Granddaughters of Soldier
Take Part in D.A.R.
VERONA.---A bronze marker 1n
memory of Capt. Abijah Joslin, revo-
lutionary soldier who died in Septem-
ber, 1811 at the age of 66 in this
Oneida county community, was dedi-
cated Sunday afternoon at the grave
in Verona cemetery during ceremonies
conducted by Fort Stanwix Chapter
242, Daughters of the American Revo-
Two great-granddaughters, Mrs.
Imogene New, Canastota, and Mrs.
Julia Newton, Cazenovia, unveiled the
plaque, with a biography of Captain
Joslin, a native of Leominster, Mass.,
being read by Edward H. Joslin of
Rome, a great-great-great-grandson.
Captain Joslin was in the fifth gen-
eration from Thomas Joslin of Rox-
well, Essex. England, who with his
wife and six children came to this
country in 1635, settling in Hingham,
Mass. His grandfather, Capter Peter
Joslin, who served in the French and
Indian wars, lived at Lancaster, where
on July 18, 1692 his wife and three
young children were massacred by the
Indians. Another child was captured
by the Indians and later killed.
As a young man, Abijah Joslin
moved to Ashburnham, Mass., soon
after its incorporation in 1765, where
he was made captain of the militia.
During the revolution he also was in
the militia in New York, serving in
Colonel Converse's regiment.
Six Brothers Carried Arms
Six of Capt. Abijah Joslin's brothers
also served in the revolution, as did
five of his brothers-in-law. The chap-
ter of the D.A.R. in Leominster,
Mass., is known as the Capt. John
Joslin chapter, named after a brother
who commanded a company in the
campaign against Burgoyne.
Capt. Abijah Joslin married Keziah
Farrar on May 18, 1746 in Towsend,
Mass., and 12 children were born of
the union, all being born in Ashburn-
ham where the family continued to
live until moving to Verona. Three
of his older sons came to this section
in 1795 and 1796, and cleared farms
on what is known as the Rock road
near this village.
In the fall of 1805, Captain Joslin,
with his wife and younger children,
came to Verona over the route known
then as the Mohawk trail. He died
September 1, 1811, and his widow died
March 28, 1827 at the age of 81. They
are buried side by side in the Verona
Nahum Joslin of Joslin, Rock Island
County, Illinois, the last of the chil-
dren of Capt. Abijah Joslin, died Oc-
tober 6, 1879 in his 90th year. On De-
cember 1; 1882, Elijah Blackman, the
last of that generation of the family,
died at Blackman's corners east of this
village at the end of his 90th year,
Four living in 1864
Four children of Capt. Abijah Jos-
lin were living in the early part of
1864, Ephraim Joslin, Verona; Eunice
Joslin Cagwin, Joliet, Ill.; Nahum
Joslin, Joslin, Ill., and Sophia Joslin
Blackman, wife of Elijah Blackman of
Blackman's corners. Ephraim, who
died in 1869, was in his 95th year.
Upwards of 100 persons witnessed
the dedicatory services; presided over
by Mrs. Leon Jones of Rome, regent
of Fort Stanwix chapter, aided by Mrs.
Elizabeth Beach, chapter chaplain.
The sounding of assembly by Vin-
cent Bednarz, Rome Boy Scout,
opened the ceremonies, with the blue
and white flag of the D.A.R. being
lifted from the marker by the two
great-granddaughters. Two Girl Scouts
sounded taps at the close of the dedi-
cation, while the American flag was
held by Robert Doyle and Randall
Williams, also Rome scouts.
Julia Ingles Gillett Hendrick
March 12, 2004