Concerning Thomas Martin Wright, was an interesting character. He was one of the Hardwick group of men who came early to Barnard. He was born down Cape Cod way but in childhood moved to Hardwick, where he resided at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war. He was a member of the company of Minute Men under Captain Simeon Hazeltine on the Lexington Alarm April 19, 1775 and remained near Boston during the siege of Boston and was doubtless at Bunker Hill.
In the summer of 1777, he also saw service in Rhode Island when vessels from the British fleet were continually making raids on each side of the Narragansett Bay for the purpose of gathering in during, he harvests time all the provisions and provender possible for man and beast for the British forces in the region of New York City.
Thomas Martin Wright married Hardwick to Elizabeth Newton, who died in 1800 aged 43 years.
He married second in 1801 to Sarah Black who resided over East Barnard way.
He died in 1839 aged 89 years. Mr. Wright was one of the settlers captured by the Indian raiders and borne to Canada in 1780. He was detained longer than others of his fellow prisoners.
Tradition says that he was a great Indian fighter, intrepid and daring in all his military affairs. Tradition says while a prisoner in the camps of the Indians he was ever getting himself disliked by his captors. He was not a quiet and easily subdued man. If he had been it would have been better for him. The Indians had no love for their quick-tempered prisoner and hence, while the others were permitted to return to their homes, he was held a prisoner many more moths. There is no doubt of his bravery and fearlessness, though this characteristic was for his undoing.
Mr. Wright had a group of children, four daughters and a son,
1. Orpha Wright, Female, 1778–1779
2. Elizabeth Wright, Female, 1780–1874
3. Sarah Wright, Female, 1783–1866
4. James Wright, Male, 1785–1859
5. Asenath Wright, Female 1788–1876
His son James, who was born August 14, 1785 who married in 1816 to Sally Flagg who died January 5, 1883 aged above 87 years. They had seven children:
1. Mary Ann 1817 married to Samuel Richardson of Claremont
2. Lucy Maria 1818 married first 1839 to Charles A. Townsend and in 1856 to Deond Horace Hatch and had 2 sons: Charles Townsend and James Townsend
3. Elizabeth born 1820, married to Oliver Townsend
4. Thomas Martin born 1822 married Abigail Townsend and died September 19 1865
5. Sarah born 1824 married to Clark C. Cook who was a soldier in the Civil war from Barnard and died in the service. They had three children: Adeline, Agnes who married Lyman D. Parkhurst and who celebrated their golden wedding March 3, 1916 at their home in Chelsea and Wesley. The Cook children lived many of their childhood days with their aunt; Lucy Hatch.
6. James born 1827 married first to Ellen Pierce and were parents of James Frank born 1867 and Mary Alice who married Seth Aiken and resides in Barnard having sons; Francis, Clifford and Forest by his second marriage James Wright had June, wife of Carl Ellis of Barnard who has a daughter Dorothy Ellis; William Henry born 1829.
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Thomas Martin Wright was born in Greenwich, Province of Massachusetts Bay, Dec 14, 1750.[1][2]Wright family descendants have for many generations insisted that he was born in Old Hardwick, Massachusetts. It is likely he was born in an area that was part of Hardwick. And after his birth, that area became part of Greenwich when the bounds between Hardwick and Greenwich were established, in1756
Revolutionary War Service
The day after the battle of Lexington, Province of Massachusetts Bay (April 19, 1775), Thomas Martin went there as a Minuteman, and stayed two weeks +-.[2]

Thomas Wright enlisted in the service of the United States in Hardwick in May, 1775, and served 8 months. He enlisted in Captain Samuel Billings Company in Colonel Ebenezer Larned's Regiment in the Massachusetts Line. He was at Roxbury at the time of the battle of Bunker Hill, and he was stationed in Roxbury for his entire enlistment.[2]

