Our Two Cousins Named Ebenezer Stanton-Part Two

Part One of this paper about the Revolutionary War Veterans Ebenezer Stanton, two Great-Great Grandsons of New England Stanton Family Progenitor Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677), Stonington, New London County, Connecticut is available for viewing at this link, click HERE.     

And Now... The Rest Of The Story.

Reference: STONINGTON DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION - by Norman Francis Boas, M.D. Seaport Autographs, 6 Brandon Lane, Mystic, CT. 1990. p.146.

This citation captures some essential facts in this independent research summary by Dr. Boas as related to Ebenezer Stanton (1757-1811) of Stonington and New London.  However, Dr. Boas does make a couple of statements and apparent assumptions that are partially or totally incorrect as indicated by inserted [sic] notations:

"Stanton, Paymaster Ebenezer. He is one of seven [sic] children of Captain Nathan and Elizabeth Billings Stanton.  He married Mary Smith in 1781. They had four [sic] children. Stanton served in Colonel Henry Sherburne's (Rhode Island) [sic] Regiment from 1777 to 1781 [sic].  He was appointed ensign on February 22, 1777, quartermaster June 1, 1777, 2nd lieutenant November 9, 1779, and paymaster April 13, 1779. He was discharged from service on April 24, 1780."

Dr. Doas' four errors are indicated by a [sic] notation within his text, corrections are cited here in the order written: 1. eight children; 2. six children; 3. Sherburne's 2^nd Additional Regiment of Connecticut Line was totally disbanded effective 1 Jan 1781 to form the new Rhode Island Regiment. Most of Sherburne's officers resigned their commission by late spring 1780 and enlisted men transferred to other regiments (2^nd Lieut. Ebenezer Stanton never served in the new Rhode Island Regiment). 

Case 2 – The younger Ebenezer Stanton (1757-1811), until cited differently, hereafter referred to as #2 Ebenezer in this paper –

#2 Ebenezer, born 5 Nov 1757 the son of Captain Nathan Stanton (d.1786) and Mrs. Elizabeth A. (Billings) Stanton (d.1800), is a 5^th generation descendant of New England Stanton Family progenitor and Stonington, Connecticut Founder Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677). #2 Ebenezer's Stanton Family lineage to his colonial progenitor: 4^th generation-Captain Nathan Stanton (d.1786); 3^rd generation-Samuel Stanton II (d.1736); 2^nd generation-Samuel Stanton I (d.1732); 1^st generation Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677). On 7 November 1781 in Stonington, Connecticut ceremonies, #2 Ebenezer married the local beauty Ms. Mary "Molly" Smith (1761-1850), the daughter of Revolutionary War New London County Militia Regimental Commander Colonel Oliver Smith (d.1811) and Mrs. Mary Noyes Denison-Smith (d.1800). The couple is blessed with six children over their 40-year marriage.

Ms. Mary "Molly" (Smith) Stanton (1761-1850)
Note:  More details on the life and times of Molly (Smith) Stanton are set out in a more recent BLOG post -- to view and read click HERE. 

The compelling evidence to support the subject identities are two well-documented wills left by #2 Ebenezer and his wife Mary [Smith] Stanton. Mary [Smith] Stanton's federal Widow's Pension documentation contains valuable identity facts that can not be disputed. #2 Ebenezer's Revolutionary War (RW) service was first as an Ensign appointed in Feb 1777; then, promoted to 2^nd Lieutenant junior officer grade in Nov 1777, tasked as regimental quartermaster and paymaster assigned to Colonel Henry Sherburne's Connecticut Line Second Regiment of Light Dragoons. #2 Ebenezer's three-year+ active duty wartime military service dated early 1777 through Apr 1780. Given his regimental tasking, #2 Ebenezer was an obviously articular young man, strongly capable in English communication and mathematics. His gallant Connecticut Line service also includes assignments as a junior company officer under our hero cousin and 6^th Company Commander Captain Amos Stanton (KIA 6 Sep 1781 at the Battle of Groton Heights – Fort Griswold. Groton, Connecticut). In early 1780, General George Washington spearheaded a total reorganization of the Continental Army structure. The rationale behind this reorganization is there were too many understaffed regiments and too many officers.  Basically, a better U.S. Continental Army command and control structure was required, the army command structure had become too divided, over-staffed with too many senior officers and lacking enough enlisted fighting men. Colonel Sherburne's Regiment is among the regiments targeted for disbanding, this officially occurred 1 Jan 1781, but most soldiers were reassigned to other regiments throughout 1780. Regimental officers were allowed to resign their commissions, most in Shelburne's Regiment doing so in the weeks before June 1780. #2 Ebenezer resigned his commission as 2^nd lieutenant in the Connecticut Line effective 18 April 1780.

