07/05/2026
LET FREEDOM RING!! 🇺🇸
The original owner of our home, Captain Deliverance Davis, led a group of 33 men to the battle of Concord and Lexington in April, 1775.
"A second company of thirty-three men under the command of Captain Deliverance Davis, was organized. Early in the gray of the following morning they were on the march. The rolls preserve the names of those men, seventy-one in number, who responded thus to the alarm. Leaving homes and family with hasty farewells, they hastened to the relief of their brethren, and some of them to the familiar scenes of their childhood and to the defence of the homes of their kindred."
Excerpts from Stearns History of Ashburnham 1734-1886
“The spring of 1775 was unusually forward; The warm, sunny days of mid-April had invited the husbandman to the labors of the field. But in the midst of a peaceful avocation, and attending this external appearance of security and composure, there was a strong undercurrent of suspense and anxiety. Neither the vernal sun nor the balmy air of spring could dissolve the portentous clouds which overhung the political horizon. And now at a season of the year most suggestive of tranquillity and gladness, all remaining doubt was suddenly removed and all anticipations of an honorable peace were dispelled. The harsh notes of war and carnage resounded over the dying hope of a peaceful settlement of the public grievances. With unfinished furrows and fields half sown, the patriot farmer reversing the prophecy lay down the pruning-hooks for spears and quickly beat the plow-shares into swords. The ominous intelligence that the British were marching from Boston towards Lexington swiftly borne on the wings of alarm was proclaimed in Ashburnham in the afternoon of that historic day. To the signal guns came answering echoes from the surrounding hills, and before the reverberations quivering with alarm had faded in the distance, there came responsive shots for many homes. The town was quickly aroused. The patriots, arms in hand, were hurrying forward from every quarter of the town.
No intelligence of hostilities at this hour had been received. It was only known that the enemy were marching inward. The story of the slaughter of their brethren at Lexington and Concord was then unknown, nor was it needed to call these men to arms. Under command of Captain Jonathan Gates, a company of 38 men promptly responded to the call and marched that afternoon. Nor was this all. Through the following night the men from the remoter portions of the town responded to the alarm, and busy notes of preparation were constantly renewed. A second company of thirty-three men under the command of Captain Deliverance Davis, was organized. Early in the gray of the following morning they were on the march. The rolls preserve the names of those men, seventy-one in number, who responded thus to the alarm. Leaving homes and family with hasty farewells, they hastened to the relief of their brethren, and some of them to the familiar scenes of their childhood and to the defence of the homes of their kindred.
The rapidity with which the alarm was spread over the country on the nineteenth of April, has excited surprise. It was not accidental nor one of those hazard enterprises that sometimes apparently happen in a fortuitous manner. For weeks the committees of safety and correspondence had been preparing for such an emergency; in many instances it had been arranged who should ride, and to whom deliver the message. At twilight many a vigilant patriot had carefully stabled and fed his fleetest horse, half in expectation that a summons to ride might come before the rising of another sun…”
… “Among the papers of the late Deacon John C. Davis, a grandson of one of the commanders, is preserved a list of the men under the command of Captain Deliverance Davis. This list and the roll at the State House without exception are the same…”
"June 28, 1776
Voted. We the Inhabitants of the town of Ashburnham, in Town meeting assembled being sensible of the disadvantage of having any further connections with the King of Great Britain and are willing to brake (sic) off all connections with them and it is our Resolution that if the Honorable Congress shall declare the Colonies Independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain that we the said Inhabitants will stand by them with our lives and fortunes to support them in the measure."
"The foregoing motion being put was voted unanimously."
