Theophilus HOWARD^[1]

1758 - 1838  (80 years)

• Name	Theophilus HOWARD
  Born	5 May 1758	Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  Gender	Male
  BTPG	Y
  Baptism	18 Jun 1758	Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  Noteworthy	Participated in the Boston Tea Party
  Military Event	American Revolution - Col. Thomas Craft's artillery Reg: Cpl, Gunner; Boston Tea Party  [2]
  Served American Revolution?	Y
  Military Flag	Y
  Died	23 May 1838	Blenheim, Schoharie, New York
  Buried	New Boston Cemetery, Winchendon, Worcester, Massachusetts   [3]
  Person ID	I25279	Main
  Last Modified	21 Dec 2023

  
  

  Father	Theophilus HOWARD,   b. 23 Feb 1724, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 13 Jul 1814, Winchendon, Worcester, Massachusetts  (Age 90 years)
  Mother	Susanna LATHROP,   b. 12 Oct 1726, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. Aft 1810, New York  (Age > 85 years)
  Married	14 Dec 1747	W Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  Family ID	F7428	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Katherine Bathsheba KEITH,   b. 28 Jan 1759, Easton, Bristol, Massachusetts ,   d. 26 Feb 1840, Blenheim, Schoharie, New York  (Age 81 years)
  Married	29 Oct 1778	Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts
  Children	1. Susanna Howe HOWARD,   b. 9 Oct 1779, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 2 Jul 1868, Harpersfileld, Delaware, New York  (Age 88 years)   2. Pheobe HOWARD,   b. Abt 1780, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 1854, W Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts  (Age ~ 74 years)   3. Zibeah HOWARD,   b. 4 Dec 1781, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 21 Jan 1864, Westminster, Windham, Vermont  (Age 82 years)   4. Martin HOWARD,   b. 17 Jul 1783, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 29 Jan 1835  (Age 51 years)   5. Rhoda HOWARD,   b. 4 Mar 1785, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. Aft Oct 1840  (Age > 55 years) + 6. Theophilus HOWARD,   b. 16 Feb 1787, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 20 Nov 1867, Franklinville, Cattaraugus, New York  (Age 80 years) + 7. Tisdale H. HOWARD,   b. 26 Mar 1790, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 5 Dec 1870, Eckford, Calhoun, Michigan  (Age 80 years)   8. Ansel H. HOWARD,   b. 30 Oct 1791, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 4 Sep 1849, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts  (Age 57 years)   9. Abigail HOWARD,   b. 22 Oct 1793, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 11 Sep 1877, S Gilboa, Schoharie, New York  (Age 83 years)   10. Polly HOWARD,   b. 3 Jun 1796, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 12 Oct 1873, S Gilboa, Schoharie, New York  (Age 77 years)   11. Martha HOWARD,   b. 24 Aug 1797, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. Aft Oct 1840  (Age > 43 years)   12. Benjamin HOWARD,   b. 4 Oct 1800, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 23 Mar 1816  (Age 15 years)   13. Nancy HOWARD,   b. 7 Aug 1802, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts ,   d. 21 Aug 1802, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts  (Age 0 years)   14. Elizabeth HOWARD,   d. ?
  Last Modified	13 May 2023
  Family ID	F8642	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 5 May 1758 - Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts Baptism - 18 Jun 1758 - Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts Married - 29 Oct 1778 - Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  Theophilus took part in the Boston Tea Party. He was in Capt. John Porter's company, Col. Paul Dudley Sargent's 28th regiment, served one month, three days; was also a gunner in Capt. Daniel Lothrop's 7th company, Col. Thomas Craft's artillery regiment, served five months and eight days; was also corporal in same regiment. In 1810 Theophilus Jr. lived in Schoharie, NY —— Albany Times Union (Albany, NY) July 5, 2000 Byline: Associated Press STAMFORD -- A Revolutionary War corporal is getting a veteran's headstone, 162 years after his death. Through a quirk of fate and the efforts of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the state Department of Veterans Affairs, Theophilus Howard will soon have a new gravestone showing that he served honorably in his country's war for independence. In 1773, Howard participated in the Boston Tea Party, in which colonists protested the British tax on tea imported to the Colonies. And beginning in 1775, Howard spent six months as a private in Cambridge, Mass., during the British occupation of Boston. —— DAR helps local Revolutionary soldier get honor By Patricia Breakey Delhi News Bureau STAMFORD — A