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Pvt. Ephraim Hosmer

Pvt. Ephraim Hosmer

1722-1811

Descendants of Ephraim Hosmer

Pvt. Ephraim Hosmer

The Hosmer Family in the American Revolution

A Register of Hosmers in Military Service 1775-1782

Henry L. Hosmer, 1998

Ephraim Hosmer was born at Concord on November 22, 1722 and was the youngest son of Stephen and Prudence (Billings) Hosmer. Ephraim Hosmer and Sarah Jones of Acton recorded an “Intention of Marriage” at Acton on April 28, 1753 and their ten children were born at Acton between 1754 and 1773. He was a farmer and also a tavern keeper until 1760, when the Hosmer tavern burned down. He also was active in Town affairs. In 1757 he was appointed to a committee charged with establishing the seating at the meetinghouse, was Selectman in 1762-1757, and Town Moderator in 1777-1784, 1786 and 1787. He died at Acton on March 16,1811.

Ephraim Hosmer was 52 years old in April 1775 and was on the town alarm list and subject of call in the event of emergency. There is no documentary record but he may have marched as a volunteer on April 19. He served on several town committees and performed war-related duties during the conflict.

(1) Ephraim Hosmer was among the five men appointed to the Acton Committee of Correspondence, inspection and Safety at a special town meeting convened on December 11, 1775 (Phalen 1954). The committee members were charged not only with keeping the town informed of political events but now also were expected to look to the town's safety and to check on subversive activities from within.

(2) Ephraim Hosmer was appointed on October 24, 1776 to a committee of seven to draft resolutions calling for a convention “to form and establish a constitution for the State.”

(3) On March 10, 1777 Ephraim Hosmer was named to a town committee of fourteen men to collect data regarding to town's war service. This committee was concerned with the establishment of bounties and in getting men to serve in the Continental Army.

(4) In June 1778 Ephraim Hosmer was named to a `draft board' committee of seven to hire men for public service “at such times as the town is called upon to furnish same.”

(5) In March 1781 Ephraim Hosmer was named to a committee of five to assist the assessors in classifying the inhabitants of the town “for the purpose of hiring the town's quota in the army of the united States.”

(6) In 1782 Ephraim Hosmer again served on the town's Committee of Correspondence.

The militia service of Ephraim Hosmer recorded in Massachusetts Solider and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1901) has been credited by the Daughters of the American Revolution to this man, and he is listed in the DAR Patriot Index (1990). However, the solider Ephraim Hosmer severed in the Concord town militia and was a resident of that town. It is inconceivable that Ephraim Hosmer would serve in Concord levies when Acton, where he had long resided an was a member of several “draft boards' committees, also was subject of militia calls and quotas. Although no documentary proof of the identity of the solider has been found, the published service record undoubtedly is that of Ephraim Hosmer's son, also named Ephraim.

Descendants of Ephraim Hosmer

Generation No. 1

1. EPHRAIM4 HOSMER (STEPHEN3, STEPHEN2, JAMES1) was born November 22, 1722 in Concord, Middlesex, MA., and died March 17, 1811 in Acton, Middlesex, MA.. He married SARAH JONES April 28, 1753 in Acton, Middlesex, MA., daughter of SAMUEL JONES and SARAH HUBBARD. She was born January 05, 1733/34 in Acton, Middlesex, MA., and died October 02, 1823 in Acton, Middlesex, MA..

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