The life of Lewis Hatch, pages 18-21, was taken from the book by Azuba Ruth WARD with a copyright date of 1985.

Lewis HATCH was the second child born to Wait HATCH and Mary LEWIS. His birth was on Dec. 31, 1757 He married Mary DAVIS about Oct. 1780 and the eventually moved to Lee, Berkshire Co, Massachusetts. He bought lots 30 and 31 of the Kelley's Patent of what is now Granville, Washington Co, New York. About 1783, he moved his family there about 1794. Lewis served in the army during the Revolutionary War. Memorial He enlisted for service five times by Oct 18, 1780. Service Record Letters In his first service he was a drummer. His farm, in Granville, Washington Co, New York, became known as "HATCH Hill" Hatch Hill Road. This is where he died at age 89. An extensive sketch on his outstanding military career, is written on pages 228-234 in the The HATCH Family - Early Families of Washington County New York - Thomas HATCH of Barnstable, Massachusetts by Azuba Ruth HATCH. He was a Corporal in the Massachusetts Line. He was placed on the pension rolls in 1832 in Washington Co, NY. Lewis's wife, Mary, died about 1808 in South Granville, Washington Co, NY, where Lewis died on Dec 03, 1847.

LEWIS HATCH (Wait, Edward, Samuel, Jonathan, Thomas), b. 31 Dec., 1757 at Falmouth, Mass., where he spent his childhood and youth. He was born more than 100 years later than his ancestor, Jonathan Hatch, one of the first white settlers of Falmouth, who built his first rude cabin on that narrow neck of land that separates Fresh from salt pond, about three-fourths of a mile south of the present village of Falmouth. His ancestors had lived in this town for a hundred years. The wilderness had been, to a good extent, subdued. The population had greatly increased, and wealth and prosperity began to be manifest.

When Lewis Hatch was about eighteen years of age, there occurred that fateful crisis in the history of our country - the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Falmouth, in common with most other coast towns of New England, was defenseless against the British men of war. Many of the inhabitants moved away into the interior towns of Conn. and mass. In 1775 Lewis Hatch moved with his father and his family to the town of Lee, Berkshire Co., Mass. At this time the battles of Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill had been fought. Ethan Allen had captured Ticonderoga. Washington had confined the British army to Boston and laid siege to the city.

Late in the autumn of this year a small army was sent into Canada to capture the British strongholds and give the Canadians an opportunity to join the other colonies in their struggle for freedom. The army was sent in two detachments; one under Montgomery by way of Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River with Quebec as its objective, the other under Arnold by way of the Kenebec River in Maine, then through the wilderness to Quebec, where the two detachments arrived about the first of December. Preparations were made for the assault which occurred on the last of Dec. and failed. Montgomery was killed, Arnold was wounded, many of the men were killed or taken prisoners and the remanant retired about three miles to point Au Trembels and contented themselves with cutting off supplies to the city, and awaiting reinforcements, which were raised and forwarded as rapidly as the limited resources of the colonists at that time would allow.

Jan. 14, 1776, Lewis Hatch enlisted as a private in Capt. Jacob Persons C. of Maj. Jeremiah Cody's Mass. detachment. This detachment marched up through western Mass. and eastern N.Y. to Skeensboro (now Whitehall) thence down lake Champlain on the ice to St. Johns thence through the forests and swamps in the midst of the inclement Canadian winter, enduring incredible hardships and exposures and finally joined Arnold's little army of about 500 men before Quebec about Mar. 1, 1776. By the first of May reinforcements had increased the little army to 1900 men, but owing to smallpox and insufficient shelter, food and clothing, scarcely more than half were fit for active duty.

About this time it became known that troops for the relief of Quebec were on the way from England. In view of this and the additional facts that the supply of powder was greatly reduced and that there was scarcely a week's supply of food on hand, it was decided that an immediate retreat was necessary to save the army from starvation or capture. As soon as the retreat began the British forces in Quebec marched out and attacked the American army, captured their artillery, 500 muskets, stores and baggage, with 100 prisoners besides the sick. But notwithstanding, the retreat was effected in good order and continued that day and the following night, the men floundering on in the dark through the woods, swamps and streams, hungry, weary and footsore, with nothing to cheer and everything to discourage them. They never halted till they reached Deschambault, 58 miles above Quebec. Here they rested a few days and then proceeded on their retreat up the river.