Revolutionary War hero buried in the Stamford Cemetery soon will receive a long-deserved honor. Through the efforts of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Theophilus Howard (1758-1838) will have a new gravestone indicating that he served honorably in his country's war for independence. A quirk of fate led to a meeting between Don Howard, a direct descendant of Theophilus Howard, and Peggy Power Gifford, a member of the General Peter Gansevoort Chapter of the DAR. Their chance encounter in Seattle launched the effort to get Theophilus a proper grave marker. The DAR was founded on Oct. 11, 1890, and incorporated by an act of the United States Congress in 1896. The DAR's objectives include historic preservation, the promotion of education and patriotic endeavors. Gifford is a former resident of Stamford and an associate member of Stamford's Abigail Harper Chapter of the DAR. She now lives in Ballston Lake, but her parents are still Stamford residents. She was recently in Seattle visiting her sister. The two women decided to spend the afternoon at a genealogy library, which is a common activity for members of the DAR, who must trace their to qualify for membership in the organization. "I struck up a conversation with a complete stranger about the DAR," Gifford said. "He began telling me about his ancestor who was in the Revolutionary War and actually took part in the Boston Tea Party. I couldn't believe it when he said the man was buried in Stamford." As the conversation progressed, Howard revealed that the grave didn't indicate that Theophilus was a veteran. Gifford, who works with Desert Shield/Storm veteran Chuck Greenfield to get VA markers for other soldiers, offered to do the legwork and submit the application to properly mark Theophilus' grave. Greenfield began his mission to mark veterans' graves when he was looking for his grandfather's grave and found a discarded stack of gravestones in the cemetery. He rounded up his compatriots, founded a group called "Forgotten Warriors" and set out on a mission to remedy the situation. "Chuck found out that any vet can have a stone placed free through the VA," Gifford said. "But he needed help with the genealogical research, so he asked the DAR for help proving the vets served, proving the person is in the grave and obtaining the birth, death and service records." Gifford discovered that Theophilus had a direct descendent who is a member of the DAR, so his service was already a matter of record in the DAR Patriot's Index. His grave was located in a book documenting all the graves in Delaware County. The marker on the grave, which lists his name but not his veteran's status, proved the grave's location. "I take pride in doing something for our veterans, giving them the honor they deserve," Gifford said. "It gives me a 'feel good' sensation. "Patriotism is important to me," she continued. "When I see a parade and see the flag go by, I get tears in my eyes." Within 30 days, Greenfield will come to Stamford to place a new veteran's marker at the foot of Theophilus' grave. He always gives the veterans a fitting tribute by playing "Taps." To date, he has placed more than 100 markers. Gifford was in the Stamford Cemetery on Friday, doing some final research on the gravesite. She carried a folder full of information about Theophilus, his wife and children and his descendants. "Right now there are only 19 members in the Abigail Harper Chapter," Gifford said. "But there are probably at least 200 people in this area who are eligible descendants of Theophilus." Theophilus Howard was born on May 5, 1758, in Bridgewater, Mass. Gifford said he enlisted in the armed forces twice. In 1775, Howard spent six months as a private stationed in Cambridge during the British occupation of Boston, where he participated in the Boston Tea Party. In May 1776, he joined again for a year and was stationed first in Williamsburg, Mass. His rank was corporal, and he was listed as both a gunner and a bombardier. He was transferred to Naddles Island, off the Massachusetts coast. When he was scheduled to go to Rhode Island, he hired a substitute to finish out his term. Records indicate Theophilus married Bethsheba Keith in 1778. They moved around a lot, which wasn't typical of his time, according to Gifford. He owned land in Grantham, Mass., then Marlboro, Mass., and Westminster, Vt., before moving to New York between 1800 to 1810. He owned property in both Jefferson and Blenheim. Theophilus, who died May 23, 1838, had 12 children, several of whom are buried next to him and his wife.

  
  

• Sources

  [S44] Orcutt_001 gedcom file, Robert Waddell. [S24] Daughters of the American Revolution. [S96] Find a Grave, database and images, 27239054.