After his outing to Lexington on April 19, 1775, as one of the two drummers for Stoneham Minuteman company, David Geary joined first a militia corps and then the Continental Army, and served during most of the American Revolution. In the spring of 1776, Pvt. Geary wrote a letter home from New York to his wife Anna in Stoneham. In it, he makes clear his devotion to the cause of American liberty.
We all keep up with [good?] Spirits as knowing that we are in a Cause that we think is Just and rite and are willing to venter our Lives for the Cause of Liberty hoping that god will Be our Persever when in Denjer and Keep us from all Evel and Return us all in Sefty.
The letter features 18th century spelling – being written before the advent of dictionaries and grammars standardized the spelling of most words. It is is addressed to Mrs. David Geary Junr in Stoneham New ingland Near Boston. In this era, while most people in New England could read, they could not necessarily write, which was taught as a different skill.
After inquiring to his wife’s health, the letter is largely concerned with details of his journey south, fortifications and artillery for New York City and his uneasiness over the possibility of the regiment being sent northward to Canada (Canedy).
After the war, David Geary farmed and ran a tavern in what is now Central Square, Stoneham (about where the Dow Building is now) . He rose to become a militia captain, also served to put down Shay’s Rebellion, and died relatively young in 1807, when the youngest of his 14 children, Ira, was only a year old. His first wife Elizabeth (Damon) died in 1773 after less than a year of marriage and he remarried first Anna Bucknam (1757-1790) and then Sarah Richardson (1769-1839) Sarah was later the first president of the Stoneham Female Anti-Slavery Society. His children included David (1773) Anna (1777) Abner (1781) Betsy (1782); Thomas (1786); Zacheus (1789); Reuben (1791); Elbridge (1793); Joshua (1795); Sally/Sarah (1797); Caleb (1799); Eliza (1801); Arad (1804); and Ira (1806).
Text of David Geary’s Letter:
New York april the 20 1776
My Dear wife inclose this oppetunety with the gratist Pleasher Emmageble
of my Senc s er Love to you to Inform you that I am throw the grate goodness
of God in good health hoping that these few Lines will find you in Better health
then I Left you _ I would Inform you that I marched from Cambridge
to Norwhich By Land and from thire I imbarked a bord the Transport and Sayled
to New London and from thire I Saylled to New york which I arivid the 13 D of april
where I found all our Stoneham men in good health and Spirits ____
I would inform you that the Cety of New York is finely Situated and very
finely Fortified and we are making fit Stronger Every Day and we have
a grate quantity of artillery hear So that we are not afrad of the Eanemy
Laning att that this Place But I am afrade that we Shall not Be [Stanetied] hear
this Summer which I Should Be glad to Be for I Like our accomadations
very well hear But there is ordrers for fore Regements of men to imbark
abord the transpors for Albaney and from there to go to Cannedy which Reg t are
Col. Padesons Col Bonds Col Pooers & Col Greatons of which we Expect to go with
them But we are not Sartain were we Shall go or not for we have [?] [?]
that quebec [ft?] is given up into our hands which of Should Prove troue we
are hoping that wee Shall not Be Sent there _ But if I should
Be Called to go I hope I Shall Be Ennable to go in the strength of my god
who is able to Keep me When in Denger and Persarve me from all of Eavil
and Return me in Sefty ________________________
I Deseer to Remember my Duty to my farthers and mothers and Love to all my
Brothirs and Sisters hoping that thay are all in good health and hoping that thay
will take all oppetunetys to rite to me ___
I remember my Love love to masster Wright and till him that all Stoneham men
are in good health and Spirits hoping that his fammely are all well _
We all keep up with[good?] Spirits as knowing that we are in a Cause that
we think is Just and rite and are willing to venter our Lives for the
Cause of Liberty hoping that god will Be our Persever when in Denjer
and Keep us from all Evel and Return us all in Sefty ____________
So I Shall Conclude with asking the Prayers of all my frinds for me that
I may Be Perseved when in Denger and Returnd hom in Sefty
I [?]scribe my Self your [Lov]ing Husband till Death
David Geary