He enlisted in Hardwick in March 1776 for one year, expecting to go to Quebec. He enlisted in Capt John Shepard's Company, Colonel Elisha Porter's Regiment. This was about the time the British left Boston. He marched from Hardwick to Skenesborough NY, (now Whitehall). From Skenesborough he went by boat to Ticonderoga, NY, then by water to Sorell, Quebec, where they made the small beginnings of a fort. There they were inoculated for smallpox (at this time smallpox was more deadly then combat), and ordered to Montreal, Quebec. At Lachine, Quebec, (outskirts of Montreal), they built a fort. They moved to St Johns, then to Isle Aux Noix, Quebec. From there they took the sick in boats to Crown Point, NY. From Crown Point they went to Ticonderoga, and then to Mt Independence in Orwell, VT, where they commenced an encampment. Thomas Wright was taken sick the last of Sept, and remained sick until Nov 1 (1776). When he was discharged, and returned home.[2]

He enlisted January 1, 1777 in Capt Stone's Company, Colonel Sparhawk's 7th Worcester County Regiment.[4]) Regiment, General Jon A Warner's Brigade. He served 3 months, mostly in New Jersey.[2]

He enlisted July 1, 1777 in Capt Newell's (i.e. Ebenezer Newell[5])Company, Colonel Danforth Keyes' Regiment. General Purcess' Brigade, for 6 months, spent mostly in Rhode Island.. They marched to Providence, RI, from there to Bipells Mills, then to Kingston. He was afterward quartered at Little Compton, and other places not recollected by him. Afterward, he went back to Providence where he stayed until his enlistment was up. He was discharged Jan 1, 1778 by Gen. Spencer.[2]

A summary of the record of his military service:[2]

DATE LENGTH RANK CAPTAIN COLONEL STATE
April 19, 1775 2 weeks Minuteman Simeon Hazeltine Went to Lexington
May, 1775 8 months Corporal Samuel Billings Ebenezer Larned Mass
March, 1776 8 months Private John Shepard Elisha Porter Mass
Dec or Jan 1 '77 3 months . Private Francis Stone Nathan Sparhawk Mass
July 1, 1777 6 months Corporal Ebenezer Newell Danforth Keyes Mass
From State of Massachusetts Archives:....Wright, Thomas Martin, Hardwick. Private, Capt. Simeon Hazeltine's co. of Minutemen, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775 ; service, 8 days: reported enlisted into the army; also, Corporal, Capt. Samuel Billings's co. Col. Ebenezer Learned's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1,1775; enlisted May 4, 1775; service, 3 mos. 4 days; also, company return dated Oct. 7, 1775; also, list of men belonging to Capt. Ebenezer Newell's co. who received arms from the Province store, dated North Kingston, Dec. 15, 1777 ; also, Capt. Newell's co., Col. Danforth Keyes's regt.; enlisted July 10, 1777; enlistment to expire Jan. 1, 1778; roll dated Providence; also, same co. and regt.; bounty allowed for service from 3 months after date of enlistment, July 10, 1777, to Jan. 4, 1778, 2 mos. 25 days, at Rhode Island.[6]

Barnard, Vermont
Thomas Wright was an early settler of Barnard,VT. He moved there in 1779 or 1780 from Hardwick, Massachusetts. While working his land, he was captured by Indians Aug 9, 1780 in the "Barnard Raid". Also captured were his brother-in-law Timothy Newton and Prince Haskell both of Barnard, and David Stone of Bethel. Their wives were unharmed, but all family valuables were taken or destroyed. The men were taken to Canada as prisoners. The woman returned to Hardwick. The Indian raiding party was believed to be led by Tories and/or British solders. The American War for Independence was still being fought at the time, and Indian raids from Canada into the colonies were still part of the British war tactics. It is believed that the raiding party was also searching for Benjamin Whitcomb, to collect a substantial reward offered by the British. Whitcomb had assassinated a British officer, General Gordon, in Canada. The Benjamin Whitcomb story is told on his WikiTree page. Asa Whitcomb lived in Barnard, was related and resembled Benjamin, and was probably mistaken for Benjamin by a spy who reported to the British in Canada. Asa Whitcomb was not found by the raiding party, but his property was destroyed. Thomas Wright, Timothy Newton, and David Stone were well treated as prisoners, Prince Haskell was confrontational, and turned over to the British as a prisoner of War. On the honor system as prisoners, Wright, Newton and Stone were allowed all sorts of liberties, such as hunting and fishing. Not wanting to spend the winter in Canada, in November (1780) the three made their escape. Their weeks long journey was fraught with danger. They were actively being pursued by Indians, and they dared not to shoot game for food in fear that they would be discovered and recaptured. And they feared to stop at any dwelling they passed, less the occupants be favorable to their return to Canada. Loyalties were unknown, and still ran deep on both sides of the American Revolution conflict. Five days into their journey, David Stone came down with a fever and at his request he was left in the woods in a makeshift shelter. Wright and Newton made their way to Barnard, and then to Hardwick, Massachusetts, and reunited with their families. They later returned to Barnard with their families. David Stone recovered, made his way home and located his family. He continued to farm his land in Bethel for the remainder of his life. Prince Haskell was released in a prisoner's exchange July 15, 1781, and returned to Hardwick. He eventually returned to Barnard, bringing his young family. [1][7]

