After a pause of a month or so in this project, I finally found the time to dig into the list of the veterans of the Revolutionary War who are buried in Norwalk, Connecticut. Of the 59 names on that list, several had extensive battle experience in George Washington’s Army. Others served for a month or so at a time. There were no residents who were Killed in Action that I could find. One was Wounded in Action – Lt William Seymour. He was wounded in the attack on Fort Griswold in Groton Heights, CT. This battle lasted less than an hour. The British attack was led by Benedict Arnold. When the gates were opened to surrender, the commander of the fort Colonel William Ledyard was executed. Lieutenant Seymour survived his wounds and lived to be 86 years old and fathered 7 children.
Many of the last names of these heroes relate to prominent families in Norwalk at the time and many have streets in their family name. Examples: Betts (4), Comstock, Fitch, Gregory, Hanford (2), Keeler (2), Lockwood (4), Marvin (2), Raymond (7), St. John (4), Scribner, Selleck, Hoyt (4), Seymour (3).
Well worth my time…
Did you happen to come across a “Captain Gibbs”? According to a Norwalk Gazette story with the account of Lafayette’s visit to Norwalk in 1824, he recognized and greeted Captain Gibbs who then led him into the Norwalk Hotel.
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No, not in the research of the Revolutionary War. I did find a Captain David Gibbs (1788-1840) who fought in the War of 1812. It’s quite possible it’s the same Captain Gibbs who greeted Lafayette.
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