Stephen Stowe
| Stephen Stowe | |
|---|---|
| File:Eells-Stow House -- Milford, CT.jpgEells-Stow House -- Milford, CT.jpg The Eells-Stow House on the Milford Historical Society property, Milford, Connecticut. | |
| Born | May 22, 1726 Middletown, Connecticut |
| 💀Died | February 8, 1777 (aged 50) Milford, ConnecticutFebruary 8, 1777 (aged 50) |
| 💼 Occupation | Sea Captain and Merchant |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Freelove Baldwin |
| 👴 👵 Parent(s) | Samuel and Esther (Mould) Stowe |
Stephen Stowe or Stephen Stow (May 22, 1726 – February 8, 1777) was a Colonial American sea captain from Connecticut. He is best known for his civilian service during the American Revolutionary War that led to his nickname, "the Martyr".
Early life
He was born on May 22, 1726 in Middletown, Connecticut. He was the son of Samuel and Esther (Mould) Stowe, the youngest of their ten children.
Marriage and children
He married Freelove Baldwin in about 1752. In 1754 they moved to Milford, Connecticut and purchased what is today known as the Eells-Stow House, a colonial house that is well preserved to this day. They had seven children:
- Stephen (1754-1819) married Mary Beardsley.
- Esther (1755-1847) married John Stone.
- Jedediah (1756-1843) married Sally Clark.
- Samuel (1758-1830) married Sally Green.
- John (1761-1839) married Sarah B. Gillett.
- William (1763-1792) married Elizabeth Baldwin.
- Phineas (1771-1811) married Mary Platt.
Revolutionary War service
Stowe's support of the revolutionary cause is clear. Four of his sons eventually fought for the revolution. Additionally, following a 1776 sermon entitled “Loyalty to the King”, he angrily insisted that he would never attend services in that church again.
During the night of December 31, 1776, or early morning of January 1, 1777, as many as 200 sick American prisoners of war were left on Milford Beach by the British. The Stowe house is located in view of the beach, and family legends tell us that some of these sick soldiers were feebly able to approach his home. Some in the group were found to be so desperately sick that they were unable to travel, and these were brought to the town hall so they could be given medical attention. Few in the small community were willing to help. Despite the dangers, Stowe wrote his will and stayed with the sick. Although it is unlikely that he was the only one who helped, he is the best remembered because he died as a result of the service.
Death and legacy
He died on February 8, 1777 of smallpox. He was buried in a mass grave with 46 others, nearly a quarter of those who had been left on Milford beach.
In 1852 a brownstone Soldiers' Monument was erected in the Milford Cemetery to remember those who died in the revolution. The east face of the obelisk bears an inscription memorializing Stephen Stowe for his service.
Sources
- Nathan Stowe, Ancestry and Some of the Descendants of Capt. Stephen Stowe of Milford, Conn., Lyon Quality Printery, 1924.
- Nathan Stowe, Sixty years' Recollections of Milford : and its chronology from 1637 up to and including 1916, Milford, CT, 1917.
- Susan Woodruff Abbott, Families of early Milford, Connecticut, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1979.
External links
- [1] The Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
- [2] CT Monuments.net, Connecticut History in Granite and Bronze.
- [3] Historical Marker Database.
- [4] Milford Hall of Fame.
Stephen Stowe (revolutionary war)
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