Thomas Wright returned to Barnard, VT with his family, and farmed there for the remainder of his life. He was prone to imagine Indian trouble for a long time after his return to Barnard.[7]

Thomas Martin Wright passed away in Barnard, May 22, 1839.

Sources
↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 History of Hardwick, MA, by Lucius R Paige, Copyright 1883.
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Thomas Martin Wright's application for a Revolutionary War pension under the act of Congress of June 7, 1832. A copy received from the National Archives Trust Fund, Washington, DC.
↑ Family genealogy recorded by Viola Dutton Ives Huff.
↑ Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War: Vol 15, pgs 111, 119.
↑ Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War: Vol 11, p 347.
↑ Massachusetts Soldiers And Sailors Of The Revolutionary War, A Compilation From The Archives, Prepared And Published By The Secretary Of The Commonwealth, In accordance with Chapter 100, Resolves Of 1891: Vol 17, pg 962
↑ 7.0 7.1 Newton, William Monroe, History of Barnard, VT. Copyright 1928.
family history by Thom Townsend
Newton, William Monroe. History of Barnard, Vermont with Family Genealogies 1761-1927. Montpelier: Vermont Historical Society, 1928 2 volumes. vol.2 p.296 and 445.

Married to Elisabeth Newton December 19, 1776 in Hardwick.
Married on March 2, 1801 to Sarah Black in Barnard, Vermont
# # #
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Barnard — Last weekend, under sunny skies, more than a dozen historical re-enactors from across New England took part in a re-enactment of a Revolutionary War-era raid on Barnard.

As the war progressed, a call went out for soldiers willing to kill a British officer as retaliation for massacres of women and children by British soldiers. In exchange, the soldiers would receive officers' commissions. Benjamin Whitcomb, an early Barnard settler and scout in the Revolutionary Army, answered the challenge.

In 1780, Whitcomb traveled to Canada and shot and killed a British general.

In response, British officers put a price on his head, which, according to a history compiled by the Barnard Historical Society, led to the Barnard Raid.

On Aug. 9, 1780, a group of more than 21 American Indians and British Loyalists came looking for Whitcomb. They found his camp in Stockbridge, Vt., but the trail went cold in Barnard. The group didn't go away empty-handed, however. They ransacked four cabins, kidnapping the male inhabitants, Timothy Newton, Thomas Martin Wright, and Prince Haskell, and marched them to Canada. After leaving town, they stopped again at Whitcomb's camp, where they killed his cattle, cooked a meal and burned his shanty. In the meantime, the alarm call had been sounded in Barnard and a 21-man militia gathered. But they were unable to catch up with the group and headed home after two days.

