EBENEZER MORTON was born around 1758 in Gorham, Cumberland County, Maine, the son of THOMAS MORTON and RACHEL ELWELL. At the time, Maine was still part of Massachusetts. THOMAS, his father, died in 1775, lost at sea, possibly during a naval expedition to Canada at the very start of the Revolutionary War. RACHEL, his mother, eventually remarried to a much older man from Gorham, THOMAS THOMES.
EBENEZER's first enlistment, at age 17, was in the newly formed Continental Army in Col EDMUND PHINNEY's 31st Regiment of Foot, under Capt WENTWORTH STUART, on 29 September 1775, for a period of one year. His brother JAMES MORTON was also in this regiment, enlisting 9 October 1775, under Capt HART WILLIAMS. Two other brothers, ELISHA MORTON and DAVID MORTON also fought in the Revolution, but I haven't yet found records for them.
EBENEZER re-enlisted in the Continental Army in 1776, in Col REUBEN FOGG's Regiment, under Capt ALEXANDER McCLELLAN, for a term of 3 years, to expire December 1779. By 1777, he had been transferred to Col SAMUEL BREWER's Regiment, Capt JOSHUA JENKINS Company, which marched to Bennington, Vermont, and took part in the Battle of Bennington, which was a decisive victory for the American side. EBENEZER was certified returned at the camp at Valley Forge, 23 January, 1778. During his tenure in the Continental Army he attained the rank of Sergeant.
Battle of Bennington, Vermont
After his term of enlistment, Sgt EBENEZER MORTON married on 7 December 1780 at Gorham SUSANNA IRISH, the daughter of THOMAS T IRISH and DELIVERANCE SKILLING (see previous post). They would have ten children, most born in Gorham. By 1800, the family had moved to the town of Standish, Cumberland County, Maine.
Sgt EBENEZER MORTON died in Standish in about 1826. I have not yet found his gravestone. Sometimes in historical references he is referred to as "EBENEZER MORTON Jr", but I am uncertain why--his father was definitely THOMAS MORTON. Perhaps it was to differentiate Sgt EBENEZER MORTON from his uncle, another Revolutionary War soldier. He is often confused with his uncle 2nd Lt EBENEZER MORTON of Falmouth, who married SARAH WHITNEY and who also later moved to Standish, dying there 17 July 1813.
Sgt EBENEZER MORTON is in the lineage of my maternal grandmother RUBY BOLTON BROWN MARTINE
Sources:
-History of Col Edmund Phinney's 31st Regiment of Foot by Charles Edwin Allen
-History of Gorham, Maine by Hugh D McLellan
-Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War
Have a great day!
Betty
© Betty Tartas 2025
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