In the meantime reinforcements for the British had arrived from Halifax and Burgoyne had arrived with the Brunswic and English troops. They followed on hard after the retreating Americans with the intention of concentrating at Three Rivers. When the Americans arrived at Sorrell they found four regiments of reinforcements and Gen. Stark soon arrived with two more regiments. Gen. Sullivan, who was then in command, determined to return and take and hold Three Rivers and dispatched Gen. Thompson with 2000 men to Nicolet, where Col. St. Clair was already with 800 men. He arrived June 7 and that night they crossed the river. When they attacked the next morning they unexpectedly found themselves outnumbered three to one and were obliged to retreat leaving 150 prisoners including Gen. Thompson and Col. Irvine in the hands of the enemy.

When the Americans retired before the British at Three Rivers the British fleet followed on up the river after them. On June 14, (1776) when the British fleet came in sight Gen. Sullivan, deeming it imprudent to make a stand, with his half starved and dis-spirited army, in the face of superior numbers, broke camp and retired to St. Johns. On the 18th he removed to Isle au Nois and soon after to Isle La Mott. Here he received orders from Gen. Schuyler (in) Ticonderoga to retire to Crown Point where he and his army arrived during July.

It took the British two months to get their boats across the portage, from the St. Lawrence River to lake Champlain. In the meantime Gen. Arnold constructed rafts and rude gunboats and Oct. 13 he met the British fleet on lake Champlain and had a spirited fight with them but was defeated and on the 14th the British arrived at Crown Point. It was felt by the Americans that Ticonderoga must be held at all hazards and Gen. Schuyler had called in the militia of the surrounding country and when the British arrived at Crown Point they found Ticonderoga defended by 20,000 resolute men. Seeing the futility of attack they soon returned to Canada and Burgoyne went back to England to raise a larger army.

Lewis Hatch's term of enlistment expired about the time when the American army arrived at Sorrell in their retreat before the British; but it would seem that he remained with the army till they arrived at Crown Point, when he retired to his father's home at Lee, mass. We have been thus explicit in detailing the incidents of this campaign because Lewis Hatch was all through this campaign after the assault on Quebec.

The next spring (1777) Borgoyne arrived in Canada with reinforcements and a formidable plan of campaign. Burgoyne was to come up through the Champlain valley with Albany as his objective. St. Leger was to go up the St. Lawrence into Lake Ontario and sweep down through the Mohawk valley and join Burgoyne at Albany. Howe who was at New York was to come up the Hudson and join forces with Burgoyne at the same place. It was then Burgoyne's plan, having cut the colonies in two, to sweep down through New England to Boston. If this plan had succeeded the Revolutionary Warmight have been nothing more than a crushed rebellion. But whether or not a Higher Power guides the destinies of peoples and nations a little cog slipped in this formidable machinery and everything went awry. By a peculiar oversight Howe's orders were not dispatched to him till it was too late for him to cooperate effectively with Burgoyne.

The militia had not been called out to defend ticonderoga for the reason that the fort was so scantily supplied with provisions, that any considerable force could not have subsisted but for a few days. Suddenly, June 16, 1777, Burgoyne came up the lake in boats with an army of about 8000 men and took possession of Crown Point. Gen. St. Claire, who was then in command at Ticonderoga, sent out urgent calls for the militia.

June 30, 1777, Lewis Hatch enlisted and was assigned as drummerin Capt. Jesse Bradley's Co. of Col. John Brown's regiment of Mass. militia and started for Ticonderoga. Burgoyne had nearly three times as many men as St. Claire had and before the militia could arrive Burgoyne had captured the fort. And then began Burgoyne's triumphant march, as he supposed, for Albany, Skeensboro, Hubbardton, Fort Ann, Fort Edward fell before him in rapid succession. The American army, too weak in nmbers to give open battle, did all they could to impede his progress by felling trees across the roads, damming streams and swamps, destroying bridges, driving away cattle, and the people fled before him, taking provisions and other valuables.

