Coventry in the Revolutionary War, pages 376 - 377
Upon receiving the news of the Boston port bill in 1774, the town of Coventry took action. The meeting assembled August 15th 1774, with Phineas Strong in the chair. "Captain Elias Buell, Capt. Samuel Robertson, Capt. Thomas Brown, Capt. Amos Richardson, Dr. John Crocker was chosen a committee to receive the subscriptions which shall be made for the poor of the towns of Boston and Charlestown by the inhabitants of Coventry." Then Ephraim Root, Esq., Captain Ebenezer Kingsbury, Lieutenant William Wilson, Doctor John Crocker, Captain Elias Buell were chosen a committee of correspondence.
When the news came of the battle of Lexington, more than a hundred volunteered to go from the town of Coventry. April 7th, 1777, the town voted that the families of such persons belonging to Coventry as should engage in the continental army should be supplied with necessaries at the prices then stated by law on their providing and lodging money in the hands of the committee appointed to make such provision without any additional cost to such persons. Messrs. Richard Hale, Daniel Pomeroy, Jonathan Porter, Jr., were chosen a committee to provide for the families of such persons as should enlist in said Coventry in the army, as expressed in the above vote.
Every movement necessary looking to the clothing of the soldiers who enlisted from Coventry, to the maintenance of their families and to the encouragement of the cause of liberty, was made by the citizens of this town. As a premium to be paid soldiers for enlisting in this cause, the town voted twelve pounds silver money to every one who would enlist for a period of one year, and six pounds additional for every year thereafter he would continue in the service. To meet these and other obligations a tax of three pence upon the pound was levied, which was afterward, because of the great expense, increased to six pence, and as a discipline to those who refused or neglected to pay their share of the same, they were taxed twelve pence on the pound. Not only did the town furnish clothing and men, but also a supply of beef and other provisions for the army.
Below is given a list of the soldiers who served in the continental army. Fourteen of these sealed their devotion to their country's cause with their blood.
Revolutionary soldiers from Coventry: Israel Carpenter, Benjamin Carpenter, Jonathan King, Jr., Daniel Utley, Simeon Utley, Levi Carpenter, Captain William Wilson, John Wilson, Samuel Long, Levi Long, Gideon Porter, Elisha Tucker, Captain Amaziah Rust, Amaziah Rust, Jr., John Groves, Moses Badger, William Porter, Jr., George Bissell, Elias Page, Gad Page, Jesse Brewster, Elisha Loomis, Dan Loomis, John Loomis, David Hibbard, Silas Hibbard, Ephraim Andrews, Jr., Zacheus Andrews, Abraham Collins, Samuel Collins, Nehemiah Case, Tubal Case, Jonathan Richardson, Daniel Groves, Daniel Rockwell, Jabez Rockwell, Lieutenant Amos Avery, Jr., Daniel Avery, Jabez Avery, Nathan Ormsby, Ephraim Kingsbury, Andrew Kingsbury, Oliver Kingsbury, Jesse Cook, Jr., Levi Page, Noah Grant, Jacob Brown, Abraham Brown, Justus Brewster, Eliphalet Carpenter, Jr., Joseph Lyman, Doctor John Waldo, surgeon, Daniel Barnard, Jr., Rufus Barnard, Elijah Wright, Jr., Roswell Wright, William Richardson, Ezekial Richardson, Noah Skinner, Lieutenant Joseph Talcott, Daniel Pomeroy, Nathaniel Root, Eleazer Pomeroy, Josiah Parker, Joseph Parker, Nathan Parker, John Richardson, Peter Buell, Joshua Tilden, Josiah Terry, Nathaniel Richardson, Simeon Chappel, Roger Welch, Benjamin Lamb, William Burns, Samuel Burdwin, Nathan French, Aaron French, Samuel Crocker, Roswell Crocker, Simeon Crocker, Gideon Dyke, Jonathan Dyke, David Start, Reuben Stiles, Allen Bill, Amos Cogswell, Colonel Thomas Brown, Abiel Leonard, Elijah Morley and Dan Hatch.
These were the men in Coventry who went out against a powerful and vindictive foe, well disciplined veterans in war, well provisioned, armed and clothed. Ponder well the names of these men, who bought our liberty at the great sacrifices they made.