Former slave. Revolutionary War soldier.
Also known as Cuff Mitchell, he was the slave of Nathan Mitchell (1729-1789); his parentage is unknown. He was married to Elizabeth "Lydia" Quay February 6, 1772 by the Honorable Samuel Angier.
In the spring of 1775 he bought his freedom from Mitchell. He enlisted in the Army as a private in Capt Hayden's Company and served in Roxbury for approximately 10 months; he was in Dorchester Heights at the time the British evacuated Boston in March 1776. He then re-enlisted into Capt James Allen's company and went to New York and served several months; enlisting for another six months in 1780, he marched from Springfield to West Point and was present at the execution of Major John Andre. He re-enlisted a final time and served for three more months in Rhode Island in Capt Elisha Mitchell's company.
The National Archives has documentation showing that Cuff Mitchell, the slave and soldier, and Cuff Ashport, husband and free man, were the same. Proof of his identity, his marriage and his service were verified by several leading citizens and record's clerks of the Old Bridgewater area, including the son of his former owner. This documentation enabled his widow to receive a pension based on his almost five years of service.
Cuff Ashport was 81 at the time of his death, the Bridgewater, MA Vital Records stating "Cuff, "An honest and faithful black," Aug. 31, 1827, a. 81 "last June," CR1 [Sept. 8, PR3]". He, his wife and several family members are the only known African-Americans buried in this almost 300-year-old cemetery.
Lydia Ashport died in the later part of 1842. Research on any family is still being conducted, but we have found that Lydia and other family members are buried here also... see some of the links below.
Sources: National Archives: Revolutionary War Pension Files; Book of Plymouth County Records, Marriages for town of Bridgewater, Mass.; Epitaphs in Old Bridgewater Massachusetts by Williams Latham (pub. 1882).
Many thanks to SherryG for sponsoring this memorial.
Also known as Cuff Mitchell, he was the slave of Nathan Mitchell (1729-1789); his parentage is unknown. He was married to Elizabeth "Lydia" Quay February 6, 1772 by the Honorable Samuel Angier.
In the spring of 1775 he bought his freedom from Mitchell. He enlisted in the Army as a private in Capt Hayden's Company and served in Roxbury for approximately 10 months; he was in Dorchester Heights at the time the British evacuated Boston in March 1776. He then re-enlisted into Capt James Allen's company and went to New York and served several months; enlisting for another six months in 1780, he marched from Springfield to West Point and was present at the execution of Major John Andre. He re-enlisted a final time and served for three more months in Rhode Island in Capt Elisha Mitchell's company.
The National Archives has documentation showing that Cuff Mitchell, the slave and soldier, and Cuff Ashport, husband and free man, were the same. Proof of his identity, his marriage and his service were verified by several leading citizens and record's clerks of the Old Bridgewater area, including the son of his former owner. This documentation enabled his widow to receive a pension based on his almost five years of service.
Cuff Ashport was 81 at the time of his death, the Bridgewater, MA Vital Records stating "Cuff, "An honest and faithful black," Aug. 31, 1827, a. 81 "last June," CR1 [Sept. 8, PR3]". He, his wife and several family members are the only known African-Americans buried in this almost 300-year-old cemetery.
Lydia Ashport died in the later part of 1842. Research on any family is still being conducted, but we have found that Lydia and other family members are buried here also... see some of the links below.
Sources: National Archives: Revolutionary War Pension Files; Book of Plymouth County Records, Marriages for town of Bridgewater, Mass.; Epitaphs in Old Bridgewater Massachusetts by Williams Latham (pub. 1882).
Many thanks to SherryG for sponsoring this memorial.
Former slave. Revolutionary War soldier.
Also known as Cuff Mitchell, he was the slave of Nathan Mitchell (1729-1789); his parentage is unknown. He was married to Elizabeth "Lydia" Quay February 6, 1772 by the Honorable Samuel Angier.
In the spring of 1775 he bought his freedom from Mitchell. He enlisted in the Army as a private in Capt Hayden's Company and served in Roxbury for approximately 10 months; he was in Dorchester Heights at the time the British evacuated Boston in March 1776. He then re-enlisted into Capt James Allen's company and went to New York and served several months; enlisting for another six months in 1780, he marched from Springfield to West Point and was present at the execution of Major John Andre. He re-enlisted a final time and served for three more months in Rhode Island in Capt Elisha Mitchell's company.
The National Archives has documentation showing that Cuff Mitchell, the slave and soldier, and Cuff Ashport, husband and free man, were the same. Proof of his identity, his marriage and his service were verified by several leading citizens and record's clerks of the Old Bridgewater area, including the son of his former owner. This documentation enabled his widow to receive a pension based on his almost five years of service.
Cuff Ashport was 81 at the time of his death, the Bridgewater, MA Vital Records stating "Cuff, "An honest and faithful black," Aug. 31, 1827, a. 81 "last June," CR1 [Sept. 8, PR3]". He, his wife and several family members are the only known African-Americans buried in this almost 300-year-old cemetery.
Lydia Ashport died in the later part of 1842. Research on any family is still being conducted, but we have found that Lydia and other family members are buried here also... see some of the links below.
Sources: National Archives: Revolutionary War Pension Files; Book of Plymouth County Records, Marriages for town of Bridgewater, Mass.; Epitaphs in Old Bridgewater Massachusetts by Williams Latham (pub. 1882).
Many thanks to SherryG for sponsoring this memorial.
Also known as Cuff Mitchell, he was the slave of Nathan Mitchell (1729-1789); his parentage is unknown. He was married to Elizabeth "Lydia" Quay February 6, 1772 by the Honorable Samuel Angier.
In the spring of 1775 he bought his freedom from Mitchell. He enlisted in the Army as a private in Capt Hayden's Company and served in Roxbury for approximately 10 months; he was in Dorchester Heights at the time the British evacuated Boston in March 1776. He then re-enlisted into Capt James Allen's company and went to New York and served several months; enlisting for another six months in 1780, he marched from Springfield to West Point and was present at the execution of Major John Andre. He re-enlisted a final time and served for three more months in Rhode Island in Capt Elisha Mitchell's company.
The National Archives has documentation showing that Cuff Mitchell, the slave and soldier, and Cuff Ashport, husband and free man, were the same. Proof of his identity, his marriage and his service were verified by several leading citizens and record's clerks of the Old Bridgewater area, including the son of his former owner. This documentation enabled his widow to receive a pension based on his almost five years of service.
Cuff Ashport was 81 at the time of his death, the Bridgewater, MA Vital Records stating "Cuff, "An honest and faithful black," Aug. 31, 1827, a. 81 "last June," CR1 [Sept. 8, PR3]". He, his wife and several family members are the only known African-Americans buried in this almost 300-year-old cemetery.
Lydia Ashport died in the later part of 1842. Research on any family is still being conducted, but we have found that Lydia and other family members are buried here also... see some of the links below.
Sources: National Archives: Revolutionary War Pension Files; Book of Plymouth County Records, Marriages for town of Bridgewater, Mass.; Epitaphs in Old Bridgewater Massachusetts by Williams Latham (pub. 1882).
Many thanks to SherryG for sponsoring this memorial.
