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Note: Benjamin was a son of Dr. John Deake born in Hopkinton, R.I. on Nov. 27, 1753 at Hopkinton, Kings Co., RI. After his father's death in 1761 he moved with his mother to the Town of Richmond where received his schooling and grew to manhood. By the time he reached the age of majority he was living in the area of Littlerest, in the adjacent town of South Kingston. He was living there at the time he enlisted for service in the Revolutionary War, and returned there after his service.
Benjamin Sr. enlisted in the Revolutionary War in the Spring of 1775 at Littlerest, South Kingston, Rhode Island and was assigned to duty as a Private under Captain Christopher Gardner and Colonel James Vernon (Varnum), 12th Company Rhode Island Troops, for a term of one (1) year. His lieutenant was Nathaniel Hawkins and his Ensign, William Potter. He also served as the waiter of Col. Archibald Crary after he enlisted for a second term. His name appears in War Department Records in a list of Sick and Wounded in the General Hospital Convalescent Home from Nov. 22 to December 2, 1775. Benjamin received a written discharge from Colonel Crary in Morristown, New Jersey, but lost this document later. Since Benjamin lost the discharge papers, his petition was never granted. His heirs attempted to get the pension approved after Benjamin died on March 1, 1837.
According to papers in his claim for pension in 1832, he was one of the 2200 men who crossed the icy Delaware with General Washington on the night of December 26, 1776 and defeated the Hessians at Trenton, N.J.
The following pay record was found in his name:
"Windsor, Vt. June 9, 1781 payroll of Capt. Samuel S. Savage's Company of Militia in the Third Regiment, Commanded by Col. Eben Woods and marched in scouts and alarms by Col. Woods orders in the months of Aug., Sept. and Oct.
3 days @ 40 lbs./mo. = 4 lbs.
30 miles @ .4 lbs./mi.= 10 lbs.
= 14 lbs. "
He married Elizabeth Reynolds, March 23, 1779 in South Kingston, R.I. Emmanuel Case married them. (She was born Nov. 30, 1761 at N. Kingston, Washington Co., RI and died April 25, 1832). His first child, George Washington Dake, was born at Littlerest on Sept. 25, 1780. Benjamin's brother John and twin Joseph had moved to Windsor prior to 1780. Benjamin moved to Windsor about 1781. He rode on horseback from Rhode Island to West Windsor, VT and purchased 50 acres of land. They built a log cabin in a field near Brook Rd. (in 1977 his 4th great grand daughter, Florence Van Dusen still lived on this land).
After the War Benjamin was apparently esteemed as a farmer as he was elected Hog Reeve in 1782 and served on a Petty Jury in the same year. There is every indication that he was a farmer all his life, but the Windsor land records show that he was also an active land trader in what is now the Town of West Windsor. He was listed in some of the deeds as a farmer and silversmith. Both his name and the name of his brother Joseph appear on the Tax list of Windsor in the year 1785. On September 3, 1832 Benjamin Dake deeded all his property in West Windsor to his sons George W. and Elisha, providing they provide him with board and room for the rest of his life. Sons Thomas R. of Castleton and Benjamin F. of Hadley, New York contested the deed-will. The case was settled out of court by a cash settlement. George W. died in 1836 so Elisha inherited the old Dake homestead at his father's death, March 1, 1837 in the Town of West Windsor, Vermont. Elizabeth died April 25, 1832 at West Windsor, Vt. They were buried in the Sheddsville cemetery. This cemetery was eventually abandoned and lost to the woods and undergrowth. In recent years all the old cemeteries of Vermont have been reclaimed and open to the public. Benjamin and Elizabeth Dake's headstones are still in good shape and quite legible. Benjamin Sr. died Mar.1, 1837 in West Windsor, VT. He is buried in the Sheddsville Cemetery, West Windsor, VT.
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