July 22, 1777, Lewis Hatch was discharged as drummer and the same day appointed Corporal in Capt. William Francis Co. of Col. John Ashley's detachment of Mass. militia. This detachment was employed in the campaign against Burgoyne. It is said that Corporal Lewis Hatch was one of the party who discovered the remains of the murdered Jane McRea. If this is true it must have been during his service with this detachment. The time for which this detachment was enlisted having expired. Aug. 13, 1777, Lewis Hatch returned to his home at Lee, Mass.

three days later, Aug., 16, 1777, occurred the American victory at the battle of Bennington. It was the first decided check Burgoyne's forces had received since the beginning of his campaigne in the spring. Six days later, Aug. 22, 1777, occurred the overwhelming American victory at Fort Stanwix in the Mohwak valley in which St. Leger's reinforcements for Burgoyne were utterly routed and destroyed.

From this time on the Americans began tightening their cordons about Burgoyne's army. The American forcces at Bennington and Stanwix, being released by the victories at these places, joined the American army under Gen. Gates near Bemis Heights, and they no longer retreated but stood their ground. Burgoyne's communications with Canada had been cut and his situation was getting desperate. Sept. 19, 1777, he made a desperate assault on the American army near Bemis Heights but gained no advantage. Gen. Gates called for the militia of the surrounding country of Mass., Conn., N. H., and N. Y. and they began rapidly to join his army.

Sept. --, 1777, Lewis Hatch again enlisted as private in Capt. Jesse Bradley's Co. of Maj. Goodrich's detachment of Mass. Militia and marched to join Gen. Gates army near Bemis Heights. Oct. 7, 1777, Burgoyne made another desperate effort to break through the American army and get down to Albany, but it only resulted in his utter defeat and the capture of his whole army.

The American victory over Burgoyne's army was one of the most important battles of the whole Revolutionary War and has been classed as one of the world's decisive battles. Lewis Hatch was with Gate's army at the time of this battle, but was not in the actual fight. The most of the New England militia were stationed on the east side of the river to guard the fords and other strategic points, to prevent the escape of the British army across the river, a service that was as valuable as any that could have been rendered. The battle was fought on the west side of the Hudson. After the surrender of Burgoyne and his army, the militia being no longer needed were discharged and returned to their homes.

About eight months later—July 1, 1778—he again entered the service as Corporal in Capt. Peter Porter's detachment for Gen. Fellow's Mass. Brigade and served under Gen. Stark at Albany till Oct. 31, 1778, when they were discharged and returned home.

Oct. 14, 1780 he was again called into service as a private in Capt. Amos Porter's Co. of Col. David Rossiter's regiment upon an alarm in Berkshire Co., Mass., the nature of which does not now appear. After serving three days he was discharged and had no more than got home when he was again called out Oct. 18, as private in the same Co. and reg. And served four days more. This appears to have been his last military service.

About this time he was married to Mary Davis, of Lee, Mass., daughter of Isaac Davis, the first white settler of the town of Lee. The precise date is not known. At that time it was customary to publish the bans or intention of marriage two or three weeks before the ceremony was to take place. In the church records of Lee is this entry: "Oct., 1780, published Lewis Hatch of Lee and Mary Davis of Lee," so that he must have been married the latter part of October or the first part of November, 1780.

(The history of Lee and the published Vital Records of the town were examined in 1915 and she is reported there as the daughter of Timothy and Tabitha Davis and as having been born 29 Nov. 1761 at Falmouth. The history also states that Lewis Hatch was dismissed to the church in South Granville, N.Y., 19 Jan, 17? H.G.S.)

In 1783-4 (some say it was 1787) he bought lots 30 and 31 of the Kelley's Patent which lie, in what is now the town of Granville Washington Co., N.Y. These early records were destroyed in a fire. He may have bought these lots in 1783 and gone up and done some clearing in 1787 but it seems evident that he did not move his family there until 1793-4.

Sept. 9, 1792, Lewis Hatch, with others, were taken into the church at Lee, Mass. Dec. 23, 1792, his daughter Mary, then only about three months old, was baptized at Lee, Mass. Jan. 19, 1794 the church at Lee, voted to give "Lewis Hatch a letter of recommendation to the Church of Christ in South Granville," and this is probably about the date when he moved on to this land with his family, to live.

That farm is all located on the south side of the road. It is not on a mountain, but is on high ground. Standing on the highest point in the pasture, a few rods south of the house, one may look down upon the surrounding country for miles, in all directions. From the fact that this ground was the old homestead of Lewis Hatch and his numerous family, the place became known and is still known as "Hatch Hill."

