Bunker Hill Memorial Bench

Pepperell, Massachusetts
By
Franek Kiluk - 2011
BHbench
In the park area across from Pepperell Town Hall is this large memorial bench. This memorial honors the men from Pepperell who fell at the Battle of Breed's Hill, famously known as The Battle of Bunker Hill.

(Painting by Don Troiani, www.historicalartprints.com)
Bunker-Hill
The entire structure is made of polished stone. The center of the bench's back is built much higher than the rest of the back and on this extended back is a plaque with the names of the fallen. It reads:
"These Pepperell men were killed at Bunker Hill 17 June 1775 Jeremiah Shattuck, Nathaniel Parker, William Warren, Wainwright Fisk, Ebenezer Laughton, Joseph Spaulding, Benjamin Wood, Edmund Pierce. For you they died."
TheseMen
The top of the bench has an extended back and is rounded at the top, with some decoration around the edge. On the front of the rounded top is an image of what seem to be powder horns with straps on them. Beneath them is an inscription of the giver of this memorial.

"The gift in MDCCCXCIX (1899) of a descendant of Colonel William Prescott"

Also known as the "Walcott Memorial," dedicated Nov. 1, 1899, this memorial was a gift of Mrs. Edith Prescott Walcott, wife of Massachusetts Governor, Roger Walcott, and decendent of Colonel William Prescott.

powderhorn

Colonel William Prescott was the commander of the American militia at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

On the backside of the bench's extended back is another inscription: "To the men of Pepperell who fought at Bunker Hill17 June 1775 They took part in an action with British Regulars which proved the fighting qualities of the provincial militia and foretold that England could not hold Her American colonies by force."

Who is this bench honoring?: Jeremiah Shattuck, Nathaniel Parker, William Warren, Wainwright Fisk, Ebenezer Laughton, Joseph Spaulding, Benjamin Wood, and Edmund Pierce


Lieutenant Joseph Spaulding (Age 37)
Spaulding, Joseph, Pepperell. Capt. John Sawtell's co., Col. James Prescott's regimate, which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, from Groton and Pepperell; service, 13 days; also, Lieutenant, Capt. Asa Lawrence's co.; [p.692] certificate dated Cambridge, May 29, 1775, signed by William Green, Adjutant, certifying that said Spaulding and others were officers in Col. William Prescott's regt.; receipt for commissions of said officers signed by John Robinson; also, 1st Lieutenant, Capt. Lawrence's co., Col. Prescott's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 30, 1775; service, 1 mo. 19 days; also, company return dated Oct. 6, 1775; reported either killed in battle June 17, 1775, or taken prisoner.
Joseph Spaulding & wife Phebe who died Jan 4, 1775 Children:
Oliver Spaulding b. Sept 16, 1762
Phebe Spaulding b. Oct 4, 1764 and died Sept 20, 1773 (nervous fever)
Betty Spaulding b. Sept 16, 1766.

Corporal Nathaniel Parker (Age 33)
Parker, Nathaniel, Pepperell. Corporal, Capt. John Nutting's co. of Minutemen, Col. William Prescott's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; reported enlisted into the army; also, Sergeant, Capt. John Nutting's co., Col. William Prescott's (10th) regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 1 mo. 24 days; also, company return dated Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1775; reported killed June 17, 1775; also, order on Committee of Clothing at Watertown, payable to Capt. Edmund Bancroft, dated Pepperell, Oct. 8, 1776, signed by Ruth Parker, for money in lien of a bounty coat due said Nathaniel Parker; certificate dated Pepperell, Oct. 4, 1776, signed by the Selectmen, certifies that Ruth Parker was the widow and rightful heir of Nathaniel Parker, late of Pepperell, a Sergeant in Capt. John Nutting's co., Col. Prescott's regt., killed at Charlestown June 17, 1775.
Nathaniel Parker Jr. Killed at Bunker Hill June 17, 1775 and wife Ruth Shattuck Married Feb 21, 1760. He is survived by his wife and Children:
Sarah Parker b. July 22, 1761
Ruth Parker b. Mar 10, 1764
Caleb Parker b. Aug 20, 1768
Nathaniel Parker 3d b. April 12, 1771
Thomas Parker b. Mar 2, 1774.

Private William Warren (Age 28)
Warren, William, Pepperell. Private, Capt. John Nutting's co. of Minute-men, Col. William Prescott's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; also, Corporal, Capt. Nutting's co., Col. Prescott's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 54 days; also, account showing sums of money to be paid from the public treasury to sundry persons for losses sustained at battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill; amounts allowed in Council June 13, 1776; entry credits amount due to heirs of said Warren.
He was one of eight children of William Warren & wife Hannah who died May 12, 1760 & 2d wife Sarah Stevens He married Sarah Stevens Feb 12, 1761

Private Jeremiah Shattuck, Jr. (Age 20)
Shattuck, Jeremiah, Jr., Pepperell. Private, Capt. John Nutting's co. of Minute-men, Col. William Prescott's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; also, Capt. Nutting's co., Col. Prescott's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 1 mo. 24 days; also, company return dated Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1775; reported killed June 17, 1775; also, order for money in lieu of bounty coat, signed by Jeremiah Shattuck, Jr., father of said Shattuck, deceased, dated Pepperell, Sept. 30, 1776; also, certificate dated Pepperell, Jan. 12, 1776, signed by the Selectmen, certifying that Jeremiah Shattuck, of Pepperell, was the father and proper heir of said Jeremiah Shattuck, Jr., who was killed in battle at Charlestown, he being at that time under 21 years of age and unmarried; Jeremiah Shattuck, the father, served at the same time and in the same company and regiment and was also known as Jeremiah Shattuck, Jr.
He was one week away from his 21 birthday.