Top: Officers assigned to COL Sherburne's Regiment; Bottom: May 1780 Officer Resignations

Additional Revolutionary War research found an Ebenezer Stanton appointed Master and Commander of a Connecticut Navy Schooner. In life thereafter, #2 Ebenezer is referred to as Captain Ebenezer Stanton, this prefix now added in this paper to help separate him from the several other Ebenezer Stanton men that are sometimes merged with this battle-tested war veteran. On May 15, 1782, in official continuation of Revolutionary War service to the United States, Captain Ebenezer Stanton is named Master, Commander, and privateer of the Connecticut Navy Schooner Count de Grasse. The vessel is outfitted with two guns and a crew of thirty sailors.  On 25 May 1782, the Count de Grasse was at sea in the Long Island Sound.  She took a boat engaged in illegal trade, that was sailed to the Port of New London, Connecticut,  The prize was libeled on 20 Jun 1782, and tried on 15 Jul 1782.  (Source: "History of maritime Connecticut during the American Revolution, 1775-1783" Vol. II. The Connecticut privateers, p66.
Reference: Ancestry.com subscribers click HERE

A Typical Rebellion-Era Schooner - from a published postage stamp image.

Source: History of Maritime Connecticut during the American Revolution, 1775-1783, Vol II, 

The Connecticut Privateers, page 66.

Following his honorable Rebellion service, #2 Ebenezer becomes an owner-operator and Master and Commander of an ocean-going trading vessel – he then more appropriately addressed as Ship's Master or Ship's Captain in the parlance of the day. #2 Ebenezer's untimely death at age 53 years, on 31 May 1811 is fully documented, leaving a well-documented last will designating wife Mary as his main beneficiary, where his net worth is accounted at about $17,500 in 1811 dollars (about $350,000 2019 inflation-adjusted dollars). His wife Mary Smith-Stanton survives him by nearly four decades and she never remarries, Mary passing 24 Jan 1850, she also leaving her well-documented last will.

Some additional important references include the couple's internment site.  #2 Ebenezer and wife Mary are forever resting side-by-side at Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London, New London County, Connecticut as photo-documented in memorial profiles at Find A Grave.  Their children Mary S., Ebenezer Jr., Edward S., and Elisha D. are also memorialized at the Cedar Grove Stanton Family plot.  Both cemetery monuments of #2 Ebenezer and Mrs. Mary [Smith] Stanton are inscribed with the Capt. prefix, this refers to #2 Ebenezer's postwar employment as a ships' Master and Commander – this is not his wartime Connecticut Line military title.  His last will names beloved wife Mary [Smith] Stanton three times and provides $300 to their only female child, the married daughter Mary S. [Stanton] Richards, the wife of Mr. Francis "Frank" Richards. The last will of #2 Ebenezer clearly states, apparently in his own hand “...all the rest and residue of my estate... I give to my wife and four sons to be equally divided...”  Mary Stanton receives a Revolutionary War Widow's Pension from the mid-1830s until her 24 January 1850 passing. Two widow's pension documents clearly show Mary Stanton's named husband is Ebenezer, cites his military service as Ensign, 2nd Lieutenant, Quartermaster, and Paymaster. The pension papers confirm Mary Stanton's date of death as 24 Jan 1850. Also important to solidify the certain identity of the married couple Captain Ebenezer Stanton (1757-1811) and Mrs. Mary (Smith) Stanton is Mary's last will where she gives and bequeaths several valued items to many relatives, seven of these identified as follows:

• “To Stiles Stanton of Stonington I give and bequeath a miniature likeness of my late husband Ebenezer Stanton deceased.” [#2 Ebenezer's nephew]
• “To Nathaniel Richards of New London I give and bequeath the portrait of his brother Francis Richards deceased.”  Francis Richards is the husband of Mary S. [Stanton] Richards, daughter of #2 Ebenezer and Mrs. Mary Smith-Stanton. In 1811 Francis Richards also is co-executor of #2  Ebenerzer's last will.
• “To Edward Stanton Smith [Mary's nephew] the son of Nathan Smith [Mary's brother] I give and bequeath Fifty dollars.” 
• “To Sarah Smith [Mary's grand niece] the daughter of Nathaniel Smith [Mary's nephew] late of Groton deceased and granddaughter of Denison Smith [Mary's brother] of Groton I give and bequeath five hundred dollars.”
• “To Fanny Smith the widow of my late brother Isaac Smith deceased I give and bequeath one hundred dollars.”
• “To Frances Smith the daughter of my late brother Isaac Smith deceased I give and bequeath one hundred dollars.”
• “To my brother Denison Smith I have previously given the sum of one thousand dollars.”

Mary Stanton's Revolutionary War Widow's Pension Document

Mrs. Mary (Smith) Stanton died in her 89th year, she outlived her six children by a decade or more as born with her husband Captain Ebenezer Stanton.  Logically her last will mentions no children. Communication with a DAR staff genealogist found no DAR applicant claiming the Rebellion military service of Lieutenant and Paymaster Ebenezer Stanton (1757-1811), a logical conclusion since it is now known this battle-tested war veteran and his lovely wife Mary, sadly have no grandchildren -- this Stanton line stopped.