52 Ancestors #18, Elisha Hudson, Revolutionary Soldier

     Elisha Hudson was born on 24 Sep 1774 in Bolton, Massachusetts. His parents were John Hudson and Elizabeth McAllister.  At a young age he fought in the French and Indian Wars with his father. According to the Marlborough Town Records he fought under Capt. William Williams in 1756, 1758, and 1760 which would be age 12, 14 and 16 respectively. He was the second son, his older brother, Elijah, probably also fought.

     In 1770 he was living in Marlborough, Massachusetts and married Susannah Brigham on 4 Oct of that year.  She was the daughter of Dr. Samuel Brigham and Anna Gott, members of two of the most influential families in Marlborough.  William and Benjamin were born in 1770 and 1773. Then as hostilities flared, we find Elisha appointed to drill the men of the militia in "the neighborhood where he then resided, Bolton". I imagine he brought his skills learned in the French and Indian Wars to this project. He was in the Lexington Alarm and fought in the famous Battle of Lexington where we can assume he heard "the shot heard round the world". He fought in Concord and at the Battle of  Bunker's Hill (actually fought on Breed's Hill) under Lt. Col Jonathan Ward and Maj. Edward Barnes. He fought in several other battles as we;; including three months in Rhode Island in 1780. In fact, his father and all seven of his brothers fought in the Revolutionary. Two brothers, Ebenezer and Charles, were killed in the war.

     Elisha and Susannah continued to raise a family, their son Samuel Brigham was born in 1777 and Charles was born in 1783. the family really didn't settle in one place.  William was born in Marlborough, Benjamin in Bolton, then Samuel was born in Marlborough again, Charles in Hudson, Robert brick in Worcester, Reuben and Susannah in Northborough and Eliza in Halifax, Windham, Vermont! In 1796. Elisha is listed as an inhabitant of Wilton, New Hampshire, in 1776 and signed the New Hampshire "Association Test" in that year, supporting the American Colonies against the British. Yet, he was back in Marlborough for Samuel's birth in 1777. By 1790, he is in Northborough in the first U.S. Census and in Halifax, Windham, Vermont in the 1800 Census. In 1801 he is recorded in Newport, Compton, Quebec, Canada in a land record. It believed he remained there until he died in 1815 at the age of 70. The family then moved to Phelps, Ontario Co., New York and it is possible that he died there instead. According to his widow's statement in her pension application he died on 17 April 1815. His sons, William, Robert Brick and Reuben remained in Canada, although Robert and Reuben eventually returned to the U.S. in the State of Michigan. William died in Canada and his descendants are still found there as are some of Robert's descendants.