Here he lived the balance of his life and devoted his energies to clearing up and farming his land. In the later years of his life, with characteristic Hatch enterprise, he went into the business of silk raising in a moderate way. In some of the early years of the 20th century, in tearing down an old outbuilding, a bushel or more of old silk cocoons were found. It is not known if he sold the raw silk, or manufactured it in his own household. The old house which it is believed he built when he moved on to this place, is still standing, occupied and is still a good comfortable house.

In 1803-4 his wife MARY died and was buried in the cemetery at South Granville. Mar. 1, 1806, he married in Granville, PARNAL POOL of Martha's Vineyard. She was born 17 Sept., 1769 at Chilmark. Dec. 19, 1832, when he was about 75 years of age, he applied for and was granted a pension as a Revolutionary Soldier. Dec. 3, 1847, when he was within a few days of 90 years of age, he died in the old homestead and was buried in the South Granville cemetery. About five months later (12 April, 1848) his wife Parnal died and was buried beside him. On his tombstone is engraved this sentiment, "A soldier of the Revolution and of the Cross." (Spencer E. Smith, a great-grandson.)

From the vital Records of Lee, we get no birth dates, but the following are reported as having been baptized, 23 Sept., 1792: Wait, Thomas, Davis, Alpheus and Tabitha Hatch, while another child, Polly Hatch, is recorded as having been baptized, 23 Dec., 1792.


Issue, by 1st wife:
i. Priscilla7, b. 1781; d. an infant
468. ii. Wait7, b. 23 Nov., 1783
iii. Tabitha7, b. 1785; md. Jacob Spencer, 1812 at Granville, N.Y.; resided in Livingston Co., N.Y.
469. iv. Thomas Davis7, b. 25 Oct., 1787
v. Alpheus7, b. 1789; d. in childhood, 1801
vi. Mary, or Polly T7, b. 5 Oct., 1792; md. 22 Feb., 1813 Roswell Newell who was b. 8 Dec., 1792 in Lucerne Co., Penn. they moved to Skaneateles, Onondaga Co., NY. She d. 5 April, 1851
vii. Lewis7, b. 1794; d. in childhood
viii. Anna7, b. 15 Oct., 1796; md. Oliver Hatch7 (son of Oliver6, Lemuel5, Joseph4, Joseph3, Jonathan2, Thomas1)
ix. Phoebe7, b. 17 Nov., 1799; md. 15 Sept., 1833, George Gage; resided at Salina, NY; removed to Ohio, where she d. 28 Nov., 1863. He d. 24 Sept., 1870

Issue, by 2nd wife:

x. Asa Northum7, b. 10 Jan., 1807
xi. Rebecca7, b. 14 May, 1809; md. 19 Nov., 1832, Roland Smith of Granville, NY. He was b. 1 Mar., 1809 and d. 9 May, 1888. She d. 1 Sept., 1880.
xii. Delight Crary7, b. 8 Jan., 1813; md. Nathaniel Beddell of Granville, NY, 16 Dec., 1845. He was born 8 June, 1823, Lebanon, N.H. She inherited her father's farm where she d. 3 April, 1875. He d. 17 Mar., 1903.


Revolutionary War Memorial
A memorial stands in the park, in South Granville, Washington County, New York, to honor those soldiers of the Revolutionary War, who are buried in the town of Granville.

In Memory Of
Revolutionary Soldiers Buried
In The Town Of Granville
Harry Weeks
Caleb Austin
Moses Amidon
Christopher Potter
John Kalb
Noah Day
Nathaniel Parker
Capt. Nehemiah Hulett
Capt. Ebenezer Gould
Lewis Hatch
John Taylor
Richard Foster
Job Leonard
Benajah Hill
Hezekiah Marchant

Erected By
Capt. Isreal Harris Chapter
D.A.R. 1914

Source: http://www.jowest.net/Genealogy/Jo/Hatch/Hatch.htm

Note: His farm, in Granville, Washington County, New York, became known as "Hatch Hill".


Lewis Hatch Grave
Lewis Hatch was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Honey Hill Road, Hillsdale, Washington County, New York.

The cemetery is located beside the site of the First Congregational Church of South Granville. The first house of worship was erected in 1789 or 1790, one mile west of South Granville, in Hillsdale, at the intersection of Route 149 and Lee Road. It was used for worship until 1807, when it became too small for the congregation.

The church was converted to a dwelling and stood until it's destruction by fire on March 27, 1970. The new church was erected in 1807, at the present site in South Granville.