Monday, May 11, 2015

Major General John Sullivan (1740 - 1795) of New Hampshire


Major General John Sullivan (1740 - 1795)
from http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004666644

John Sullivan, born 17 February 1740 in Somersworth, New Hampshire, was the son of Irish immigrants John Owen Sullivan and Margery Browne.  John had an older brother, Benjamin, who served in the British Navy before the American Revolution, and Benjamin was lost at sea.  His three other brothers and himself all served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and John rose to the rank of Major General.  He commanded the Sullivan Expedition in 1779 against the Iroquois towns west of New England.

After the war, John Sullivan was a delegate to the Continental Congress, the 3rd Governor of the state New Hampshire, and a US Federal Judge.  He married Lydia Worcester and had nine children.  He was also the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire.  Major General John Sullivan is a celebrated New Hampshire hero.  There are many things in New Hampshire named for him including a town, a county, a bridge in Durham, among others.



Major General John Sullivan's brother James (1744 - 1808), Governor of Massachusetts, was married to Mehitable Odiorne.  That is an unusual name, except along the New Hampshire seacoast.  I'm also an Odiorne descendant, making Mehitable my 2nd cousin, seven generations removed.  We both descend from William Odiorn and Agnes Hickins, and from their son, John Odiorne (about 1625 - 1707), who came from Sheviock in Cornwall and settled along the New Hampshire coast at what is now known as Odiorne Point in Rye, New Hampshire.


MAJOR GENERAL JOHN SULLIVAN
--- 1740 - 1795 ---
Revolutionary patriot, soldier, politician, first 
Grand Master of Masons in New Hampshire, and
a resident of Durham.  He left the Continental
Congress to serve under Washington from 
Cambridge to Valley Forge.  Commanded at Rhode
Island in 1778 and led campaign against the
Six Nations in New York in 1779.  Re-entered 
Congress, then served three terms as Governor
of New Hampshire.  Led fight for ratification
of U. S. Constitution and became a federal 
district judge.                                               

This state historical marker is on the south side of Route 4, just east of the intersection with Route 108, by the bridge over the falls at Oyster River in Durham, New Hampshire.  At one end of the bridge is the memorial to General Sullivan, at the other end is the memorial to the Oyster River Massacre in 1694.

Just behind the Sullivan memorial is the John Sullivan house at 23 Newmarket Street in Durham, New Hampshire.  The house is privately owned, but is on the National Register of Historic Places.  It was built between 1729 and 1741 by Dr. Samuel Adams, and sold to General Sullivan in 1763. 

The John Sullivan House is visible behind the memorial
IN MEMORY OF
JOHN SULLIVAN
BORN FEB. 17, 1740
DIED JAN. 23, 1795

ERECTED BY THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
UPON THE SITE OF THE MEETING HOUSE
UNDER WHICH WAS STORED THE GUNPOWDER
TAKEN FROM FORT WILLIAM AND MARY


Another curiosity was located on the ground near this monument.... see below!



BENEATH THIS DRIPSTONE
FROM THE FORMER MARSTON HOUSE
THE PEOPLE OF DURHAM ON MAY 21, 1976
DEPOSITED A VAULT TO BE OPENED ON 
THIS NATION'S TRI-CENTENNIAL IN 2076


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The URL for this post is
http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/05/major-general-john-sullivan-1740-1795.html  
Copyright © 2015, Heather Wilkinson Rojo 

3 comments:

  1. Although it would be nice to claim the General as an ancestor, we are only related--distantly--by marriage. Sullivan's daughter Lydia married my first cousin, 7x removed, Jonathon Steele.

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  2. I believe I am also descended from William Odiorn and Agnes Hickins, through their son, Philip Odiorne, brother of John. In the book, "The Lt. Moses Kimball and Jemimah Clement Kimball Family", Philip had a daughter,Deliverance (d. 3 Mar 1741) who married Robert Clement 18 Dec 1690. In the book, "The Genealogy of the Odiorne Family", The only child listed for Philip is Nathaniel, born about 1680. No mention of another child. Is there any any additional information you might have on Philip's family? Written history is pretty much all about John and his descendants.

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    Replies
    1. I'm sorry, Elzie, I haven't done the entire Odiorne family tree.

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