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East Haddam Revolutionary Heroes
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Non-Military Roles
There were many important jobs during the Revolution that did not involve combat. Here are some useful jobs of East Haddam Patriots.
Saltpeter Manufacturing
Saltpeter being harvested from nitraries
Saltpeter, now known as potassium nitrate, was an essential ingredient for gunpowder. Calcium nitrate is found in caves and when combined with high potassium materials can create saltpeter. Saltpeter can also be manufactured. It involved making a sort of compost with old vegetables and manure. These nitraries were watered, and over time, potassium nitrate leached to the surface where it was then harvested. John Chapman and Hezekiah Usher Jr. manufactured saltpeter and delivered 198 and 120 pounds, respectively, to the Powder Mill in Windham Connecticut. In 1776, Elijah Attwood Sr. got permission from the town of East Haddam to erect a saltpeter manufacturing building on Town Street. It is unknown if he engaged in this business or not.
Blacksmithing
Blacksmiths were a necessary trade for any town in the 1700s. They were the manufacturers of the majority of household items, nails, bolts, keys, candleholders, hammers, anything made of iron needed for everyday use (blacksmiths who made horseshoes were called farriers). Another aspect of a blacksmith was weapon manufacturing and repair. Most of the time it was only repair that was needed from local smith shops, but during the Revolution, especially in East Haddam, smiths started making muskets and ammunition for the Army, our biggest contributor being James Green.
A blacksmith at work
Ship Building
Shipbuilding in the 1700s
When people think of shipbuilding in New England, they think of the large cities and towns like Boothbay, Gloucester, Salem, and New London. It will be a surprise to learn that more ships were built in towns along the Connecticut River than any other New England town. Some smaller ships were built before 1700, but not much is known about them. The first large vessel on the Connecticut River was made in East Haddam, the “Mercury". It was constructed in 1751-52 and had a 100 tons burden. It was a class of ship called a snow, a two masted ship. Several war ships for the Revolution were built in the many shipyards along the River. After the Revolution, East Haddam was known for building ships for trading trips to the West Indies. Sadly, the exact location of the East Haddam shipyard is unknown.
Local Committees
There were quite a few local committees created for the safety of the town. The Committee of Correspondence was an institution that became an important communication system during the Revolution. Each town or county had its own Committee and it was a way to share news and ideas spreading through the Colonies. There was also a Committee of Supplies, which was created to help the families of soldiers in service. East Haddam had a military recruiting committee that served neighboring towns as well. East Haddam also had a Committee of Inspection. Initially to enforce the Non-importation Agreements, to hinder British goods in the town, later turned into a committee to hear complaints of individuals being “inimical" to the Colonies (suspected of Toryism).
Justice of the Peace
The role of Justice of the Peace comes from the time of Richard the Lionheart when he appointed knights to small towns and counties to facilitate peace. This practice was brought to the Colonies to do the same thing. A Justice of the Peace, sometimes also called “Magistrate", was a volunteer role usually filled by a well-off citizen. They tried local misdemeanors, conducted arraignments in criminal cases, and handled small claims. Many Patriots of East Haddam were Justices of the Peace, Jabez Chapman, John Chapman, Samuel Huntington, and Dyar Throop who later became the first Chief Justice of the Middlesex County Court.