Private Jeremiah Crocker*
Private Jeremiah Crocker’s Revolutionary War service was extensive. According to his personal account, he served beginning in 1775, possibly at Bunker Hill, for a span of 26 months over the course of three enlistments. During this time he was sent to Rhode Island, to Springfield and to West Point. In his application for a soldier's pension, Crocker states that he was born in Natick around 1742, but little else is known about his life in Natick. At some point in his life he may have lived with a Reverend Frost, as recorded by a witness to his pension application but it is unclear in which town. Another witness to his pension application recalls that Crocker reported he was a drummer during his service. Crocker’s name is also associated with Thaddeus Gibson, and he appears to have moved with his family to New Hampshire. Military records show that Crocker served in several regiments, including under Colonel Brewer and Colonel Rufus Putnam. Putnam played a critical role defending Boston from the British in 1776. Crocker may have been part of it. In fact, Crocker's accurate recollection of Putnam and other officers was taken as proof of service in lieu of other official records.
Like many soldiers of limited means, Crocker moved around. Military records tie him to several other towns in Massachusetts, including Franklin, Dedham, Medway and Bellingham. In 1779, he married Rose Hagar, a free woman of color, in Franklin. Shortly after, they moved to Henniker, New Hampshire. Crocker remained in Henniker until he died at around age 90 in 1836. He and his wife Rose had two children, Soloman and Irene. Rose died in 1829.
Stories about Crocker's service in the Revolutionary War abound in the town history of Henniker. Town historian, Leander Cogswell, in his history of Henniker, reiterated lore that Crocker was a servant to General Washington, but Crocker himself did not report that in his pension application. Many referred to him as "Major" throughout his life in deference to his service.
NOTE: More often than not, service, vital, and/or other historical records were created and kept by men of English and European backgrounds. They employed a wide range of descriptive terms, such as "mulatto," negro," and "dark complexion." These terms cannot fully capture any soldier's identity, but they do offer clues. In some cases, the surname of a soldier of color connects him to a Natick family that is well documented. Often, these soldiers are Indigenous men. The biographies in this project make it possible to say more not only about a soldier's identity or background, but also about the life he led in Natick and beyond.