Colonel Enoch Hale (1733–1813) was born in Rowley,

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in British America which became one of the Thirteen Colonies, thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III of England, William III and Mary II ...

, on November 28, 1733. He and his brother

Nathan Nathan or Natan may refer to: People *Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name *Nathan (surname) *Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible * Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David an ...

(who was not the like-named

Nathan Hale Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an American Patriot, soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured b ...

, famous spy of the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

) lived as children in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...

Province of New Hampshire The Province of New Hampshire was a colony of England and later a British province in North America. The name was first given in 1629 to the territory between the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers on the eastern coast of North America, and was nam ...

, before moving to Rindge as young men and rising to prominence in the area.

Biography

Enoch Hale was a man of large possessions and very prominent in civil and military affairs, particularly during his residence in Rindge, Jaffrey and Walpole, NH. He became an extensive landowner shortly after settling in Rindge, and dealt largely in lands. He was the first justice of the peace of Rindge in 1768. Was Selectman of Rindge 1772, 73, 74,75 and 83 and was present and officiated at such town meetings in 1784; was a member of the New Hampshire Assembly in 1776 and 1778 representing Rindge, Jaffrey and Peterboro Slip (now Sharon); was delegate to the Provincial Congress at Exeter in 1775; high sheriff of Cheshire, 1778 to 1783; a member of the State Council, 1780 to 1783; senator from Cheshire County, 1784. In 1776 he was appointed colonel of a "geographical regiment" of the New Hampshire militia, and held that position during the war, having charge of all the raising, mustering and paying of troops within his district. In 1778 he raised a regiment to reinforce General Sullivan, then operating in Rhode Island in conjunction with the French Fleet, and marched in command of it to Rhode Island. The records of the New Hampshire Committee of Safety abound in references to him.(7th vol. Trans. N.H. Hist. Soc.) Before this he had served in the old French war, and was under Col. Monroe at Fort Wm. Henry at the massacre in 1758. Was a private in Captain Bayley's company, Col. Meserve's regiment, in the expedition to Crown Point March to November, 1757, and again in Capt. Hasen's company, Col. Hart's regiment, April to October, 1758. He was an original member of the Congregational Church in Rindge at its organization in 1765, served frequently on ecclesiastical committees, and was active in the settlement of Rev. Dr. Seth Payson as pastor in 1781. In 1785, after his removal to Walpole, he built, under an act of the Legislature of New Hampshire authorizing it, the first bridge across the Connecticut River at Bellows Falls, which remained the only bridge across the river until 1796. The

Vilas Bridge The Charles N. Vilas Bridge is a two-span concrete deck arch bridge over the Connecticut River between Bellows Falls, Vermont and North Walpole, New Hampshire. It was built in 1930 and has been closed since March 19, 2009. History Colonel Enoch ...

is now in this location. After his removal to

Grafton, Vermont Grafton is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 645 at the 2020 census. History In the early 19th century, sheep raising became popular and multiple woolen mills sprang up along the branches of the Saxtons River. ...

, he represented that town in the Legislature of Vermont for two years when about 75 years of age. Wherever he lived, his vigorous intellect and energy of character impressed themselves on all about him and made him always a leader.

Sheriff of Cheshire County

" While Sheriff of Cheshire county in 1781 the controversy between the State of New Hampshire and the towns the known as the "New Hampshire grants" now Vermont, was at its height, the new State also claimed jurisdiction of several towns east of Connecticut River and within the county of Cheshire. In performance of his duty as sheriff, Col. Hale undertook to release certain prisoners held in jail in Charlestown, under the so-called Vermont authorities, for alleged resistance to the Vermont officials, but was himself arrested, refusing to give bail or in any way recognize the authority of Vermont officials, was committed to his own jail at Charlestown, under the charge of Dr. William Page of Charlestown, who claimed to act as sheriff of the county of Washington, Vt. Dr. Page was grandfather of Gov. John B. Page of Rutland and Dr. George Page of Crown Point. Troops were ordered out on both sides and the condition of affairs looked serious. Dr. Page was in turn arrested at Exeter by order of the New Hampshire Legislature, and confined in jail there. Hale was released on 30 Dec., 1781, and Page on 10 Jan., 1782, and the whole matter was finally settled in 1782 on the basis proposed by the Federal Congress, The Vermont Legislature withdrawing all claim of jurisdiction of the towns east of the Connecticut river."

Battles

During the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...

Enoch Hale served in the

New Hampshire Provincial Regiment The New Hampshire Provincial Regiment was a provincial military regiment made up of men from the New Hampshire Militia during the French and Indian War for service with the British Army in North America. It was first formed in 1754 with the sta ...

in 1755 and 1757-1758. Enoch Hale was the 1st

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...

in the town of Rindge. During the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Enoch Hale led the 15th New Hampshire Militia Regiment at the

Battle of Bennington The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War, part of the Saratoga campaign, that took place on August 16, 1777, on a farm owned by John Green in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake, Bennington, Vermont. A r ...

and

Battle of Rhode Island The Battle of Rhode Island (also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill) took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and Militia forces under the command of Major General John Sullivan had been besieging the British forces in Newport, Rhode Isl ...

in 1778.

Genealogy

Enoch Hale was not the son of Moses Hale (Thomas3, Thomas2, Thomas1) is said to be born in Rowley 28 Nov. 1733. Enoch was one of 7 children; Nathan who died young, Moses, Elizabeth, Eunice, Lucy and another Nathan. According to Descendants of Thomas Hale P. 94 indicates Moses family. Moses father was Justice Thomas Hale of Newbury, grandson of Thomas Hale,

Watton-at-Stone Watton-at-Stone is a village in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated midway between the towns of Stevenage and Hertford in the valley of the River Beane. The 2011 census showed a population of 2,272 living in 946 households. Watton-at ...

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...

, England who arrived in 1637 and was founder of Newbury, Ma. Colonel Enoch Hale died April 9, 1813 in

References

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State Builders: An Illustrated Historical and Biographical Record of the State of New Hampshire. State Builders Publishing Manchester, NH 1903
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hale, Enoch 1733 births 1813 deaths People of colonial New Hampshire New Hampshire militiamen in the American Revolution People of New Hampshire in the French and Indian War People of New Hampshire in the American Revolution People from Windham County, Vermont People from Rindge, New Hampshire