The Barnard Raid, the first of three attacks in the region, was followed by the Bethel Raid on Sept. 21, 1780, and the Royalton Raid on Oct. 16, 1780, in which the town was burned to the ground.
https://www.vnews.com/Archives/2013/10/BarnardRaid-ac-vn-102013
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Thomas Martin Wright was one of the settlers on the creek, presumably coming at about the same time as the other three. He was from Hardwick as nearly everyone of the early Barnard setters and was the son of James Wrigth and Patience. He was born in 1751 and died May 22, 1839. (1) December 19, 1776 Elizabeth Newton, daughter of Timothy Newton and Abigail Earle, who was born November 26, 1757 and Died September 23, 1800; Married a second time to Sarah Black.
The last marriage was by Reverend Joseph Bowman, Congressional Minister. There were no children to this marriage, but by Elizabeth Newton he had five children. His first child, Orpha, lived only six days.
The others lived to good old age and all became respected citizens of Barnard.
Orpha Wright born March 4, 1779 in Hardwick died March 10, 1779 in Hardwick.
Elizabeth Wright born September 22, 1780 in Hardwick where her mother had cone after the Indian Raid.
Sarah Wrigth born in Barnard, February 15, 1783; m. August 30, 1808 to John Ellis of Barnard a Revolutionary solider.
James Wright born in Barnard August 14, 1785, married by Reverend Joel Davis March 7, 1816 to Sally Flagg who died January 5, 1883 aged 87 years, 6 months and 6 days.
Thomas Martin Wright was a patriot, responding as corporal to the Lexington Alarm May 4, 1775 and spending much of his time in the army for the next four years. He was an upright citizen but unlike his brother-in-law, Timothy Newton, he was a member of the Church of the Standing Order until the time of his death.
In 1801-2 under the preaching of the Methodist Joseph Crawford there was a great revival of religion in Barnard and the region round about. It was said there was not a single family which did not feel the good influence. A considerable number of the converts about forty, united with the Congregational church as well as much larger number who united with the Methodists. About this time the Congregational Church was reorganized April 20, 1802 and Thomas Martin Wright and John Newton who lived the east part of the town, signed the articles. Their meeting house was 'near the pine tree on the common.'. But they were only a generation behind, for the children of the next generation-every one-sought out the Methodist minister to marry them.
James Wright succeeded to the ancestral acres, discharged his obligations as citizen and raised a family of 7 children one of whom died as recently as 1909, 91 years old. A part of the Wright farm, east of the creek was owned by Lieutenant Belding and the house was last occupied by Aunt Ceney Cold but the acres were at last reunited and until a few years ago was occupied by descendants of the Wrights.
It is said that the incident of the Indian raid so wrought on the nerves of Thomas Martin Wright that he was never the same man physically as before that time. Once in the last fall he heard noises during the evening down besides the creek. He could hear persons moving about and got the idea they had come to carry him back to Canada. As he was an escaped prisoner he could hope for no mercy, so without saying a word to his wife, he got down the old flintlock, sharpened his axe and determined to sell his life dearly.
The dog barked incessantly during the night he was sure he could see forms moving about the brush on the bank of the creek. It was a nerve-racking vigil he was keeping, but keep it he did. When daylight came, he saw the cause of all his trouble. Some young cattle had strayed down through the woods from the North Road, but this shows something of the influence the raid had on him. And he was not alone in this. The others told similar tales. These early settlers were brave men, but faced extra odds.
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The Barnard Indian Raid
They took David Stone captive then went up the Creek valley and surprised the men at work on their farms. Almost at once they made prisoners of Timothy Newton, Thomas Martin Wrigth and Prince Haskell; tying their hands behind their backs. They then quickly went through the cabins taking whatever they wished for, including $700 in Continental currency from Prince Haskell, this money was then valued about 70-1. The plunder was made into packs and the captives compelled to carry them on their trip to Canada. The savages then went out of the place by the river as they had come in.
Amos Bicknell saw the Indians before they reached his wife and children in the woods and ran to alarm the neighbors on the North Road some distance away.
Prince Haskell, who was unmarried lived alone but Mrs. Newton and Mrs. Wright were left alone in their despoiled cabins. After walking a few days, hoping for the return of the men, they started on horseback for their old home at Hardwick where they arrived safely at last.
After this a for was built around the Bicknell cabin and called Fort Defiance.
This was the headquarters of Captain Benjamin Cox and his Company of Rangers. The DAR have erected a tablet to mark the site of the old fort.
On September 21st the Indians made another raid carrying away 2 men from Bethel; and on October 16th they visited Royalton plundering, burning and killing but as before escaping at last with their plunder.
In these days of peace and plenty is hard to realize the suffering endured by the early settlers. Prince Haskell who was turned over to the military authorities was imprisoned for about a year before he was exchanged. The other Barnard men escaped at last and made their way back home afoot.
They arrived late in November, nearly famished and as their homes were deserted, they continued on to the Old Hardwick where they found their waves; also, that a daughter had been born to each of them.
The Wrights September 21st and the Newtons October 22nd. The joy of the reunion can be imagined. Later they all returned to their land and spent the rest of their lives there. Eventually the three families were united by marriage and always kept the anniversary of the Indian raid as a day of Thanksgiving.