Private Benjamin Wood (Age 20)
Wood, Benjamin, Pepperell. Private, Capt. Asa Lawrence's co., Col. William Prescott's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 54 days; also, company return dated Oct. 6, 1775; reported as having been either killed in battle or taken prisoner June 17, 1775; also, order for bounty coat dated Cambridge, Oct. 30, 1775.

Private Edmund Pierce (Age 44)
Private Edmund Peers / Private Edmund Peerce /Peers, Edmund, Pepperell.Private, Capt. John Nutting's co., Col. William Prescott's regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 1 mo. 24 days; also, company return dated Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1775; [p.68] reported killed June 17, 1775; also, certificate dated Pepperell, Jan, 12, 1776. signed by the Selectmen, certifying that Mary Peers, widow of said Peers, a soldier in Capt. Nutting's co., Col. Prescott's regt., killed in the battle at Charlestown, was rightfully entitled to his wages and compensation for lost articles, etc., as per account rendered. Peerce, Edmund, Pepperell. Private, Capt. John Nutting's co. of Minute-men, Col. William Prescott's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; reported enlisted into the army.
He was survived by his wife Mary. They married March 9th, 1771

Private Wainright Fisk (Age 23)
Fisk, Wainwright, Pepperell. Private, Capt. John Nutting's co. of Minute-men, Col. William Prescott's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; also, Capt. John Nutting's co., Col. William Prescott's (10th) regt.; muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 1 mo. 24 days; also, company return dated Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1775; reported killed June 17, 1775; also, certificate dated Pepperell, Jan. 23, 1776, signed by the Selectmen, stating [p.732] that Thomas Fisk, eldest brother to Wainwright Fisk, who went from Pepperell and served as Private in Capt. John Nutting's co., Col. Prescott's regt., and was killed in battle at Charlestown, had undoubted right to any wages or pay for articles lost in battle due said Wainwright Fisk; also, order dated Pepperell, Sept. 20, 1776, signed by Thomas Fisk, Administrator, for money in lieu of a bounty coat due said Fisk, deceased; certificate annexed to above order, signed by Lieut. Nathaniel Larkin, states that Wainwright Fisk was a soldier in Capt. John Nutting's co., Col. Prescott's regt., in 1775, and was taken prisoner at Bunker Hill June 17, 1775.
He was survived by his parents Thomas and Mary.

Private Ebenezer Laughton (Age 27)
Laughton, Ebenezer, Pepperell. Private, Capt. John Nutting's co. of Minute-men, Col. William Prescott's regt., which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 6 days; also, Capt. John Nutting's co., Col. William Prescott's regt.; [p.546] muster roll dated Aug. 1, 1775; enlisted April 25, 1775; service, 1 mo. 24 days; also, company return dated Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1775; reported killed June 17, 1775; also, order dated Pepperell, Oct. 9, 1776, signed by Abigail Laughton, for money in lieu of a bounty coat due her late husband, said Laughton, who was killed at Bunker Hill.
He was survived by his wife Abigail (who was 8 months pregnant) and children:
Ebenezer b. Mar. 15, 1770
Abigail b. Oct. 6, 1771 (died of fever , April. 27, 1772, 6 months. 27 days..)
David b. July 16, 1775

Amasa Fisk (Age unknown)
Not on Pepperell's memorial. (Amasa Fisk was unassigned to a regiment at Bunker Hill but is listed as being a casualty from Pepperell.) He remains obscure to town records and little is known about him.

Subject: Some Prisoners Taken at the Battle of Bunker Hill Source: Groton Historical Series by Dr. Samuel A. Green Volume II 1890p.115 In "The New-England Chronicle or the Essex Gazette: (Cambridge) September 14, 1775, is given a list of American prisoners, who had been taken at the Battle of Bunker Hill and confined in Boston Jail, with their places of abode.(Listing the town the came from)Among the names are the following from Groton (MA) and its neighborhood: Lieut. Colonel Parker of Chelmsford Capt. Benjamin Walker of Chelmsford Lieut. Amaziah Fassett of Groton Oliver Stevens of Townsend Amasa Fisk of Pepperell Archibald M'Intosh of Townsend David Kemp of Groton Stephen Foster of Groton The (complete) list comprised thirty-one persons, of whom twenty had DIED at the date of the newspaper, INCLUDING ALL THOSE MENTIONED ABOVE. Capt. Benjamin Walker died August 15, 1775.Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth Used with permission by Janice Farnsworth.

Sources:

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Pepperell Vital Records 1742-1849
Massachusetts Soldiers & Sailors of the Revolutionary Way

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