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Noah Robinson Diaries Soldier of Attleboro, MA Diaries, 1777-1787 Size: .25 ft. Catalog number: MSS 1132 Processed by: Karen Eberhart, December 2003 ©Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division |
Historical note:
Noah Robinson was born March 22, 1758 in Attleboro, MA. He voluntarily joined militias being raised out of Attleboro and other nearby towns during the Revolutionary War and served on and off between 1777 and 1779 in Rhode Island. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in December 1778 under Captain John Cole. He served from September 1777 to Jan 1, 1778 with Captain Caleb Richardson. He was then hired by Mr. J. Daman for $47.00 and he served another three months service from January 8 to April 1778 in Col. John Daggett's Regiment. After a reprieve of several months he agreed again to serve in place of another man, Deacon Jn. Stanley. He was mustered in July 1778 and served for six months. He served with Captain Caleb Richardson until September 1, 1778 when Richardson was discharged and the company was put under the command of Captain Joseph Cole. Noah was discharged in early January, 1779. He may also have served one more time from August - September 1779 with Capt. Enoch Robinson.
Noah received enough education to be offered a teaching position at the school in Dedham and to work as clerk or scribe for each of the captains under whom he served during the war. His war service was primarily uneventful with the notable exception of his participation in the Battle of Rhode Island in August 1778.
He went on at least one ocean voyage in 1780 from Salem to the island of St. Eustatius and back to Boston. The boat carried lumber from New Hampshire. Noah's role on the boat is unclear but he is not one of the sailors. Noah was married probably to a woman named Abigail Draper and has at least one daughter by 1787. He died June 30, 1788.
Inventory:
Folder 1 Sept 23, 1777 - Jan 8, 1778
"Noah Robinsons Journal Being in the Service of the N. England States in Capt.
Caleb Richardsons Company Col. Keyes Regt. 1777"
Folder 2 Jan 8 - Apr 4, 1778; May 6-14, 1781
"Noah Robinson's Journal of his Intended Campaign by Gods Permition: in Col,
John Daggetts Regt Raised by the State of Massechusetts Bay in New
England - Col. Daggett's from Attleborough"
Folder 3 July 20, 1778 - Jan 3, 1779; Feb 12, 1779
"Noah Robinson's Journal of a Six Month's Campaign (by God's Permition) in the
State of R. Island in a Compy. Command by Capt. Caleb Richardson -
From the Town of Attleborough"
"Noah Robinson's Book Swansey 22 Octr 1778"
The cover for this journal is a pay roll for one of the Massachusetts regiments with discernible dates of June 20 - July 16, 1778 and Joseph Cole listed as Captain. The date of the document is September 12, 1778 extrapolated from the date they started service and the length of time they had served. Noah was the scribe for all the captains he served under and this must have been a pay roll that was not acceptable.
Folder 4 Sept 29 - Dec 10, 1780
Several pages of this diary are missing. The exact dates covered are
Sept 29 - Oct 8; Nov 6 - 10; Nov 21; Dec 9 - 10
Diary of a voyage aboard the Ship Marquis Lafayette with Captain Nathaniel West from Salem to St. Eustatius and returning to Boston.
Several of the pages to the 1780 diary on board the Ship Marquis, Nathaniel West Commander are detached from the text and are very fragile. A transcription for those pages appears below. Words and letters supplied by the transcriber appear within brackets.
Folder 5 Jan 1, 1784; Aug 2 - Oct 16, 1787
Diary of travels around Massachusetts.
Transcription of pages from diary of a voyage to St. Eustatius, 1780
Loose page 1
[page torn at top, words illegible]
of Intended Voige by Gods Permi[tion] from Salem in N. England [to] St. Eustashey in the Good Sh[ip] Marquis Lafaytte Nathl West Commander
By Noah Robinson
Salem Septr. 29th 1780
At 9 oClock Went onboard [torn] with my Chest & Clothes a[nd] [at] 10 oClock A.M. Weyed Anch[or] stood for Portsmouth the W[torn] N. West
Saturday 30th 80 Pleasent [torn] morning at 6 A.M. go[t] the Royals. Broached Tirie of [Pork?] at 3 oClock P.M. arrived at Ports[mouth] Warf. Cleared up the Deck &
Sunday Octr 1t 1780
Pleasent Morning. Walkd out [to?] Town after apples then [torn]
Loose page 2
[Monday Octr 2nd 1780]
Pleasent Morning afternoon Cleared out the Cabbin in the evning about 1 oClock our Raft of lumber came Down the River.
Tuesday 3d Octtr 1780 Last Night [torn]y (and Morning allso) all hand[s] [imp]loyed in getting on board Lumb[er] [torn] [i]n the Evning was in Compy [with] Mr (..) The Fiddle
Wednesday 4th 1780 All hands [im]ployed Loding Lumber & we spent the Evning in Compy wit[h] [Mr] Hodges & Mr at[?] M.S. [illegible] [torn] the Day Loury wind N.E.
Thursday 5th 1780
Loury Morning in the forenoon [w]as Lodeing Lumber on board --- Dined at MS Con in Compy
with Mr Weasey past some part of the Evning in Discourse with Mr Hds
Cap[tain]
Loose page 3
Friday [6th Octr 1780]
Pleasent morning this day th[e] People ware Imployed in getting their Ventures on board, Shiped tw[o?] Barrels of apples for my Self in the afternoon attended on Mr Weasey who was Indisposed & Taking a Vomit
Saturday 7th 1780 Octr
This 24 hours begins with [torn] and Pleasent Weather the [torn] and latter part of this 24 h[ours] is attended with Cloudy R[torn] weather. Nothing Remark[able] hapned this Day
Sunday 7th Octr 1780 [sic - the date is actually the 8th]
This Twen[ty] four Hours begins wi[th] Cloudy Weathe[r] [a]t 9 oClock [A]M
Loose page 4
[torn] from the Warf at Portsmoth and Came to Sail and put to See with the Wind W.N.W. [a]t 12 AM Pascataway streme bore bore W.N.W. [torn] leagues Distance from [sh?]ip wea take our [de]parture from being in [?]e Latte of 43d..26 North [an]d Londgte 70..10 West [?]ount to Eustasha in [torn] Latte 17d.25N and [Lon]dgt of 62..20 West, So god Carry us to the [2 or 3 words torn]
Loose page 5
[torn]inson
Decr 3d 1780
[On] board of the Ship Marques Nathal West Commander on a Passage from St. Eustatia to Salem
So Heaven Protect us and Carry un on in Safety
Boston Decr 9th 1780
Loose page 6
Sunday Decr 10th 1780 This is the ha[torn] Day of our Safe Arrival in Boston harbour in Sixteen Days from St. Eusta[sha] On board the Ship Marquis Lafay[ette] Nathnl West Commander [The?] Lord has Carried us out and [back?] in Safety
Subjects:
Cole, Joseph.
Daggett, John.
Diaries, 1777-1787.
Marquis Lafayette (Ship)
Rhode Island, Battle of, R.I., 1778.
Richardson, Caleb.
United States - History - Revolution, 1775-1783.
West, Nathaniel.
Willmarth, Moses.