan Haskell along with twelve others that share the same surname. Looking at the elder Elnathan’s family tree, we know that at least three of his and Dorothy Peckham Haskell’s sons fought in the Revolution.
Two sons, Elnathan, Jr., who was an adjutant to Gen. Washington and followed the war to South Carolina and Nathan, who died at sea, have already been mentioned previously. However, another son, James, also served. He was born in 1757 and died in 1793 at the age of 35 and is buried in the Rochester Center Cemetery.
James’ Revolutionary War service was more emblematic of the average soldier’s, than was that of his brothers. He enlisted in Rochester as a private in Captain Joseph Parker’s Company, Colonel Ebenezer Sprout’s Regiment for 15 days according to a muster card. Like quite a few other Rochester men who enlisted, he was sent to Rhode Island on a secret mission. For this he was allowed mileage for 70 miles of walking.
The muster card that details the end of his term of enlistment on Dec.21,1779 has an interesting entry. It states that he was granted both a firearm and a bayonet to replace the ones he lost while retreating from Rhode Island. The muster card shown here is typical of what you can find if you research one of our veterans at MA, Rev War Index Cards to Muster Rolls, 1775-1783.
By Connie Eshbach
