In the year 1841 "A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services" was published under the direction of the U.S. Government, which gave the names, ages and places of residence of all pensioners then living, as well as the names of heads of families with whom they were residing. The list includes presumably all the surviving Revolutionary soldiers at that period; and among them are the names of ten Groton men, as follows:

Abel Prescott was the 2nd son of Jonas and Rebecca (Bulkley) Prescott, and was born at Groton on Dec 12, 1759. He was married to Hannah Spalding of Ashburnham; and among his children were Phinehas Gilman Prescott and Charles Prescott. He died on Sept. 18, 1841 and his widow died on Aug 17, 1854.

William Prescott was the youngest son of the Honorable James and Susanna (Lawrence) Prescott and was born at Groton, on September 5, 1768. At a Fourth of July celebration he was severely wounded in the hand by the premature discharge of a cannon and in consequence of the injury he received a pension from the government. For many years after the death of his father he lived in the family of Major James Lewis and after Major Lewis's death in the family of Merrick Lewis, the youngest brother of James Lewis. Mr. Prescott died at Groton on August 31, 1843. He was a nephew of Colonel William Prescott who commanded the American Forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and a brother of Benjamin Prescott who fell in that fight.

Joshua Parker was a son of Ephraim and Azubah (Farnsworth) Parker and was born at Groton on May 26, 1764. He was in the army near the end of the War and he died on September 15, 1843. His son Andrew Johnson Parker of Charlestown tells me that he remembers his father's discharge paper. (see p. 418 Farnsworth Memorial: Ephraim Parker was son of Joseph and Abigail (Sawtell) Parker).

William Tarbell was the 2nd son of Benjamin and Azubah (Farnsworth) Tarbell and was born at Groton on October 19, 1764. He was married on April 8, 1788 to Polly Simonds of Groton; and married secondly on April 24, 1823 to Susan Blood of Groton; and thirdly on May 13, 1840 to Mrs. Sarah (Wetherbee) Nutting of Townsend. Mr. Tarbell's mother died Mar 14, 1838 at the age of 97 years, 8 months and 19 days, the oldest person in Groton at that time. (see p. 216, 219 Farnsworth Memorial). He died Aug 3, 1851 aged 86 years, 9 months and 16 days. The date of his birth is taken from the family Bible and differs a few days from that given in the town records.

Jacob Nutting was the son of Isaac and Lydia (Nutting) Nutting and was born at Groton, on January 23, 1747 and died on May 14, 1841.

Isaac Patch was the 2nd son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Avery) Patch and born at Westford in the year 1762. He was married in 1786 to Phebe, youngest child of Reuben and Susanna (Chandler) Fletcher of that town. They had eight children of whom the youngest, Sophronia was the wife of Moses Titus now (1893) of Ayer (MA). Mr. Patch died at Groton on October 21, 1841 aged 79 years; his widow died on January 9, 1843, also aged 79 years.

Joseph Sawtell 2nd was the second son of Joseph and Lydia (Jenkins) Sawtell and was born at Groton on May 8, 1764. He was married on Feb. 22, 1788 to Hannah, youngest daughter of Ebenezer and Mary Kemp. For many years he was sexton of the town; and he died on March 21, 1842. Another Joseph, the father of the late Ephraim Sawtel was living in the year 1840 when this list of pensioners was made (see Joshua Parker above).

David Lakin was the youngest child of John and Lydia (Parker) Lakin and was born at Groton on Oct 10, 1753. He died on March 3, 1846 at which time he was the oldest person in town.

Amos Farnsworth was the eldest son of Amos Farnsworth and Lydia (Longley) Farnsworth and was born at Groton on April 28, 1754. After the Lexington alarm on April 19, 1775 he marched to Cambridge in Capt. Henry Farnwell's company of minute-men. At the time of his death which took place on Oct 29, 1847, he was the oldest person in town. [Webmaster note: See also Amos Farnsworth.]

Stephen Pingrey was the oldest son of Stephen and Anna (Jewett) Pingrey and was born at Rowley (MA) on June 3, 1759. After the death of his 2nd wife, which took place at Franconia, NH, on June 12, 1838 in order to live with his youngest son, John Pingrey, he came to Groton where he died May 8, 1844.

It is somewhat remarkable that two of these Revolutionary heroes each left a son now (1893) surviving:

Andrew Johnson Parker of Charlestown, youngest son of Joshua Parker, born at Groton on April 15, 1809; and Luther Lewis Tarbell of Marlborough (MA) youngest son of William Tarbell (by his 2nd wife) born at Groton on Feb 29, 1824.

Many years ago I obtained the following facts from a Revolutionary pension-agent, whose name I have now forgotten, though there is some reason to doubt their accuracy:

Mrs. Olive Studley died at Groton on Mar 2, 1845 aged 83 years. She was the widow of Consider Studley who during the Revolution had served as a non-commissioned office from Wrentham. They were married at Franklin in 1785; and at the time of her death she left three children namely: Mrs. Olive Rugg wife of Joseph Rugg of Groton; Oliver Studley; and Sarah M. Studley. Her husband died at Lancaster, MA on Dec. 28 1832; and in consequence of his military services she received from the government an annual pension of forty-four dollars.

Jonathan Prentiss, a native of Groton, living in Townsend was in the military service of his country during the years 1778 and 1779. At one time he was a member of Capt. Kimball's company, Colonel Sproat's Regiment and stationed at Nantasket.

Samuel Gragg, a native of Groton and a soldier of the Revolution was an uncle of Reverend William Gragg who graduated from Harvard College in the class of 1820; and his wife's name was Rachel Blood.

Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth