Tombstone Tuesday ~ Antipas Dodge, buried 1834 in Goffstown, New Hampshire

This tombstone was photographed at the Hillside Cemetery, Goffstown, New Hampshire

Mr.

ANTIPAS DODGE

Died July 4^th, 1831

Aged 102 yrs, 3 mo.

& 19 days

                           REV

Antipas Dodge, son of David Dodge and Mary Esgate, was born 5 March 1738 in Brookfield, Massachusetts.  He received a grant of land, from his father, of 100 acres in the third lot, second range, south of the Piscataquog River in Goffstown, New Hampshire where he settled with his family.  His first wife was Anna Ramsey, of Londonderry, and his second wife was Molly Arwyne. He had six children: Martha, Mary, James, Margaret, Antipas and Abijah.  Antipas Dodge died in Pembroke, New Hampshire on 4 July 1834, so you can see that the age carved onto his gravestone is a great exaggeration.  [He was really about 93 years old when he died – a ripe old age indeed!]

Antipas Dodge had a grandfather, Antipas Dodge, and his great grandfather was Samuel Dodge (1645 - 1705).  Samuel’s sister was Mary, who married Zachary Herrick (1636 – 1695), my 10^th great uncle.  Zachary was the brother to my 10^th great grandfather,  Henry Herrick (1640 – 1702).

Antipas Dodge served in the Revolutionary War.  You can see the DAR flag holder in the photograph, as well as the letters REV painted on the lower right corner of his gravestone.  I’ve only seen these letters painted on gravestones in this cemetery in Goffstown, and it seems to me to be a controversial action.  His Revolutionary War service is outlined in the Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire, Volume 4, page 1642:

“Antipas Dodge, of Watertown, also given as of Ware and Brookfield, Massachusetts, was a private in Captain Thomas Wellington’s company, Colonel Asa Whitcomb’s regiment. His name is on the must roll dated Camp at Ticonderoga, November 27, 1776.  He enlisted October 1, 1776, and ins reported re-engaged November 16, 1776, in Captain Brewer’s company, Colonel Brewer’s regiment but to remain in Colonel Whitcomb’s regiment until December 31, 1776.  His name is also on the return of men raised to serve in the Continental army from Fourth Company, Colonel Converse’s (4^th Worcester Co.) regiment sworn to by Lieutenant Jonathan Snow, at Brookfield, February 20, 1778.  His residence was given as Ware.  He engaged for the town of Brookfield (also given as New Braintree), and joined Captain Harwood’s company, Colonel Nixon’s regiment, for a term of three years.  He is also enumerated as a privaten Major’s company, Colonel Ebenezer Sprout’s regiment: continental pay accounts for service from January 1, 1777, to December 31, 1779.  His residence is given as Watertown.  His name also appears in Captain Brewer’s company, Colonel Brewer’s report on the muster returns dated Camp Valley Forge, January 23, 1778, and his residence given as Brookfield:  enlisted for the town of Brookfield, and was mustered in by the state muster master.  He is also on the descriptive list of deserters from the corps of guards, as returned by C. Gibbs, major commandant, dated Headquarters, Morristown, New Jersey, May 22, 1780; age twenty years; statue five feet six inches; complexion dark; occupation hatter; engaged for the town of Watertown for the term of the war;  deserted February 8, 1780.  It seems that after arduous service for between three and four years he went home, as many others did, and failed to return to his command.”

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Tombstone Tuesday ~ Antipas Dodge, buried 1834 in Goffstown, New Hampshire", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 1, 2016, ( http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/03/tombstone-tuesday-antipas-dodge-buried.html:  accessed [access date]).